Loblolly Pine

Pinus taeda

The loblolly pine is an evergreen tree that can grow to 100 feet tall. It has:

• Long, dark green or greenish-yellow leaves that grow in bundles of three.
• A straight trunk with no knots for up to 30 feet high.
• Dark brown or brownish-red bark. As the tree matures, the bark separates into deeply furrowed plates with a slightly dark orange color.
• Cylindrical or oval-shaped cones that grow to 3 to 6 inches and have sharp spines on the scales.
• Reproductive flowers that grow at the tips of the branches. Male flowers vary in color from red to yellow, while female flowers are yellowish-purple.

Where does the loblolly pine grow?

Loblolly pines grow in a variety of soils, from well-drained upland areas with poor nutrient levels to poorly drained lowland areas and abandoned fields. In the Bay region, this rapidly growing tree thrives at the edges of the Bay and its tributaries.

Other facts about the loblolly pine:

• Loblolly pine forests and stands provide excellent habitat for wildlife, including deer, squirrels, osprey and bald eagles.
• Early colonists used loblolly pine resin to boil into pitch or tar. Today, loblolly pines are considered the most commercially valuable forest species in the southern U.S. and are used for pulp, timber and mulch.