Loblolly Pine
Pinus taeda
Loblolly pines are very common along the edges of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers and wetlands.
The loblolly pine is a tall evergreen tree with long, thin needles and scaly bark. It grows along the edges of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers and wetlands.
Appearance:
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Long, thin, dark green or greenish-yellow needles that grow in bundles of three
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Brown, oval cones that grow to 3-6 inches and have short thorns
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Dark brown or brownish-red bark. As the tree matures, the bark separates into scaly, deeply furrowed plates.
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Tall, straight trunk with no knots for up to 30 feet high
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Grows to 70-90 feet tall
Habitat:
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Grows in a variety of soils, from dry upland areas to poorly drained lowlands
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Very common along the edges of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers and wetlands
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One of the first trees that will colonize marshes and abandoned fields
Range:
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Grows throughout the Bay’s coastal plain, including Delaware, Maryland and Virginia
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Rare north of the Bay
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
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Reproductive buds form in June and flower in July-August
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Male and female buds develop in October, but remain dormant until early February.
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Male buds are about one inch long and are greenish, yellowish or reddish. They form clusters on the previous year’s growth.
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Female buds are oval-shaped and slightly smaller. They form on new growth and are fertilized the following spring.
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Cones, which contain the tree’s seeds, mature by the second October after flowering begins
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Can live as long as 275 years
Other Facts:
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Provides important habitat for wildlife, particularly bald eagles
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Early colonists boiled loblolly pine resin into pitch or tar to preserve wooden boats and ship riggings
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Loblolly pines are considered the most commercially valuable type of wood in the southern United States. They are used for pulp, mulch and timber.
Sources and Additional Information:
