Carroll Co., VA 3/18/06.

The female cones are the smallest of all the pines in North Carolina.

Person Co., NC 4/1/06.

Male pollen cones just about to open.

Orange Co., NC 4/4/09.

Carroll Co., VA 4/11/10.

Wake Co., NC 6/8/2012.

Wake Co., NC 6/8/2012.

In North Carolina, Virginia Pine is common to abundant in the Mountains and upper half of the Piedmont, uncommon to rare south and east of Durham County.

Person Co., NC 6/13/06.

Easily told from other native pines except for Table Mountain Pine (P. pungens) by its short leaves with 2 yellow-green, twisted needles. The small cones help separate Virginia Pine from Table Mountain Pine, which has stout ovoid cones.

Person Co., NC 6/13/06.

The reddish-brown bark is broken into small plates on mature trees. The bark on young trees is more reddish and flaky. Old dead branches usually remain embedded in the trunk. Those of most other pines in North Carolina fall off and disappear in time.

Bark of a medium-sized tree.

Orange Co., NC 4/12/08.

Bark of a larger tree.

Orange Co., NC 4/12/08.

Bark of a large tree.

Orange Co., NC 3/11/07.

Trees tend to be small for a pine and scraggly, not growing straight.

Carroll Co., VA 3/18/06.

Wake Co., NC 5/30/2011.