Pennsylvania Native Pine Trees

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus L.)
Common names: Northern white pine,
white pine, soft pine, northern pine...
Height: 75-100ft
Diameter: 2-4 ft
Showy flower: no
Fall colors: no-evergreen
Drought tolerant: no
Annual rainfall: 20-80
Soil Needs: moist, sandy, pH 4.0-6.5
Frost Free Days: 90
Minimum Temperature (F): -33
Growth Rate: rapid
Longevity: 200-450 years
State List: AL, AR, CT... more

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus L.) holds the title of the tallest native conifer in the Northeast. Typically, it grows 75-100 ft tall and in extremely good sites, 150 ft is possible. Trunk diameter is usually between 2-4 ft. Eastern White Pine is a
long lived tree, reaching 200 years of age, possibly up to 450 years. A rapid grower, at 20 years, heights of 40 ft can be expected and at 40 years, ...more

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Pinus strobus is native to almost all of Pennsylvania

Pine Trees of Pennsylvania

Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida Mill.)
Common names: Candlewood, Torch..
Height: 50-80 ft
Diameter: 1-2 ft
Showy flower: no
Fall colors: no-evergreen
Drought tolerant: moderate
Annual rainfall: 37-56
Soil Needs: poor, sandy, dry...
Frost Free Days: 112
Minimum Temperature (F): -43
Growth Rate: rapid
Longevity: moderate
State List: CT, DE, GA, IL, ... more

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Needles are in bundles of 3, are 3 to 5 inches long, and yellowish-green. They are stiff, sharp tipped, can be straight or slightly twisted, and persist on trees for 2 to 3 years. Found in the tops of trees, female cones are oval, 2 to 2.3 inches in length, and have prickles on each scale. They are yellowish-brown to grayish-brown and remain on trees ....more

Pinus rigida is native to most of Pennsylvania with the exception of a few scattered counties

Red Pine (Pinus resinosa Aiton)
Syn: Pinus resinosa Soland.
Common names: Norway Pine..
Height: 50-100 feet
Diameter: 2-3 feet
Showy flower: no
Fall colors: no-evergreen
Drought tolerant: low
Annual rainfall: 20-40
Soil Needs: sandy, pH 5.1-5.5
Frost Free Days: 80
Minimum Temperature (F): -43
Growth Rate: rapid
ENDANGERED in Connecticut,
Illinois, and New Jersey ...more

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A native conifer, Pinus resinosa, averages between 75 and 80 feet but may grow to 200 feet in optimal sites. The largest trunk d.b.h (diameter at breast height) on record is 59.6 inches but the trunk base typically only reaches widths of 2 to 3 feet. Red pines have a single stem, or trunk, that supports a symmetrical, dense, and oval crown that is supported by

...more

Pinus resinosa is native to scattered counties throughout Pennsylvania

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 Temperature (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

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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 south central and a few scattered counties in Pennsylvania

Table-Mountain Pine (Pinus pungens)
Common names: Hickory Pine, Prickly
Height: 50-60 ft
Diameter: 2-3 ft
Showy flower: no
Fall colors: no-evergreen
Drought tolerant: high
Annual rainfall: 36-60
Soil Needs: well draining, pH 4.5-7.0
Frost Free Days: 165
Minimum Temperature (F): -18
Growth Rate: slow
Longevity: 250
State List: GA, IL, MD, NC, NJ, PA,
SC, TN, VA, WV ... more

A slow growing native conifer, Table-Mountain pine is a small tree, usually with a crooked trunk, only reaching 25 feet in height in the first 20 years of development. The oldest known tree is 227 years and can be found in southwest North Carolina. Pinus pungens grows up to 60 feet, most are around 50 feet tall. The single trunk, reaching a diameter between 2 ...more

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Pinus pungen seeds are small and brown with a single, 1 inch long, papery wing

Pinus pungens is native to south central and eastern area of Pennsylvania

Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana Mill)
Height: 40-75 ft
Diameter:1-1.5 ft
Showy flower: no
Fall colors: no-evergreen
Drought tolerant: highly
Annual rainfall: 32-65
Soil Needs: well draining, pH 4.5-7.5
Frost Free Days: 90
Minimum Temperature (F): -33
Growth Rate: rapid
Longevity: 200-450 years
State List:AL, DE, GA, IL, IN, KY,
MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA,
SC, VA, WV

A native conifer, the Virginia Pine is a short to moderately lived tree, rarely reaching 150 years in age, and usually begins to decline between 65 and 90 years old. Sometimes ragged or shrubby on poorer sites, Virginia pines only grow to a height of 25 feet in 20 years and reach a mature height between 40 and 70 feet. Most trees do not exceed 1.5 feet in diameter. ...more

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Pinus virginiana seeds are brown and have a single papery wing

Pinus virginiana is native to most of Pennsylvania with the exception of the the northern border counties

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.