Loblolly Pine

The bark contains square or somewhat rectangular scale-like plates. The leaves are borne in clusters of needles called fascicles. This species has three needles per fascicle, and they are typically five to eight inches long and slightly twisted. The needles can range from blue in the summer to green and, eventually, yellow before they drop and turn orange or brown.

Though they drop some needles, Loblolly pines are evergreen and hold most of them throughout winter. 

Unlike many other trees, pines are gymnosperms, meaning that they have naked seeds and produce pinecones. Loblolly pines are monecious, meaning they have both male and female reproductive structures. Larger, “traditional” cones are female, holding ovules that mature into seeds. The male cones are smaller, form clusters on the tips of branches, and 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. After two years, the fertilized ovules mature into seeds, and cones drop to the ground. Seeds can also be released from the cones while still on the trees, enabling wind dispersal.

Loblolly pines are important to the ecosystem due to their ability to grow in diverse habitats. Since they are the most hardy and versatile southern pines, they are considered an ideal tree for forest restoration. They have intense underground root structures that are very good at holding soil, which can help ease or prevent erosion. These pines also drop many needles, providing ground cover for the topsoil, further helping lessen erosion.

Early colonial loggers deemed loblolly extremely valuable and important trees that provided material for buildings and ships.

*This resource is a product of Dr. Sara Wright’s Plant Diversity course in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences Department.