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Overview
Pinus virginiana is an evergreen conifer reaching 30-50 feet (9-15 m) tall with a spread of 15-30 feet (4.6-9 m) and an irregular, open, often scrubby crown with spreading branches and persistent dead twigs. A two-needle pine, the needles are 1.5-3 inches (4-8 cm) long, twisted, yellowish-green to medium green (often with a slight yellowish cast in winter), stiff, in fascicles of 2. The cones are small, 1.5-3 inches (4-8 cm), ovoid, reddish-brown, with a sharp prickle on each scale—they persist on the tree for 3-4 years. The bark is thin, dark reddish-brown to gray, scaly in irregular plates. Growth rate is moderate. Hardy to zone 4. A pioneer species on abandoned farmland, highway cuts, and disturbed sites—one of the first trees to colonize bare mineral soil in the southeastern United States. Widely used as a Christmas tree in the mid-Atlantic region.
Native Range
Pinus virginiana is native to the eastern United States—from New York and New Jersey south to Georgia and Alabama, west to Indiana and Tennessee—in poor, acidic, sandy or clay soils on ridges, old fields, highway cuts, and abandoned farmland.Suggested Uses
Planted for erosion control, reclamation of disturbed sites, or native landscapes at 15-20 foot (4.6-6 m) spacing. Pioneer on poor soils—one of the first trees on abandoned farmland. Widely grown as a Christmas tree in the mid-Atlantic. Irregular form. Not suited to formal plantings or rich garden soils. Not suitable for alkaline soils or shaded sites.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height30' - 50'
Width/Spread15' - 30'
Reaches mature size in approximately 25 years
Bloom Information
Male strobili shed pollen in April-May. Female cones mature in 2 years to 1.5-3 inches (4-8 cm), ovoid, reddish-brown with sharp prickles. Persist 3-4 years.Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
Male strobili Apr-May; female cones ovoid 1.5-3 inches reddish-brown with sharp prickles; persist 3-4 yearsFoliage Description
Yellowish-green to medium green; short twisted stiff needles 1.5-3 inches in fascicles of 2; slight yellowish winter castGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight