Pond Pine (MatBio: TREES & SHRUBS - Matanzas Biodiversity)

Pond Pine

Pinus serotina

Summary ⁷

Pinus serotina (pond pine, marsh pine, pocosin pine) is a tree found along the Atlantic coastal plain of the eastern United States, from southern New Jersey south to Florida and west to southern Alabama. This pine often has a crooked growth pattern and an irregular top and attains the height of 15–20 m, occasionally up to 30 m.

Taxon biology ⁸

Pinaceae -- Pine family

David L. Bramlett

Pond pine (Pinus serotina), also called marsh pine, bay pine, and pocosin pine, is a medium-sized tree that grows on soils with a high water table. The species name, serotina, means "late" and refers to the delayed opening of the cones, up to 2 years before seeds are shed (11). Open cones persist for many years and often become embedded in the growing branches, giving the tree the appearance of being overloaded with cones and a prolific seed producer. One of the largest pond pines grows in North Carolina and measures 94 cm (37 in) in d.b.h., 29 m (94 ft) in height, with a crown spread of 14 m (46 ft) (7). The wood is coarse-grained, resinous, and of fair quality (2).