Pinus serotina - Pond pine
Family Pinaceae
Description:
Nearly one hundred species of pines grow around the world, mostly in the northern hemisphere. The pond pine is native to the eastern United States, along the Atlantic coastal plain and along the eastern Gulf coast. Usually, it is found in swamps and along the edges of waterways. The pond pine has a rather irregular, open crown. It is distinguished from other local pines by its small, rounded cones (2 - 2 ½ inch) and the tufts of needles that persist on the trunk. It sprouts readily from the base following fire or injury. It is grown for pulpwood on wet sites.
Location:
See this tree in wet natural areas of campus.
Size:
Medium to large tree with a maximum height of about seventy feet tall.
Care Instructions:
Light: full sun to part sun
Water: moist to soggy soils
Soil: grows naturally in soils of low pH
This native plant is not available in local nurseries. It can be grown from sites where the roots can reach water to swamps. It is worth conserving where it exists naturally.