Loblolly Pine

Loblolly pine trees are native to North America, and grow right here in South Jersey. They rival the shortleaf pine, another member of the Pinaceae, in terms of having the widest geographic range of any southern pine. They prefer soil with poor drainage, and this characteristic is related to the name “Loblolly.” Early colonists commonly found the species growing in the low, wet areas called “loblollies”. If it has rained recently, you might be able to witness water pooling up right under your feet. This tree and the two others around are growing in poor draining soil, which makes them very happy. 

This particular loblolly is a semi-mature tree. Looking at the bark, you should notice square or somewhat rectangular, scale-like plates. The leaves are borne in clusters of needles, called fascicles. This species has 3 needles per fascicle, and the needles are usually 5-8 inches in length. Take a closer look at a single needle. You should notice that they are slightly twisted all the way down. These needles can range from blue in the summer, changing to green and then eventually yellow as they start to fall to the ground, where they will turn orange or brown.Loblolly pines are evergreen, so they will continue to have needles all throughout winter and will never look bare like other trees that lose all of their leaves.  

Unlike other trees, pines are gymnosperms, meaning that they have naked seeds and do not produce flowers or fruits. Look towards the top of the tree., You should be able to see pinecones on some of the branches. There are likely also pinecones on the ground, beneath your feet. Loblolly pines are monecious, which means that they have both male and female reproductive structures on the same plant. The large cones that you see (the “traditional” pine cones) are the female cones, and they hold the ovules that mature into seeds. The male cones are much harder to see. They are much smaller and are in clusters, usually on the tips of branches. They don’t look open or scaly, like the female cones. Male cones produce pollen, and the wind carries the pollen to an open female cone, where pollen releases sperm to fertilize the ovules inside. After two years, the fertilized ovules have matured into seeds, and cones drop to the ground. Seeds can also be released from the cones while they are still on the trees, allowing for wind dispersal to occur. 

Loblolly pines are important to the ecosystem due to their ability to grow in very diverse habitats. Since they are the most hardy and versatile of all southern pines, they are considered an ideal tree for forest restoration. They have intense underground root structures that are very good at holding the soil in place. This can help prevent soil erosion. These pines also drop a lot of needles, and needles provide great ground cover for the topsoil, further helping the topsoil to stay in place. The trees are grown in farms in many countries, and their wood is used for many purposes. Early colonial loggers deemed loblolly extremely valuable and important trees, enough that they trusted them as materials to construct buildings and ships.

Even today, these trees carry an interesting legacy. One tree in the Augusta National Golf Club is named the “Eisenhower Tree”, named after the former president hitting the tree so many times he petitioned it to be cut down. The chairman of the golf course found this tree to be so important to the club’s history that he denied the President’s request, and the tree remained until 2014. Trees never rest in their many contributions to the world, and the Rowan University campus is an amazing place to view many of the trees that contribute to our world. Please explore our tree website to hear more about other species, and remember to look up as you walk around campus to enjoy these marvelous contributors to our world.

These resources are a product of Dr. Sara Wright’s Plant Diversity course in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences Department. My name is Emily Setaro, and I will earn my Biological Sciences Degree in 2023, and my Education Degree in 2024. I plan to pursue a career in education and teaching high school biological science. You can read more about me and the Loblolly Pine below.