| This medium-sized pine is uncommon in the Mountains of North Carolina, rare in the Piedmont. The typical habitat is dry ridges. Carroll Co., VA 3/11/07.
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| Pitch Pine is similar to Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda), but has broader cones, resinous buds, and sprouts needles and short branches directly from the trunk. There is little overlap in range between the two. Clay Co., NC 5/13/06.
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| Carroll Co., VA 3/11/07.
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| Cone detail. Carroll Co., VA 3/11/07.
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| Remnants of male pollen cones. Pitch Pine is found in areas of the Piedmont adjacent to the Mountains, such as here at Pilot Mountain. Pilot Mountain, Surry Co., NC 6/14/09.
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| Mature female seed cones. Pilot Mountain, Surry Co., NC 6/14/09.
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| Pitch Pine frequently sprouts needles and short branches directly from the trunk. Pond Pine(Pinus serotina) of the Coastal Plain also does this, but the two do not overlap in range. Carroll Co., VA 3/18/06.
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| Pilot Mountain, Surry Co., NC 6/14/09.
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| Close-up of needles growing directly out of the trunk. Pilot Mountain, Surry Co., NC 6/14/09.
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More information:
Bioimages
USDA PLANTS database
USFS Silvics Manual
Virginia Tech Dendrology
Recommended Tree, Shrub, and Woody Vine Identification Guides
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