General Landscape Uses:
Large shade or specimen tree in moist areas. Can be used as a windbreak.
Availability:
Rarely grown by native plant nurseries.
Description: Tall evergreen tree. Needles 2-3 inches long in groups of two. Small, numerous cones 2-3 inches long. Bark broken into small plates, resembling more of a typical hardwood than a pine.
Dimensions: Usually 100 feet in height, up to 121 feet in height in north Florida.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Southern United States south through the Florida Panhandle and north Florida from Escambia to Baker and Putnam counties. For a digitized image of Elbert Little's Florida range map, visit the
Exploring Florida website.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of suggested ZIP codes from South Florida north to southern Brevard, Osceola, Polk, and Pasco counties.
Habitats: Rich, moist mixed hammocks and bluffs.
Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy or limestone soils, with humusy top layer.
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
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: Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: Green turning brown.
Flower Characteristics: Cone
Fruit: Cone
Wildlife and Ecology: Provides food and cover for wildlife.
References: Wunderlin and Hansen (
2011), Huegel 2010
Comments: We have been adding data for this species for central and northern Florida and welcome any feedback or review. If you would like to contribute information or images, please contact George Gann via the IRC staff page.
