Medium to large tree with a open, irregular, broadly conical crown. Trunks erect, straight, to 2 feet or more in diameter, but usually much less in South Florida. Bark dark gray, furrowed, and broken into irregular plates. Needles in bundles of 3s, 8-10 inches long.
Dimensions:
Typically 30-50 feet in height in South Florida; to 105 feet in Florida. Taller than broad.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Range:
Southeastern United States west to Texas and south to Indian River, Glades and Lee counties.
Habitats:
Sandhills.
Soils:
Moist, well-drained sandy soils, without humus.
Nutritional Requirements:
Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.
Salt Water Tolerance:
Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance:
High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements:
Full sun.
Flower Color:
Greenish turning brown.
Flower Characteristics:
Cone. Pollination is by wind.
Flowering Season:
All year.
Fruit:
Brown cone.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Provides moderate amounts of food and cover for wildlife.
Horticultural Notes:
Can be grown from seed.
Comments:
Seedlings resemble coarse clumps of grass. It may take 3-10 years to develop a trunk, after which growth is fairly rapid.
Gann, G.D., M.E. Abdo, J.W. Gann, G.D. Gann, Sr., S.W.
Woodmansee, K.A. Bradley, E. Grahl and K.N. Hines. 2005-2012. Natives For Your Neighborhood. http://www.regionalconservation.org.
The Institute for Regional Conservation, Miami.