Pinus palustris

• BOTANICAL NAME: Pinus palustris
• PRONUNCIATION: PI-nus pa-LUS-tris.
• COMMON NAME: Longleaf Pine
• FAMILY: Pinaceae
• NATIVITY: Virginia, south to Florida, in the coastal plain.
• GROWTH HABIT: Unique growth habit as plant spends the first 5 - 7 years in a rosette or "grass" stage. Fast growing lose pyramidal to irregularly rounded tree at maturity.
• SIZE: 40 - 60' in cultivation, to 90' in the wild.
• HARDINESS: Zone 7 - 9.
• CULTURE: Full sun and well drained soils. Tolerates hot, dry environments.
• SUCCESSIONAL STATUS:  Climax
• FACULTATIVE STATUS:  Facultative
• LANDSCAPE USE: Unusual specimen because of the extremely long needles. Good for coastal conditions.
• FOLIAGE: Needles in fascicles of three, 10 - 16" long! Needles are soft and flexible.
  Leaves often appear in tufts on the ends of branches.
• BUDS: Cylindrical 1 1/2 - 2" long. Scales silver-white in color and fringed.
• BARK: Reddish brown and deeply furrowed.
• FRUIT: Cone 6 - 8" long, 2" wide.
• PROPAGATION: Seed.
• PESTS: None serious.
• CULTIVARS: