Pitch Pine

Growth habit

Tree

Native distribution

Native to the Finger Lakes Region, N. GA to ME and Extreme Se Canada

Cultivation

Dry gravelly, rocky, or sandy soils. On steep slopes or in pine barrens.

Propagation

Cold-moist stratify in sand for 60-90 days. Germinate at 70 degrees. Protect from rodents and squirrels. If the cones have not opened, put them in a 120-150F oven for 1-2 hours to get the seeds out.

Location

Comstock Knoll and Rhododendron Collection, Conifer Slope, Pinetum, Bald Hill and Caroline Pinnacles, Coy Glen, South Hill Swamp

Source of plant

Forestfarm Nursery, NJ Forest Service Nursery, Saratoga Tree Nursery, Sheffield's Seed Col Inc., Arboretum Mylnany

Description

Tree reaching 25m, with irregular, rounded, open crown; bole often with adventitious shoots; bark darkgray or red-brown, deeply furrowed, scales plate-like; branches level, shoots pale green, orange-brown when mature, glabrous, grooved; buds resinous, brown, cylindric to ovoid-oblong, to 1.5cm, apex sharplypointed. Needles 3 per fascicle, yellow to pale green, stout, twisted, becoming dark gray-green, 7-10 X 2-2.5mm, occasionally to 14 cm, falling after three years, stomatal lines visible on both sides;sheaths rust-brown, to 13mm, persistent. Cones lateral, in groups of 1-4, rarely to 30, sessile orpeduncle to 7mm, ovoid-conic, 4-7 X 3-4cm, symmetric, pale brown, opening X5-6cm when mature, persistent, apophysis flat to convex, umbo flat or raised, thorn slender, sharp, 1-4mm, persistent, seeds triangular, gray, about 5mm, wings brown, about 1.5cm.

USDA Hardiness Zone

4

Special characteristics

One of the most fire-adapted plants. The whole plant is very resin-filled and flammable. Some geographic races require fire to open the cones. It is attractive in winter.

Status

L2|S5|GNR