OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Gymnosperms (non-flowering plants): Conifers: Pinales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Pinus rigida   FAMILY Pinaceae   Go to FSUS key



SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Pinus rigida   FAMILY Pinaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America

Pinus rigida

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 016-01-006:

Pinus rigida   FAMILY Pinaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Pinus rigida

(?) -

Pinus rigida ssp. rigida

 

COMMON NAME:
Pitch Pine


         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

Manual of the Trees of North America (Exclusive of Mexico) (Sargent, 1905)    mtna_i_049b

        

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913    pnd_piri_001_lvd

        

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide    pnd_piri_005_lvd

        

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

JK Marlow    jkm210209_8702

February    Greenville County    SC

Blackwell Heritage Preserve

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

JK Marlow    jkm210209_8704

February    Greenville County    SC

Blackwell Heritage Preserve

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

JK Marlow    jkm210309_8917

March    Greenville County    SC

Blackwell Heritage Preserve

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

JK Marlow    jkm240312_7697

March    Greenville County    SC

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_pinus_rigida

March        

Needles usually 3 per bundle, stiff, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_pinus_rigida_2

March        

Cones with a wide flat base when open; prickles sharp, downcurved, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_pinus_rigida_3

March        

Tufts of needles can sometimes be seen growing on trunk (epicormic buds), per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

JK Marlow    jkm220412_6701

April    Greenville County    SC

Bald Rock Heritage Preserve

Contrast its straightish trunk, uniform upper bark, & pompom-like tufts of needles w nearby Va Pine.

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

JK Marlow    jkm160504_358

May    Jackson County    NC

Panthertown

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

JK Marlow    jkm160504_361

May    Jackson County    NC

Panthertown

Pollen cones yellow-green w purple tinge, clustered at base of terminal bud, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

JK Marlow    jkm160504_363

May    Jackson County    NC

Panthertown

Cones 3-8cm long, egg-shaped when closed, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

JK Marlow    jkm160504_400

May    Jackson County    NC

Panthertown

Pollen cones shedding pollen.

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

Keith Bradley    kab_pinus_rigida_9383

June    Madison County    VA

Shenandoah National Park

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

JK Marlow    jkm210710_2092

July    Transylvania County    NC

DuPont State Forest

Bark is dark, divided into rough, irregular scaly plates and ridges, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

JK Marlow    jkm210710_2093

July    Transylvania County    NC

DuPont State Forest

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

JK Marlow    jkm210710_2097

July    Transylvania County    NC

DuPont State Forest

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

JK Marlow    jkm220705_8962

July    Greenville County    SC

Bald Rock Heritage Preserve

Bark scales lack the distinctive pitch pockets oft found in Shortleaf Pine, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

JK Marlow    jkm220705_8963

July    Greenville County    SC

Bald Rock Heritage Preserve

image of Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine

JK Marlow    jkm150912_122

September    Clay County    NC

Nantahala National Forest: Tusquitee Ranger District

 

 

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Pinus rigida   FAMILY Pinaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Pinus rigida   FAMILY Pinaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Pinus rigida

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 016-01-006:
Pinus rigida   FAMILY Pinaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Pinus rigida

(?) -
Pinus rigida ssp. rigida

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

1091

Tree
Perennial
Monoecious

Habitat: Southward primarily on dry ridges, more or less requiring fire for its reproduction, less commonly in peat soils of mountain bogs (and then often at elevations of 800-1000 m), northward (as in NJ) in acidic sandy and peaty soils near sea level, and also scattered through a variety of forest types, per Weakley's Flora

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

Common in NC Mountains, uncommon in GA & SC Mountains & NC Piedmont (rare elsewhere in GA-NC-SC)

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

LEAVES:
Evergreen
Needles 3-4" long (normally)
Needles 3 per bundle

"FLOWER":
Spring
Unisexual

FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Cone

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!



 


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