East Central Texas Plains, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands
Plant Characteristics
Growth Form
Tree
Height
60
to
100
ft.
Spread
12
to
15
ft.
Leaf Retention
Evergreen
Lifespan
Perennial
Habitat and Care Requirements
Soil Type(s)
Sand, Loam, Well Drained, Dry
Light Requirement
Sun, Part Shade
Water Requirement
Medium
Native Habitat
Woodland
Bloom and Attraction
Bloom Color
Yellow, Brown
Bloom Season
Spring
Seasonal Interest
Seeds, Nectar, Larval Host, Nesting Material
Wildlife Benefit
Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals
Maintenance
Fast growth rate. Can tolerate flooding and drought. Suffers damage from pine beetles. Needles make excellent mulch. Propagation: seed.
Comments
A resinous and fragrant tree with a tall straight trunk. The bark has attractive flat brown plates which form a checkerboard pattern. The 4-8″ needles grow in bundles of 3. Seed cones are 3-5″. Pollen cones are yellow to yellowish brown. Provides food and shelter for many birds and mammals. Native bees deposit young in holes in downed branches. Larval host: Elfin Butterfly, Southern Pine Sphinx Moth, and Pale Swallowtail.
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. 319. 4) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=18037#null
