Loblolly Pine
Loblolly pine is second most widespread of trees in the United States, after the red maple. It is a fast growing conifer. One particular individual in Arkansas is over 300 years of age. The origin of its name is the combination of the two words lob and lolly; the former means bubbling porridge while lolly means any pot-boiled food like soup or broth.
Loblolly Pine Trees
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Division | Pinophyta |
| Class | Pinopsida |
| Order | Pinales |
| Family | Pinaceae |
| Genus | Pinus |
| Scientific Name | Pinus taeda |
Loblolly Pines
Loblolly Pine Tree
Quick Information
| Other Names | Old field pine, rosemary pine, Indian pine, bull pine, longstraw pine, North Carolina pine |
| Tree Type | Evergreen |
| Identification | Size: 98-115 ft (30-35 m) Trunk Diameter: 1.3-4.9 ft (0.4-1.5 m) Needles (Leaves): 6-9 in (15-23 cm) in length, evergreen, three yellow-green needles bundled in a fascicle, twistedBark: Young trees have scaly red to grayish-brown barks, while older individuals have furrowed barks with roundish scaly plates, and the oldest specimens have flat, scaly red-brown plates Cones: 3-6 in (7.6-15.2 cm), red-brown, ovoid to cylindrical, matures with the onset of fall Seeds: 0.20-0.24 in (5-6 mm) and reddish-brown in color |
| Distribution | Central Texas to Florida and from Delaware to southern New Jersey |
| Habitat | Swamps and lowland areas |
| Hardiness Zones | 6-9 |
| Growth Rate | Rapid; grows 2 ft annually |
| Lifespan | 100 years |
| Growing Conditions | Summer Conditions: Long, humid and hot summers Winter Conditions: Short, mild winters Rainfall: 40-60 inches of annual rainfall Light: Full, direct sun Soil: Loamy, acidic, moist, well-drained sandy or clay |
| Diseases & Pests | Diseases: Heart rot, butt rot, needle rust, fusiform rust, and annosus root rot Pests: Bark beetles, pine engraver beetles |
| Breeding/Reproduction System | Monoecious |
| Propagation | By seeds |
| Seedling Development | Moisture a key factor in germination, higher rainfall during spring aids helps the seed to germinate |
| Wildlife Value | Nesting sites for bald eagles, ospreys, and red-cockaded woodpecker, also attracts deer, squirrel, warblers, nuthatches, and red crossbills |
| Uses | Furniture, plywood, pulpwood, composite boards, posts, crates, boxes, and pallets. It is also used to correct damaged and eroded soils, as well as an ornamental tree; essential oils from the resin has medicinal uses; also used in bonsai |
| IUCN Conservation Status | Least Concern |
Loblolly Pine
Loblolly Pine Seedlings
Loblolly Pine Leaf
Loblolly Pine Bark
Interesting Facts
- Loblolly pine is one of the moon trees. It was taken aboard the Apollo 14 flight to the moon, and its seeds were planted in different parts of the United States upon return.
- This species is often hybridized with longleaf pines to produce Sonderegger pines.
- The Eisenhower Tree at Augusta National Park in Georgia was a loblolly pine. It was removed in 2014.
- There is a dwarf variety of this tree called the ‘Nana’.
Loblolly Pine Cones
Loblolly Pine Needles
References:
- https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pinus-taeda/
- https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/entry/loblolly-pine
- https://programs.ifas.ufl.edu/florida-4-h-forest-ecology/forest-ecology-contest/contest-stations/trees-of-florida/loblolly-pine/
- https://www.gardenguides.com/97668-loblolly-pine-tree-diseases.html
- https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ah_713.pdf
- https://www.conifers.org/pi/Pinus_taeda.php
- https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?ItemID=899
- http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=34
Published on May 23rd 2017 by Sudipto Chakrabarti under Pine.
Article was last reviewed on 9th May 2023.
