Longleaf Pine

Did you know

• Longleaf pine ecosystems once covered 90 million acres of the southeastern US; less than 3% remains today.
• Seedlings spend 5–7 years in a 'grass stage' resembling a clump of grass before suddenly shooting upward.
• The longleaf pine savanna supports the highest plant diversity in North America outside the tropics.
• Fire is essential to its survival — the thick bark and grass-stage protect it while eliminating competitors.
• The endangered red-cockaded woodpecker depends exclusively on living longleaf pines for nesting.

Color meanings

Uses

• timber
• naval stores (resin)
• ecological restoration
• wildlife habitat