Tennessee Native Pine Trees

Pine trees of Tennessee

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

Photo Gallery

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

Photo Gallery

Pinus strobus is native to eastern Tennessee with scattered populates on the central counties

Pinus taeda is native to scattered counties throughout Tennessee

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

Photo Gallery

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 scattered counties in eastern Tennessee

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 the eastern 2/3rds of Tennessee

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 Tempurature (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

Photo Gallery

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

Pinus pungens is native to scattered counties in eastern Tennessee

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.