Pinus taeda
Common names
loblolly pine
Biostatus
Exotic
Conservation status
Not applicable
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Gymnosperms
Flower colours
No flowers
Detailed description
Medium sized tree to 30 m. Needles smooth green in bunches of three, each 15–25 cm long, slender, flexible, occasionally twisted. Female cones are elongated ovoid in shape, 7–10 cm long and recurved spines are present on each of the lower scales.
Similar taxa
Long needles in clusters of three. Cones are symmetric, lower scales have a recurved spine. Cones do not persist on the tree. Similar to P. ponderosa but in P. taeda the cones are shed entire. Very similar to P. elliottii but cones of P. taeda lack a stalk.
Habitat
Terrestrial.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Ecology
Year naturalised
1957
Origin
S.E. U.S.A.
Reason for introduction
Forestry
Life cycle and dispersal
Reproduces by seed which is dispersed by wind.