Pine trees of Texas
Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.)

  Height: 90-100 ft occasionally 110 ft
  Diameter: 2-3 ft
  Showy flower: no
  Fall colors: no-evergreen
  Drought tolerant: low
  Annual rainfall: 35-65
  Soil Needs: moist, pH 4.0-7.0
  Frost Free Days: 150
  Minimum Temperature (F): -8
  Growth Rate: rapid
  State List:  AL, AR, DE, FL, GA, IL,
  KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, OK,
  SC, TN, TX, VA                      ...more                                           
Hailed as the leading commercial timber tree in the southeast United States, the native Loblolly pine grows rapidly with a straight trunk clear of branches.  It reaches 50 feet in just 20 years, and when mature can top 100 feet with a trunk diameter between 2-3 feet.  The bark on young trees is usually dark, blackish-brown and scaly. Mature Loblolly pines are                       ...more                                                    
Loblolly Pine bark close up
Loblolly Pine Pinus taeda canopy
Photo Gallery
Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris Mill.)
Synonym: Pinus australis Michx. f. 
Common names: Longstraw, yellow...
  Height: 75-120ft
  Diameter: 2-2.5 ft
  Showy flower: no
  Fall colors: no-evergreen
  Drought tolerant: moderate
  Annual rainfall: 40-60
  Soil Needs: infertile,  pH 6.0-7.0
  Frost Free Days: 250
  Minimum Temperature (F): -3
  Growth Rate: rapid
  Longevity: 400-500 years
  State List: AL, AR, FL...           more  
Photo Gallery
3 needles bundled together in a thick case
Bark of Longleaf pine is thick, fissured and has irregular, flaky plates
A native conifer found in the southeastern United States.  Living between 400-500 years, Longleaf pine grows up to 120 feet tall and 2.5 feet in diameter.  A rapid grower, it is commin for this species to be 40 feet tall in only 20 years.  Like most pines, the first few years are spent in a grass stage where it develops a deep and extensive root
                            ...more
Pinus palustris is native to a handful of counties in south eastern Texas close to the gulf
Photo Gallery
Pinus ponderosa cones, nestled in a thick tuft of needles, hang from branches in bundles of 3.
Small brown single winged Pinus ponderosa seeds
Warm brown in color, Pinus ponderosa cones average 6 inches in length
Ponderosa pines are towering trees, regularly hitting the record books and recenty taking the title of tallest pine in the world at a staggering 268.35 feet tall.  Height ranges between 150-223 usually, but great heights have been recorded at optimum sites.  Trunk diameter is typically no larger than 4 feet.  Ponderosa pines have a single trunk with rough                   ...more
Pinus ponderosa is native to a few counties in western most part Texas
Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata Mill.)
  Common names: Yellow pine, Old
  Height: 75-100ft
  Diameter: 2-4 ft
  Showy flower: no
  Fall colors: no-evergreen
  Drought tolerant: no
  Annual rainfall: 20-80
  Frost Free Days: 90
  Minimum Tempurature (F): -33
  Growth Rate: rapid
  Longevity: 200-450 years
  State List: AL, AR, DE, FL, GA, IL,
  KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY,
  OK, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV
  
An evergreen native conifer, Shortleaf pine has the widest distribution of any southeastern pine species.  It commonly attains 100 feet in height and 2 to 3 feet in diameter.  A straight single trunk supports a narrow, conical to pyramidal or flat topped crown.  It has a deep tap root and lateral roots about 24 inches beneath the surface and is wind firm.  Pinus echinata's   ...more
Photo Gallery
Pinus echinata cones are pyramidal to conical
Pinus echinata bark is rough and  flaky,  furrowed into vertical plates
Pinus echinata seeds have a single wing and are light brown
Pinus echinata is native to scattered counties in eastern Texas
Slash Pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.)
  2 variations: elliottii, and densa
  Height: 50-100 ft
  Diameter: 2-3 ft
  Showy flower: no
  Fall colors: no-evergreen
  Drought tolerant: low
  Annual rainfall: 40-80 inches
  Soil Needs: moist, pH 4.0-6.4,
  Frost Free Days: 250
  Minimum Tempurature (F): -18
  Growth Rate: rapid
  Shade: Intolerant
  State List: AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC,
  SC, TX                                  ...more                   
Photo Gallery
Pinus elliottii var. densa has a 2 to 6 year grass stage
The rough scaly bark of Pinus elliottii var. densa
Pinus elliottii has unique growth buds as they have whitish scales
Pinus elliottii is native to a few small populations in southeastern Texas
Slash pine is a native evergreen conifer found across much of the southern United States. Pinus elliottii, the regular slash pine, is the most abundant and widely spread, whereas Florida Slash Pine, var. densa, is native only to central and southern Florida.  The two varieties can hybridize were their ranges overlap. There are several
distinguishing      ...more                                                                              
The state distribution maps in the species info boxes below are from the USDA NRCS PLANTS Database at plants.usda.gov.  In instances where state specific maps are unavailable, the US distribution map will be used in its place.  Also, the PLANTS Database website states "Our county data are based primarily on the literature, herbarium specimens, and confirmed observations. However, not all populations have been documented, so some gaps in the distribution shown above may not be real. Remember that only native and naturalized populations are mapped!"
Pine trees are one of the most varied and widely spread genus of native tree species in North America.  From the cold mountains of Alaska to Nova Scotia in the east, from high wind-swept Rocky Mountain cliffs to the fertile Appalachian forests, on seaside borders, swamps, dry foothills, lowlands and everywhere in between, pine trees can be found.  Adapted to so many environments, pine trees are hardy survivors in their native habitat.  The pine trees of North America were used by Native Americans for treatments of respiratory ailments, in canoe building and even as food.  Today native pines are one of the most valuable commercial timber sources and continue to be used for construction, furniture, pulpwood, land management and more.
Search all North American native Pine species here.

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Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa)
  Common names: Western Yellow Pine
  Bull Pine, Silver Pine, Yosemite Pine..
  Height: 150-223 ft
  Diameter: 4 ft
  Showy flower: no
  Fall colors: no-evergreen
  Drought tolerant:
  Annual rainfall: 15-25
  Soil Needs: moist, pH 5.0-9.0
  Frost Free Days: 150
  Minimum Temperature (F): -36
  Growth Rate: moderate
  State List: AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, ND,
  NE, NV...                         ...more                                           
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