Texas Native Pine Trees

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

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Texas Loblolly Pine county distribution map

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

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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

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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

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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 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

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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