Loblolly pine : Pinus taeda


Kingdom : Plantae
   Phylum : : Coniferophyta
          Class : Pinopsida
               Order : Pinales
                    Family : Pinaceae
                         Genus : Pinus
                              Species : taeda L.

Common name : Loblolly pine

Loblolly pine, Photo by David Byres Description:

Large tree, up to 46 m tall, crown cone-like to rounded.

Buds slender, covered by brown scales.

Leaves (needles) in fascicles of 2-3, 12-18 cm long.

Female cones 5-13 cm long, narrowly ovoid when when open, shedding seeds in fall; scales with sharp prickles.
See photo on next page.

Pollen cones cylindric, 2-3 cm long, yellow to brown, shedding pollen Feb.-April.
See photo below:


Habitat:

Old fields, dry uplands and may border swamps.

Distribution:

Southern New Jersey south to central Florida and west to eastern Texas, southeastern Oklahoma, central Arkansas and southern Tennessee.


Male cones, Photo by David Byres



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