As the name implies, longleaf pine has the longest needles of any native North American pine. The needles grow in bundles of three and can reach a length of 18 inches and gracefully droop from course, stubby branches of a mature tree. New seedlings don't put a lot of effort toward quick growth and can stay in a "grass stage" for a decade or more.
1. The Silviculture of Longleaf Pine
Longleaf pine seedlings form into clumps of long, green "needles" and stay in this protective state for several years. This mass of green needles help the tree survive in competing grasses that are prone to fire during dry periods. This "grass" stage of a young longleaf pine protects the tree and makes it the most fire-resistant of all the pines.
2. The Images of Longleaf Pine
Forestryimages.org provides several images of parts of longleaf pine. The tree is a conifer and the lineal taxonomy is Pinopsida > Pinales > Pinaceae > Pinus palustris P. Mill. Longleaf pine is also commonly called longleaf pine, longleaf yellow pine and southern yellow pine.
3. The Range of Longleaf Pine
The natural range of longleaf pine includes most of the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains from southeastern Virginia to eastern Texas and south through the northern two-thirds of peninsular Florida. The species also grows in the Piedmont, Ridge and Valley, and Mountain Provinces of Alabama and northwest Georgia.
