Pinus rigida Mill.
Pitch pine
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Coniferophyta Conifers—cone-bearing trees (and a few shrubs)
Class Pinopsida Gymnosperms such as cedars, Douglas-firs, cypresses, firs, junipers, kauri, larches, pines, hemlocks, redwoods, spruces, and yews
Order Pinales Cone-bearing plants: cedar, cypress, fir, juniper, larch, pine, redwood, spruce, yew, and others
Family Pinaceae Pine family: cedars, firs, hemlocks, larches, pines and spruces
Genus Pinus Latin for “pine”
Species rigida From Latin rigida, for the stiff needles
About plant names...
Pitch pine is native to eastern North America.
Identification: These trees are often relatively small and oddly shaped,
about 40-60′ (12-18 m), but they can reach 100′ (30 m). Bark is dark and scaly when the plant is young, becoming scaly, peelable
plates that are light brown or red brown in mature trees. Needles are 2½-5″ (6.3-12 cm) long, in groups of 3, yellow-green or green, twisted. Tufts of needles may occur on the trunk, but I have never seen anything like the heavily
needled branches of the tree in four of the photos at right.
For further information, see the Pinus comparison tables.
From Britton, Nathaniel Lord, and Brown, Addison, An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions , 1913. Scanned for the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.
Online References:
Www.carolinanature.com
The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database
Wikipedia
Plantdatabase.uconn.edu
References:
Sibley, David Allen, The Sibley Guide to Trees , Alfred A. Knopf, 2009 , p. 24
7/2/2010 · Stansbury Mill Rd, Phoenix, Maryland · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 15 cm)
5/29/2014 · Bemis Rd., Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 10 × 15″ (25 × 37 cm)
8/24/2023 · Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
4/15/2021 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
7/27/2016 · Michaux State Forest, Caledonia State Park, Fayetteville, Pennsylvania · ≈ 6 × 10″ (16 × 24 cm)
9/14/2023 · Nature Conservancy Access Trail, Sprague Pond, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
3 needles · 10/25/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Nashua, New Hampshire
9/19/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm) ID is uncertain
3/9/2012 · Groton Place and Sabine Woods, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm)
9/17/2023 · Sprague Pond Preserve, Basin Preserve, Phippsburg, Maine
6/20/2010 · Blue Hill Reservation, Milford, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
5/26/2016 · Pearl Hill State Park, Ashby, Massachusetts
Baby cones. · 9/16/2016 · Cadillac Mountain South Ridge Tr, Bar Harbor, Maine
7/2/2010 · Stansbury Mill Rd, Phoenix, Maryland · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)
4/15/2021 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
9/19/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine ID is uncertain
9/18/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine ID is uncertain
2/18/2012 · Pearl Hill State Park, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
3/9/2012 · Groton Place and Sabine Woods, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (14 × 22 cm)
Baby cones. · 9/16/2016 · Cadillac Mountain South Ridge Tr, Bar Harbor, Maine
9/17/2023 · Sprague Pond Preserve, Basin Preserve, Phippsburg, Maine
7/27/2016 · Michaux State Forest, Caledonia State Park, Fayetteville, Pennsylvania · ≈ 15 × 10″ (39 × 26 cm)
5/29/2014 · Bemis Rd., Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (16 × 23 cm)
6/20/2010 · Blue Hill Reservation, Milford, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)
Pinus rigida description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 20 Sep 2023.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
9/19/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 1 × 2′ (41 × 62 cm) ID is uncertain
8/24/2023 · Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
9/8/2020 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
9/8/2020 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 6 × 4″ (14 × 10 cm)
4/30/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm)
9/16/2016 · Cadillac Mountain South Ridge Trail, Bar Harbor, Maine
I have never seen a tree like this one. · 9/24/2009 · Pearl Hill State Park, Townsend, Massachusetts ID is uncertain
9/8/2020 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm)
9/18/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine ID is uncertain
4/30/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 14 cm)
4/24/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm)
Baby cones. · 9/16/2016 · Cadillac Mountain South Ridge Tr, Bar Harbor, Maine
8/6/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain
7/2/2010 · Stansbury Mill Rd, Phoenix, Maryland · ≈ 14 × 9″ (35 × 23 cm)
I have never seen a tree like this one. · 9/24/2009 · Pearl Hill State Park, Townsend, Massachusetts ID is uncertain
7/27/2016 · Michaux State Forest, Caledonia State Park, Fayetteville, Pennsylvania · ≈ 8 × 12″ (20 × 31 cm)
9/16/2016 · Cadillac Mountain South Ridge Trail, Bar Harbor, Maine
7/27/2016 · Michaux State Forest, Caledonia State Park, Fayetteville, Pennsylvania · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm)
9/19/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 14 cm) ID is uncertain
7/27/2016 · Michaux State Forest, Caledonia State Park, Fayetteville, Pennsylvania · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (52 × 34 cm)
11/5/2009 · Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
9/8/2020 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)
2/18/2012 · Pearl Hill State Park, Townsend, Massachusetts
4/24/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
9/19/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm) ID is uncertain
8/24/2023 · Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
5/26/2016 · Pearl Hill State Park, Ashby, Massachusetts
Range: Zones 4-7:
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