Loblolly Pine
Pinus taeda
A large evergreen conifer featuring long, slender needles bundled typically in fascicles of three and rough, scaly reddish-brown bark.
- Light
- Full sun, requiring at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
- Water
- High drought tolerance once established. Water deeply when young, allowing soil to dry slightly between waterings; mature trees rely mostly on natural rainfall.
- Growth
- Perennial evergreen tree with a straight trunk and a pyramidal to rounded crown, reaching mature heights of 50 to 90 feet with a moderate to fast growth rate.
Care instructions
Provide full sun exposure in well-draining, acidic soils. Water deeply during establishment, and apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring if needed.
Growing details
Sunlight
Full sun, requiring at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
Watering
High drought tolerance once established. Water deeply when young, allowing soil to dry slightly between waterings; mature trees rely mostly on natural rainfall.
Soil
Prefers well-draining sandy loam or clay soils with an acidic pH ranging from 4.5 to 6.0.
Hardiness zone
USDA Hardiness Zones 6 through 9.
Growth habit
Perennial evergreen tree with a straight trunk and a pyramidal to rounded crown, reaching mature heights of 50 to 90 feet with a moderate to fast growth rate.
Bloom season
Non-flowering. Produces inconspicuous yellowish-male cones and woody female seed cones in spring.
Propagation
Propagated primarily through seeds sown in spring in well-draining seedbeds.
Common pests & issues
Susceptible to southern pine beetles, tip moths, and fusiform rust. Prevent by maintaining proper tree spacing and avoiding mechanical damage.
Similar species
Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris), which features even longer needles and larger cones, and Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata), which has shorter needles typically in bundles of two or three.