Pinus taeda

New Jersey south to Florida and West to Oklahoma and Texas. Occurs in piedmont and to a lesser extent in the coastal plain.

Pyramidal in youth, developing a high, thin canopy with age.

Full sun with moist soils. Will grow in sandy soils but prefers moist even poorly drained soils. Tolerant of hot climates.

Fast growing pine for southern gardens. Makes an excellent canopy that provides a light shade for understory plantings.

Needles in fascicles of three (occasionally two); 6 - 10 inches long. Needles stiff and often twisted.

Buds are .25 to .5 inches long, reddish brown. Scales fringed and reflexed at tips.

Scaly and gray with deep fissures.

Cone 3 - 6 inches long, approximately 2 inches wide. Back of scale armed with pronounced prickle.

Seed.