shortleaf pine

The tree is variable in form, sometimes straight, sometimes crooked, with an irregular crown. The tree reaches heights of 80–100 feet (24–30 m). In areas that have optimal growing conditions, the height reached is between 100–120 feet (30–37 m). The trunk diameter ranges between 1.5–3 feet (0.46–0.91 m) and averages between 2–3 feet (0.61–0.91 m). The leaves are needle-like, in fascicles (bundles) of two and three mixed together, and from 7–11 centimetres (2+3⁄4–4+1⁄4 inches) long. The cones are 4–7 cm (1+1⁄2–2+3⁄4 in) long, with thin scales with a transverse keel and a short prickle. They open at maturity but are persistent. Shortleaf pine seedlings develop a persistent J-shaped crook near the ground surface. Axillary and other buds form near the crook and initiate growth if the upper stem is killed by fire or is severed. The bark has resin pockets (sometimes called pitch patches), which form small depressions, less than 1 millimetre (1⁄32 in) in diameter. This feature can be used to distinguish P. echinata from all other Pinus species within its native range. …

Shortleaf pine has the largest range of the southern US yellow pines. It is found from southernmost New York, south to northern Florida, west to eastern Texas and Oklahoma. This pine occupies a variety of habitats from rocky uplands to wet flood plains. Since the shortleaf pine has such a large range, it can use many different soils. Most shortleaf pines grow in soils that have low organic matter in subsurface horizons and are relatively moist. The shortleaf pine grows in altitudes of up to 3,000 feet in the Southern Appalachians. There are 85 different forest types that the shortleaf pine is a component, spanning 22 states in the U.S. Generally speaking, the volume of shortleaf pines has decreased over time across the U.S.

The shortleaf pine occurs in various habitats such as hardwood forests and open woodlands. The soils, geology, hydrology, and interaction with fire all influence the community structure of the species. It is able to grow in several different hydrological gradients, including sand hills, sandstone hills, and slopes. It occurs in rolling uplands and mesic lowlands. It also occurs in several different forest types; these forest types depend on the classification scheme. According to the Society of American Foresters, the shortleaf pine is found in eighteen different forest cover types and sixty NatureServe plant communities. Fire plays a key role in shortleaf pines ecology, fire influences their maintenance, structure, composition, regeneration, and establishment. Fire reduces competition with different tree species which increases shortleaf pine survival, and it also prepares the soil for regeneration. Shortleaf pine typically respond well to prescribed fire. With frequent fire, the species can occur in savanna environments, with a very diverse understory and prime habitat for the red-cockaded woodpecker. The tree frequently hybridizes naturally with loblolly pine and pitch pine where their ranges intersect. Hybridization with loblolly pine has become increasingly frequent in recent decades and results in hybrids with lower fire tolerance.

Shortleaf pine is a source of wood pulp, plywood veneer, and lumber for a variety of uses. The shortleaf pine is one of the southern US "southern yellow pines"; it is also occasionally called southern yellow pine or the shortstraw pine. The wood from the shortleaf pine is used commercially for creating flooring and beams. In the past, it was used in building ship masts, and during the Revolutionary War and into the 1800s, it was a major timber source for homes. The shortleaf pine is famous for lightwood, also known as fat wood: a resinous wood that is well known for lighting fires. A strong fire with this wood only requires a kitchen match. The turpentine that is found in the resin of the tree can be used for treatment of the kidney and bladder. It can be used for treating rheumatic infections as a rub or steam bath; it can also be used internally. It has proven useful for treating respiratory illnesses, such as influenza, coughs, colds, and TB. It can also be used dermally for burns, sores, wounds, and boils.