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Shortleaf Pine

Pinus echinata

Other common name(s):

Shortleaf Yellow Pine, Southern Yellow Pine, Yellow Pine, Shortstraw Pine, Arkansas Pine, Longtag Pine, Spruce Pine, Oldfield Pine, Arkansas Soft Pine

Family:

Pinaceae (Pine Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Tree

Height

50
to
100
ft.

Spread

20
to
30
ft.

Leaf Retention

Evergreen

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Acid, Well Drained

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Very Low

Native Habitat

Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Seeds, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals

Maintenance

Fairly low maintenance. Drought tolerant. Grows best in dry acidic soils; however, periodic watering is needed to prevent complete soil dryness. Prune to maintain shape. Remove dead wood. It is troubled by Nantucket pine tip moth, fusiform rust, root-rot organisams, southern pine beetle and other deleterious insects. Propagation: Seed.

Comments

This is the hardiest and most adaptable of the southern pines. It is very drought-tolerant and fairly slow-growing. Leaves in bundles of 2-3, 2″-5″. Seed cones 2″-3″. Drier upland sites. May not provide dense shade. Important timber species. Larval Host: Elfin butterfly.

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) Miller, George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd Ed., 2013, pg 48. 3) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg. 97. 4) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PIEC2. 5) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Pinus+echinata&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 6) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=16929&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 7) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=183335#null

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Contact a local Chapter

State Office Phone: 830.997.9272

State Office Address:
Native Plant Society of Texas
PO Box 3017
Fredericksburg, TX 78624

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