Longleaf pine--Pinus palustris

Once the premier timber and naval stores species, longleaf pine grew in expansive pure stands across the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains. Recently however, the species that once flourished on 60 million acres now only remains on less than 4 million acres in the southern United States.The species grows tall, straight with very slight taper, and prunes well. Longleaf pine is diminishing in area due to over exploitation, lack of advanced regeneration planning, and the market desire for faster product rotation. New markets such as chemical production, from the resin-soaked heartwood, and “pine straw” are starting to increase the public’s interest in returning this native species to its earlier state.

One unique growth habit of longleaf pine is the “grass-stage”. Unlike other southern pines,

• Longleaf seeds germinate soon after they are dispersed.

• Rapid germination produces a stemless condition that may last many years depending on site conditions.

• During this time the seedling develops an extensive root system, including a taproot.

• The seedling is very susceptible to blight and fire during the grass stage but can reproduce itself, in the event of top-kill, by resprouting from the root collar.