Comments
provided by eFloras
Pinus virginiana is weedy and fire successional and often forms large stands. It is mostly too small and too profusely branched to be valued except as pulpwood.
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- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Description
provided by eFloras
Trees to 20 m tall; trunk to 0.5 m d.b.h. in native range; bark gray-brown, with irregular, scaly, plated ridges, reddish and scaly toward apex of trunk; crown irregularly rounded or flattened; branchlets red or purple tinged, often glaucous, aging red-brown or gray, slender, rough; winter buds red-brown, ovoid or cylindric, resinous or not, scales white fringed at margin. Needles 2 per bundle, deep to pale yellow-green, strongly twisted, 2-8 cm × 1-1.5 mm, stomatal lines present on all surfaces, inconspicuous, base with persistent sheath 4-10 mm, margin serrulate. Seed cones subsessile or shortly pedunculate (peduncle to 1 cm), dull red-brown, ovoid when open, symmetric, 3-7(-8) cm, maturing in 2 years, then soon shedding seeds. Seed scales with strong purple-red or purple-brown border adaxially distally, rigid; apophyses slightly elongated and thickened; umbo low pyramidal, with a slender, stiff prickle. Seeds pale brown, mottled darker, compressed obovoid, 4-7 mm, apex oblique; wing to 2 cm, narrow.
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- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Description
provided by eFloras
Trees to 18m; trunk to 0.5m diam., straight or contorted to erect or leaning; crown irregularly rounded or flattened. Bark gray-brown with irregular, scaly-plated ridges, on upper sections of trunk reddish, scaly. Branches spreading-ascending to spreading-descending; twigs slender, red- or purple-tinged, often glaucous, aging red-brown to gray, rough. Buds ovoid to cylindric, red-brown, 0.6--1cm, resinous or not resinous; scale margins white-fringed. Leaves 2 per fascicle, spreading or ascending, persisting 3--4 years, 2--8cm ´ 1--1.5mm, strongly twisted, deep to pale yellow-green, all surfaces with inconspicuous stomatal lines, margins serrulate, apex narrowly acute; sheath 0.4--1cm, base persistent. Pollen cones ellipsoid-cylindric, 10--20mm, red-brown or yellow. Seed cones maturing in 2 years, shedding seeds soon thereafter, persisting to 5 years, symmetric, lance-ovoid or lanceoloid before opening, ovoid when open, 3-- 7(--8)cm, dull red-brown, nearly sessile or on stalks to 1cm, scales rigid, with strong purple-red or purple-brown border on adaxial surface distally; apophyses slightly thickened, slightly elongate; umbo central, low-pyramidal, with slender, stiff prickle. Seeds compressed-obovoid, oblique apically; body 4--7mm, pale brown, mottled darker; wing narrow, to 20mm. 2 n =24.
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- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Habitat & Distribution
provided by eFloras
Cultivated. Jiangsu (Nanjing Shi), Jiangxi (Lu Shan) [native to E United States]
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- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Habitat & Distribution
provided by eFloras
Dry uplands, sterile sandy or shaly barrens, old fields, and lower mountains; 0--900m; Ala., Del., Ga., Ind., Ky., Md., Miss., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., S.C., Tenn., Va., W.Va.
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- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Broad-scale Impacts of Plant Response to Fire
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
fire use,
prescribed fireThe Research Project Summary
Early postfire response of southern Appalachian
Table Mountain-pitch pine stands to prescribed fires in North Carolina and
Virginia provides information on prescribed
fire use and postfire response
of plant community species,
including Virginia pine, that was not available
when this species review was originally written.
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Common Names
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Virginia pine
scrub pine
Jersey pine
spruce pine
possum pine
shortstraw pine
poverty pine
oldfield pine
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Description
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Virginia pine is a native, medium-sized, two-needle pine. Average
height at maturity (50 years of age) is 50 to 75 feet (15-23 m) on
better sites [
7]. Its long horizontal branches are irregularly spaced
[
5,
19]. Open-grown trees have persistent, heavy branches to the ground
[
25]. The trunk is relatively short, with an open, flat-topped crown
[
12]. The needles are about 2 inches (5 cm) long. The bark of young
stems is smooth; older stems have platy scales with shallow fissures
[
14,
25]. It is relatively short-lived; senescence usually occurs around
65 to 90 years. It rarely lives beyond 150 years of age [
12,
14,
15]. The
root system is relatively shallow except on deep sands, where the taproot
can be from 6.6 to 10 feet (2-3 m) deep [
25].
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Distribution
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
The native range of Virginia pine extends from southern New Jersey west
to Pennsylvania and southern Ohio; south to South Carolina, northern
Georgia, northern Alabama, and northern Mississippi [
12,
25]. It has
also been planted in east-central Oklahoma [
36].
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Fire Ecology
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
fire regime,
forest,
root crownVirginia pine is not well adapted to survive fire due to thin bark and
shallow roots [
12]. Large trees however, are apparently able to survive
fires. Virginia pine stands that include six size classes (d.b.h) have
nbeen documented. This size distribution is apparently due to fires
that burned at approximately 20- to 30-year intervals. The larger
trees, therefore, survived at least one fire [
3]. Virginia pine
populations are maintained by fire or other disturbance; Virginia pine
is a colonizer of recently burned sites [
37]. Root crown sprouts have
been reported, but are apparently not an important fire survival
mechanism [
7].
FIRE REGIMES in habitats containing Virginia pine have been altered by
humans for many years. It is thought that prior to European settlement,
Indians maintained large tracts of pine forests through intentional
burning of forest lands for various purposes (e.g., agriculture,
wildlife harvest) [
9,
57]. These fires created a patchwork of
communities, increasing the amount of area covered by pioneer or
pyrophytic species such as Virginia and pitch pines [
57]. Currently,
lightning fires do occur, but are of low importance compared to those
started by people [
9]. Landers [
27] estimated the fire return interval
in the southeastern United States at approximately 2 fires of high
intensity per 100 years. In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,
Tennesee and South Carolina, fire intervals for 1856 to 1900 and for
1900 to 1940 were both estimated to be 9.2 years below 2,000 feet (610
m) elevation, and 11.3 years above that elevation [
22].
Virginia pine occurs in the area in and around Shenandoah National Park,
Virginia, which has two fire seasons: spring (February 15 to May 15) and
fall (October 15 to December 15) [
57].
FIRE REGIMES : Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
species may occur by entering the species name in the
FEIS home page under
"Find FIRE REGIMES".
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Fire Management Considerations
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More info for the terms:
litter,
treeApproximately one-half of the standing crop of Virginia pine needles is
shed annually. Leaf litter produced by a 17-year-old stand was
calculated to be similar to the amount produced by longleaf pine (Pinus
palustris) [
29,
31,
32].
Strip-clearcutting followed by broadcast burning of slash prior to
seedfall favors Virginia pine regeneration [
29].
Crown fires in pine or pine-hardwood forests in which Virginia pine
occurs remove enough of the canopy for good Virginia pine regeneration.
Hot or cool surface fires do not remove sufficient canopy for good
Virginia pine regeneration [
4].
Virginia pine is less resistant to fire than loblolly pine, shortleaf
pine, or pitch pine. Fire will therefore reduce the importance of
Virginia pine in mixed stands [
7]. Sapling stands are more vulnerable
to grass fires than similar-aged stands of shortleaf or loblolly pine
[
18].
Thickness of Virginia pine bark was estimated at 2.7 percent of d.b.h.
[
8]. Bark thickness required for 50 percent survival of Virginia pine
subjected to low-intensity fire was calculated by three models. Using
that estimate, the length of time needed for tree growth to be
sufficient to resist fire damage was calculated as 13 years for
open-grown stands and 23 to 28 years for closed-canopy stands [
24].
Virginia pine had the slowest decay rate for standing dead trees of 10
commonly associated species [
23].
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Growth Form (according to Raunkiær Life-form classification)
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. More info for the term:
phanerophyte Phanerophyte
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Habitat characteristics
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
shrub,
treeVirginia pine grows soils derived from marine deposits, crystalline
rocks, sandstones and shales, and to a lesser extent, limestone [
7].
Most of these soils are well- to excessively drained, sandy, and weakly
acidic [
14,
19,
27,
29]. The best growth of Virginia pine is on clay, loam,
or sandy loam. Growth is poor on serpentine, shallow shale, or very
sandy soils [
7]. Soil pH ranges from 4.6 to 7.9. Virginia pine occurs
at elevations from 50 to 2,500 feet (15-760 m), with hilly topography
[
7,
27,
58].
Tree associates not previously mentioned include scarlet oak (Q.
coccinea), hickories (Carya ovata, C. ovalis, C. glabra), blackgum
(Nyssa sylvatica), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), eastern hemlock
(Tsuga canadensis), and eastern white pine [
7,
33]. There is usually a
sparse shrub understory [
27].
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Habitat: Cover Types
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. This species is known to occur in association with the following cover types (as classified by the Society of American Foresters):
More info for the term:
hardwood 40 Post oak - blackjack oak
43 Bear oak
45 Pitch pine
46 Eastern redcedar
50 Black locust
51 White pine - chestnut oak
52 White oak - black oak - northern red oak
53 White oak
55 Northern red oak
57 Yellow-poplar
64 Sassafras - persimmon
69 Sand pine
70 Longleaf pine
71 Longleaf pine - scrub oak
75 Shortleaf pine
78 Virginia pine - oak
79 Virginia pine
80 Loblolly pine - shortleaf pine
81 Loblolly pine
82 Loblolly pine - hardwood
83 Longleaf pine - slash pine
108 Red maple
110 Black oak
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Habitat: Ecosystem
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. This species is known to occur in the following ecosystem types (as named by the U.S. Forest Service in their Forest and Range Ecosystem [FRES] Type classification):
FRES12 Longleaf - slash pine
FRES13 Loblolly - shortleaf pine
FRES14 Oak - pine
FRES15 Oak - hickory
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Habitat: Plant Associations
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. This species is known to occur in association with the following plant community types (as classified by Küchler 1964):
More info for the term:
forest K083 Cedar glades
K084 Cross Timbers
K089 Black Belt
K104 Appalachian oak forest
K110 Northeastern oak - pine forest
K111 Oak - hickory - pine forest
K112 Southern mixed forest
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Immediate Effect of Fire
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Mature Virginia pine trees can withstand low- to moderate-severity
surface fires. Severe fires will kill Virginia pine [
9].
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Importance to Livestock and Wildlife
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cover,
forest,
shrubVirginia pine seeds are an important food source for many small mammals
and birds, including northern bobwhites [
14,
52]. Virginia pine forms
good nesting sites for woodpeckers due to a preponderance of softened
wood in older trees [
7]. When used for revegetation of mine spoils,
Virginia pine has high value for wildlife cover and food [
61]. It
provides browse for white-tailed deer, and probably for other animals as
well [
52].
Virginia pine forests are the second highest producers of choice browse
for white-tailed deer in the Oconee National Forest, Georgia [
21].
Young Virginia pine stands provide good habitat for rabbits, northern
bobwhite, and many nongame birds. Mature stands with a sparse shrub
layer are less valuable habitat [
50].
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Key Plant Community Associations
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
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codominant,
forestVirginia pine can occur in pure stands or as a member of mixed
pine-hardwood communities, particularly those with oak (Quercus spp.)
[
60]. It is associated with pitch pine (P. rigida) and Table Mountain
pine (P. pungens) in the Appalachian Mountains. On the eastern shores
of Virginia and Maryland it is associated with loblolly pine (Pinus
taeda) and sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua). In the Peidmont region
it is associated with shortleaf pine (P. echinata) and oaks [
15].
Published classifications that include Virginia pine as a dominant or
codominant species include the following:
Classification and evaluation of forest sites in the Cumberland
Mountains [
45]
Classification and evaluation of forest sites on the
northern Cumberland Plateau [
46]
Classification and evaluation of forest sites on the
Natchez Trace State Forest [
47]
Southeastern evergreen and oak-pine region [
55]
Landscape ecosystem classification for South Carolina [
63]
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Life Form
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
treeTree
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Management considerations
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
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seedVirginia pine can produce good yields on sites that are marginal for
loblolly pine. Yields and performance vary with seed source [
25,
49].
Virginia pine is best managed with even-aged silvicultural systems.
Strip and patch cutting in short rotations are successful techniques for
harvest and regeneration of Virginia pine [
18,
50,
58]. The transition
from mostly pure Virginia pine stands to oak-pine or oak-hickory (Carya
spp.) can be hastened by harvesting techniques [
50,
58].
Results of plantation trials of Virginia pine in the Cross Timbers area
of Oklahoma varied with moisture availability; survival rates are mostly
very high. Virginia pine, therefore, has good potential for
reforestation projects in this area [
39].
Virginia pine is a common woody competitor of loblolly pine in
plantations [
35].
It is recommended that old, decaying trees be left standing near the
margins of clearcuts for woodpecker nest sites [
7].
Virginia pine can be propagated by grafting, and can be rooted from
cuttings [
7].
Principal diseases of Virginia pine include heart rot and pitch canker.
Principal insect pests include the southern pine beetle, Ips spp.,
Virginia pine sawfly, redheaded pine sawfly, and pales weevil. Meadow
mice may girdle young trees [
7]. Virgina pine is resistant to damage
by ozone [
13,
20].
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Nutritional Value
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
The nutrient content (percent dry weight) of Virginia pine foliage was
reported as follows [
44]:
Ca 0.55
Mg 0.08
P 0.10
K 0.32
lignin 33.6
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Occurrence in North America
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
AL DE GA IN KY MD MS NJ NY NC
OH OK PA SC TN VA WV
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Other uses and values
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Virginia pine is planted for Christmas trees [
7,
14].
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Phenology
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
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seedVirginia pine pollen is released from March to May, depending on
latitude [
7,
14]. Fertilization occurs in June, 13 months after
pollination. Seeds mature by mid- to late August. Cones mature by late
September to early November. Seed dispersal begins in October and is
usually complete by January [
7].
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Plant Response to Fire
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
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density,
surface fireVirginia pine is an aggressive invader of burned sites [
37]. After a
hot surface fire in a 30-year-old pine-hardwood stand, 45 percent of all
trees died within 2 years. There were large numbers of pine (Virginia
and loblolly pine) seedlings by 2.25 years after the fire. Density was
10,750 per acre, compared with 250 per acre on unburned plots [
10].
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Post-fire Regeneration
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
root crown,
tree Tree without adventitious-bud root crown
Initial-offsite colonizer (off-site, initial community)
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Regeneration Processes
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
seedAge of sexual maturity for open-grown Virginia pine is usually around 5
years of age. Some precocious specimens have flowered at 18 months.
Sexual maturity may be delayed for up to 50 years of age in trees in
suppressed stands [
7]. Virginia pine is a prolific seed producer
[
15,
29]. The cones open at maturity, and persist for at least several
years [
14]. Most seeds are dispersed within 100 feet (30 m) of the
parent [
7]. Exposed mineral soil is required for successful seedling
establishment; little to no shade is required. Seedlings are tolerant
of lower soil moisture than most other pines, though growth is slower on
dry sites [
7].
Asexual regeneration: Sprouts on cut stumps of Virginia pine have been
reported, but are usually short lived [
7].
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Successional Status
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
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successionObligate Initial Community Species
Virginia pine is an aggressive invader of burned sites [
5,
14,
37]. It is
intolerant of shade [
7,
14]. Virginia pine is a transitional type, and
is usually quickly replaced by tolerant hardwoods [
7]. In pioneer
stands in Virginia, Virginia pine made up to 50 percent of the total
importance value. Its importance decreases with stand age. Mixed stands
with white oak, yellow-poplar and sweetgum are formed by mid-succession.
Late-successional stands are dominated by oaks and hickories, with very
little Virginia pine remaining [
38,
50].
Virginia pine is usually well represented in early stages of oldfield
succession on dry sites [
40].
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Taxonomy
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
The currently accepted name of Virginia pine is Pinus virginiana Mill.
There are no accepted subspecies, varieties, or forms [
14,
23,
25].
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Value for rehabilitation of disturbed sites
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
naturalWithin its natural range, Virginia pine is often a pioneer on mined
soils [
61]. Virginia and loblolly pines have naturally reforested some
surface coal mines in Alabama, and are substantial producers of
commercial softwoods [
30]. Natural revegetation on manganese mine
spoils in Virginia and Tennessee includes Virginia pine. It is widely
planted in the middle and southern Appalachian region on surface coal
mine spoils, and has good potential for revegetation of other disturbed
sites [
6,
34,
36,
54].
Virginia pine is adapted to a wide range of mined soils and performs
well on acidic and droughty sites [
61]. On dark-colored coal mine wastes
in Pennsylvania, Virginia pine was more resistant to heat damage than
eastern white pine (Pinus strobus), Scotch pine (P. sylvestris) or jack
pine (P. banksiana). Plantings of Virginia pine outside its native
range are usually invaded by hardwoods within 15 to 20 years [
61].
Performance of Virginia pine on surface coal mine spoils varies with
planting conditions and post-planting environmental conditions
[
42,
53,
54,
59,
62].
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Wood Products Value
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
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fuelVirginia pine was previously used only for mine props, railroad ties,
rough lumber, fuel, tar, and charcoal. It currently has little
importance for lumber, but is becoming more important as a pulpwood
species, especially through the reforestation of abandoned agricultural
lands, cutover, and mined sites [
7,
14,
54]. Several thousand acres of
land are planted in Virginia pine annually [
25].
- bibliographic citation
- Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Pinus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Associated Forest Cover
provided by Silvics of North America
Virginia pine often grows in pure stands, usually as a pioneer species
on old fields, burned areas, or other disturbed sites. It is a major
species in the forest cover types Virginia Pine-Oak (Society of American
Foresters Type 78) and Virginia Pine (Type 79) (17). It is an associate in
the following cover types: Post Oak-Blackjack Oak (Type 40), Bear Oak
(Type 43), Chestnut Oak (Type 44), White Oak-Black Oak-Northern Red Oak
(Type 52), Pitch Pine (Type 45), Eastern Redcedar (Type 46), Shortleaf
Pine (Type 75), Loblolly Pine (Type 81), and Loblolly Pine-Hardwood (Type
82).
Other than those named in the types, species that commonly grow with
Virginia pine in various parts of its range are white oak Quercus
alba), southern red oak (Q. falcata), red maple (Acer
rubrum), hickories (Carya spp.), blackgum (Nyssa
sylvatica), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), eastern
hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), Table Mountain pine (Pinus
pungens), and eastern white pine (P. strobus).
In central Pennsylvania, two ground-cover types serve as indicators of
site quality for Virginia pine. The flowering dogwood/clubmoss (Cornus
florida / Lycopodium) type indicates the better site indexes ranging
from 15.2 to 21.3 m (50 to 70 ft); the bear oak/reindeer moss (Quercus
ilicifolia / Cladonia) type indicates average and poor site indexes
between 9.1 to 15.2 m (30 and 50 ft) (39).
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- USDA, Forest Service
Climate
provided by Silvics of North America
The annual precipitation in the native range of Virginia pine averages
890 to 1400 mm (35 to 55 in) and is fairly well distributed throughout the
year. Rainfall generally is greatest in the southwestern portion of the
range. The climate throughout most of this area is classified as humid.
Summer temperatures average about 21° to 24° C (70° to 75°
F); winter temperatures range from -4° to 4° C (25° to 40°
F); and the average number of frost-free days varies from more than 225 on
the eastern and southern edge of the Piedmont to 160 days on the more
mountainous areas to the west and north.
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Damaging Agents
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Heart rot due to Phellinus pini often
is present in stands more than 60 years old, but it is rare in stands less
than 50 years of age. In a severe case, as much as 34 percent of the trees
in a 59-year-old stand were infected (36). Partly because of its
susceptibility to heart rot, pulpwood rotations generally are preferred to
sawtimber rotations in Virginia pine.
The other serious disease of Virginia pine is pitch canker (Fusarium
moniliforme var. subglutinans), which enters twigs or stems
through small wounds and causes a heavy exudation of pitch. The canker
enlarges rapidly and eventually girdles the twig or stem. Seedlings
infected with pitch canker have a mortality rate of about 90 percent (15).
Some variation in susceptibility to pitch canker appears to have a genetic
basis (2).
Other diseases usually cause little loss of growth in Virginia pine.
Stem cankers (Atropellis tingens), eastern gall rust (Cronartium
quercuum), a stem rust (C. comptoniae), root rot (Heterobasidion
annosum), and butt rots (Poria subacida, Phaeolus schweinitizii)
occasionally infest Virginia pine.
The principal forest insects that cause significant damage to Virginia
pine are the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis), Ips spp.,
and pine sawflies, the Virginia pine sawfly (Neodiprion pratti
pratti) and the redheaded pine sawfly (N. lecontei). Trees
under stress of lightning, fire, or logging injury are more susceptible to
insect attack than sound healthy trees (39).
The pales weevil (Hylobius pales), which feeds on and often
kills small seedlings of several pine species, can greatly reduce the
regeneration of Virginia pine. Attacks are most likely on recently cutover
areas where pine roots provide the food needed to build up a large larval
population.
Girdling by meadow mice can cause considerable damage in young trees. In
Tennessee, they have reportedly caused heavy mortality in 8- or 9-year-old
plantations (26). In Maryland and Iowa, they have shown a strong
preference for Virginia pine over other pine species (39).
Young Virginia pines are particularly vulnerable to fire because of
their thin bark and their lack of long-lived dormant buds at the base,
along the bole, and in the crown. Fire reduces the Virginia pine component
in stands where this species is mixed with pitch, shortleaf, or loblolly
pines.
The species also is sensitive to several air pollutants. Of 18 pine
species tested, Virginia pine was most sensitive to ozone; 69 percent of
the seedlings suffered foliar damage. Polluted air containing sulfur
dioxide and oxides of nitrogen also reduced terminal growth, with most
damage occurring between the 4th and 13th weeks after budbreak. Dormant
seedlings are resistant to ozone pollution (14,33).
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Flowering and Fruiting
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Virginia pine is monoecious. Pollen
shedding and female cone receptivity begin about the middle of March in
the southern part of the species range, and as late as the latter part of
May in the northern part. Virginia pine is wind pollinated and primarily
outcrossing, though self-fertilization is possible. Fertilization takes
place in early June some 13 months later, when the cones have nearly
reached full size. Seeds become viable by middle to late August of the
year after pollination but are difficult to extract before cone
maturation, which occurs from late September to early November. Unlike
many other pines, Virginia pine produces cones in all parts of the crown.
Empty cones usually persist on the tree for several years and can remain
for as many as 15 years.
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Genetics
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Population Differences
Most of the variation in Virginia pine is attributable to differences
among individual trees or stands rather than to geographic origin, though
it is suspected that populations in the Talladega Mountains of central
Alabama and on the deep sands of the mid-Atlantic Coast are distinct
ecotypes (25). A range-wide sample of 2,114 trees revealed no evidence of
north-south or east-west trends in specific gravity (unextracted wood)
(12). In studies of six wood properties of mature Virginia pine in
Kentucky and Tennessee, variation usually was greater within a stand than
among stands. However, tracheid length increased from south to north
within this region (42). Progeny tests of trees from the same locations
also revealed significant variation in monoterpene content and in stem
volume at age 5. This variation was attributable to difference among
stands and among individual trees within stands (29,34). These and other
progeny tests indicate that tree improvement programs for Virginia pine
can significantly improve the stem form and growth rate.
Seeds from local sources or from locations with a climate similar to
that of the planting site generally produce trees with the best survival
and growth rates. Seed from southern provenances produce fast-growing
trees on southern sites, but southern trees grow slowly and suffer winter
injury when planted in the north (20,21).
Hybrids
Hybrids of Virginia pine and Ocala sand pine (Pinus clausa var.
clausa) can be made under controlled conditions with either
species as the seed parent. Controlled crosses of P. virginiana with
jack pine (P. banksiana) and lodgepole pine (P. contorta) have
not been successful (25).
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Growth and Yield
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On average sites, well-stocked stands can have
as many as 3,950 stems per hectare (1,600/acre) at 20 years of age. The
number drops to about 500/ha (200/acre) in 70-year-old stands. The site
index for Virginia pine is the average height of dominant trees measured
at age 50 years. In North Carolina, the average merchantable volume per
hectare for site index 18.2 m (60 ft) land is 112 m³ (1,600 ft³/acre)
at 20 years and 354 m³ (5,050 ft³/acre) at 70 years (36).
Volumes for Maryland are intermediate between the higher values for North
Carolina and the lower values for Pennsylvania. In a regional study
extending from Maryland to South Carolina, merchantable volumes per
hectare for fully stocked, pure, 60-year-old stands ranged from 155 m³/ha
(2,210 ft³/acre) for site index 16.8 m (55 ft) land to 602 m³/ha
(8,600 ft³/acre) for site index 24.4 m (80 ft) land (31).
On the best sites, trees can reach a height of 37 m (120 ft) at
maturity, but the average height ranges from 15 to 23 m (50 to 75 ft) at
age 50. An annual growth rate of 6 m³/ha (1 cord/acre) is possible
over a large portion of its natural range.
Because Virginia pine is shallow rooted and subject to windthrow and to
damage from ice and snow, thinning is not recommended in older stands. In
one thinned 17-year-old stand the diameter growth of trees was 50 percent
greater than that of controls; however, there was no overall stand
response because of frequent windthrow in the thinned stand. Windthrow is
not serious in younger stands, which can be thinned safely, but the growth
response in these stands may not be sufficient to replace the volume
removed by the thinning (19).
Virginia pine planted on old fields grows well. One plantation in Iowa
had a mean annual height growth of 0.6 m (1.9 ft) after 15 years. This
growth was better than that of five other pine species planted on the same
sites. The mean annual diameter growth was 8.6 mm (0.34 in) during the
same period (39). Plantations in the Cross Timbers area of Oklahoma
survived well when moisture was adequate during the year of establishment
(32). In the Cumberland Plateau, planted Virginia pine on site index 21.2
m (70 ft) produced a merchantable volume of approximately 140 m³/ha
(2,000 ft³/acre) at age 20 (37).
In central Tennessee, Virginia pine outperforms shortleaf and loblolly
pines on dry ridges and on warm slopes with shallow soil (38). On these
sites it is estimated to produce approximately 56 m³ more per hectare
(800 ft³ or 4,000 fbm/acre) than shortleaf pine, on a 50-year
rotation (22). On good sites in the Piedmont or on cove sites in the
southern Appalachians, however, growth of Virginia pine is inferior to the
other southern pines. Natural pruning in Virginia pine is slow because the
branches are resinous.
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Reaction to Competition
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Being intolerant of shade, Virginia
pine is a transitional type and is eventually replaced by more tolerant
hardwood species. It is a pioneer species, coming in after fire, and on
eroded areas or wornout old fields. Compared with associated pines, it is
generally more successful on poorer sites. Virginia pine seedlings cannot
become established under the shade of an existing stand, so hardwoods
invade the understory. These hardwoods become dominant and gradually take
over the area in succeeding generations, unless fire or other factors
retard them (39).
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Rooting Habit
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Virginia pine is a shallow-rooted species and
losses from windthrow are likely to occur if old stands are thinned
excessively (5).
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Seed Production and Dissemination
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Open-grown trees often
produce cones as early as 5 years of age, and a few trees have been known
to flower at 18 months (3). In dense stands, cone production can be
delayed for as many as 50 years. As stands become more open, cone
production is accelerated (36). Virginia pine produces some seed each
year, with heavy cone crops occurring at intervals of 3 or more years.
Good cone crops can be produced in 2 successive years, however, and peak
seed years do not necessarily coincide throughout the range. Early cone
production is under strong genetic control and can be increased by family
selection or fertilization (7,9).
Seed dispersal starts in October and is complete within 3 months, though
some seeds may continue to be released until the following spring. Most of
the seeds fall within 30 m (100 ft) of trees with an average height of 18
m (60 ft); however, stocking often is adequate at greater distances,
particularly on the lee side of a seed source. In the coastal plain of
Maryland, seedfall was measured on a 40-meter-wide (132 ft) strip cut
through Virginia pine. Over a 4-year period, seedfall per hectare ranged
from 15,800 to 98,800 (6,400 to 40,000/acre) (18). The number of clean
seeds per kilogram ranges from 100,750 to 200,800 (45,700 to 91,100/lb);
the average is 122,100 (55,400/lb) (35).
Seed and cone insects can severely reduce the yield of viable seed. Seed
yields from cones from which insects were excluded by wire screens were
twice as high as those from unprotected cones (8). Major insect pests are
two types of seedbugs: the shieldbacked pine seedbug (Tetyra
bipunctata) and the southern pine seedbug (Leptoglossus corculus).
Several types of coneworms (Dioryctria spp.) and cone
borers (Eucosma spp.) also infect Virginia pine. The
Virginia pine sawfly (Neodiprion pratti pratti) and Nantucket pine
tip moth (Rhyacionia frustrana) can destroy young conelets (16).
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Seedling Development
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An exposed mineral soil seedbed is
essential for successful establishment of seedlings. In one study area in
the southern Appalachians, all regeneration of Virginia pine over a
120-year period was related to site disturbances by fires or logging (1).
Such site disturbance can result in two to four times as much germination
as on undisturbed seedbeds, and 2-year survival that is four times as
great (41).
Exposing wet Virginia pine seeds to artificial light before sowing
greatly increases germination. Maximum germination is obtained by exposing
seeds that have been soaked in water for 24 hours to 30 minutes of red
light. The stimulus to germination by this exposure can be reversed by
treatment with far-red light (39). Germination is epigeal (35).
Seedlings require direct sunlight for best growth. Even partial shade
reduces growth, and seedlings do not survive under full shade. Given
adequate light and a good seedbed, however, several thousand seedlings per
hectare can become established. Precommercial thinning at age 5 has been
recommended to prevent stagnation in heavily stocked seedling stands (11).
Virginia pine seedlings grown in containers in the greenhouse can be
used to advance growth and cone production by 1 year compared to the use
of bare-root stock (6). Extra light from an incandescent source coupled
with a high level of nutrition can quadruple height growth in one season.
Long photoperiods also induce other effects such as increased internodal
length, accelerated cycles of bud formation, and breaking of bud dormancy
(39).
The balance and relative abundance of inorganic elements in the soil
solution also are important to the establishment and growth of Virginia
pine. In basic nutrition studies in irrigated sand cultures, symptoms of
deficiency appeared when either potassium or magnesium was supplied at
0.01 milliequivalent (meq) or less per liter. Amounts adequate for healthy
height growth were 0.35 meq of calcium and 2 meq of magnesium per liter.
The adequacy level for potassium was between 0.1 and 1 meq; the minimum
levels for nitrogen and phosphorus were 1.78 and 0.03 meq, respectively
(39).
Virginia pine seedlings are more tolerant of low soil moisture than most
other pines. Although they may survive when moisture is low, their rate of
growth is slower on dry sites. Seedlings reach a height of 10 to 20 cm (4
to 8 in) in the first year when growth conditions are favorable. At the
end of 10 years, the average height may reach 5 m (17 ft) on the better
sites.
Many species of mycorrhizae representing nine genera (Amanita,
Boletus, Cenococcum, Gomphidius, Lepiota, Paxillus, Rhizopogon, Russula,
and Scleroderma) are known to form associations with the roots
of Virginia pine (23).
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Soils and Topography
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Virginia pine grows well on a variety of soils derived from marine
deposits, from crystalline rocks, sandstones, and shales, and from
limestone to a lesser extent. These are classified as Spodosols and
Inceptisols. After harvesting or fire, these soils are subject to moderate
sheet and gully erosion; erosion can become severe on shale soils. On many
areas that now support Virginia pine, much of the A horizon is gone
because of past erosion under intensive agricultural use.
The species grows best on clay, loam, or sandy loam; it generally does
poorly on serpentine soils, shallow shaly soils, and very sandy soils. It
thrives only in moderately well drained to well drained soils and is less
tolerant of wet sites and impeded drainage than pitch and loblolly pines
(Pinus rigida and P. taeda). Virginia pine generally
tolerates soil acidities ranging from pH 4.6 to 7.9 (39). Soil beneath a
Virginia pine stand was more acidic and contained more organic matter than
soil under shortleaf (P. echinata), loblolly, or white (P.
strobus) pine stands (30).
Virginia pine usually is found at elevations of 15 to 760 m (50 to 2,500
ft). It comes in freely on abandoned farmland throughout its range.
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Special Uses
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Of the southern conifers, Virginia pine is most preferred as a Christmas
tree. If families with desirable traits are selected and appropriate
cultural practices are used, marketable Christmas trees can be produced in
as few as 3 years, although the usual rotation age for Virginia pine
Christmas trees is 5 to 10 years (4,24).
In the Eastern and Central States, Virginia pine performs well when
planted on strip-mined sites. In a study in West Virginia, Virginia pine
survived well, grew quickly, and encountered no serious pests 14 years
after being planted on a mined site (43). It is also a satisfactory
species for the reclamation of spoil banks in the Southeast (27).
Because the wood of older trees is frequently softened by fungal decay,
Virginia pine provides nesting habitat for woodpeckers. Leaving old,
decayed trees near the margins of clearcuts provides nesting sites (13).
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Vegetative Reproduction
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Sprout growth on Virginia pine is rare.
Occasionally, cut stubs produce a few short-lived sprouts from dormant
buds. Rooting of cuttings from 7- and 8-year-old Virginia pine is most
successful (72 percent rooted) when cuttings were taken in December and
treated with 0.2 percent indolebutyric acid before being placed in a mist
chamber (40). Cuttings from 1-year-old seedlings also can be rooted, but
those taken from mature trees fail to root (25).
Grafting generally is about 65 percent successful when dormant scions
are grafted onto dormant rootstock. The side-veneer graft technique is
most commonly used, but other methods also are successful. Virginia pine
grafts are more susceptible to mold than grafts of the other southern
pines (25).
Clonal plantlets can be obtained from tissue cultures when cotyledons
from Virginia pine embryos are used. However, the rooting techniques
necessary for commercial production of these plantlets have not yet been
developed (10).
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Brief Summary
provided by Silvics of North America
Pinaceae -- Pine family
Katherine K. Carter and Albert G. Snow, Jr.
Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana) has a definite place among
trees of commercial importance in spite of once being considered a "forest
weed" and called scrub pine. Also known as Jersey pine and spruce
pine, it does so well in reforesting abandoned and cutover lands that it
has become a principal source of pulpwood and lumber in the southeast.
Virginia pine is commonly a small or medium-sized tree but a record tree
has been measured with 81 cm (31.8 in) in d.b.h. and 34.7 m (114 ft) in
height.
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Distribution
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Virginia pine generally grows throughout the Piedmont and at lower
elevations in the mountains from central Pennsylvania southwestward to
northeastern Mississippi, Alabama, and northern Georgia. It is also found
in the Atlantic Coastal Plain as far north as New Jersey and Long Island,
NY, and extends westward in scattered areas into Ohio, southern Indiana,
and Tennessee.
- The native range of Virginia pine.
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Physical Description
provided by USDA PLANTS text
Tree, Evergreen, Monoecious, Habit erect, Trees without or rarely having knees, Tree with bark rough or scaly, Young shoots 3-dimensional, Buds resinous, Buds not resinous, Leaves needle-like, Leaves alternate, Needle-like leaf margins finely serrulate (use magnification or slide your finger along the leaf), Leaf apex acute, Leaves < 5 cm long, Leaves > 5 cm long, Leaves < 10 cm long, Leaves yellow-green above, Leaves yellow-green below, Leaves not blue-green, Needle-like leaves somewhat rounded, Needle-like leaves twisted, Needle-like leaf habit erect, Needle-like leaves per fascicle mostly 2, Needle-like leaf sheath persistent, Twigs glabrous, Twigs viscid, Twigs not viscid, Twigs without peg-like projections or large fascicles after needles fall, Berry-like cones orange, Woody seed cones < 5 cm long, Woody seed cones > 5 cm long, Seed cones bearing a scarlike umbo, Umbo with obvious prickle, Bracts of seed cone included, Seeds brown, Seeds black, Seeds winged, Seeds unequally winged, Seed wings prominent, Seed wings equal to or broader than body.
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Pinus virginiana
provided by wikipedia EN
Pinus virginiana, the Virginia pine, scrub pine, Jersey pine, Possum pine, is a medium-sized tree, often found on poorer soils from Long Island in southern New York south through the Appalachian Mountains to western Tennessee and Alabama. The usual size range for this pine is 9–18 m, (18–59 feet) but can grow larger under optimum conditions. The trunk can be as large as 20 inches diameter. This tree prefers well-drained loam or clay, but will also grow on very poor, sandy soil, where it remains small and stunted. The typical life span is 65 to 90 years.
The short (4–8 cm), yellow-green needles are paired in fascicles and are often twisted. Pinecones are 4–7 cm long and may persist on the tree for many years, often (though not always) releasing their seeds in the second year. In growth habit, some trees may be inclined with twisted trunks.
This pine is useful for reforesting and provides nourishment for wildlife. Its other main use is on Christmas tree farms, despite having sharp-tipped needles and yellowish winter color. It also can provide wood pulp and lumber. Like some other southern yellow pines, Virginia pine lumber case hardens. That is, it becomes very hard over time during wood drying. Wood from Virginia pine is not normally considered to resist rot unless treated with preservatives.
Description
Pinus virginiana is endemic to the United States and can be identified by a key characteristic; the relatively short needles are twisted and come in bunches of two. The needles are typically two to eight centimeters in length. There is hair on the bracts and on the bud scales of the P. virginiana. The leaf sheath of the P. virginiana is greater than 2.5 millimeters long. The cones of the P. virginiana only open after they are mature. The branches of the Pinus virginiana are flexible. They will bend when pressure is added to them.[2] Pinus virginiana are between 9 and 18 meters tall. The bark of P. virginiana is red and brown in color, and also has the tendency to be rough with relatively small bark scales. The pollen cones are circular, almost elliptical and are 10–20 millimeters in size. They are the same color as the bark, typically. Seed cones are spread throughout the tree. The mature seed cones (4–7 cm) are much larger than the pollen cones.[3] The P. virginiana prefers to grow in poor soils and dry loam or clay. They can grow on sandy soil, but this usually causes the tree to be smaller than the average P. virginiana.[4]
Taxonomy
Pinus virginiana is in the family Pinaceae and the order Pinales.[2] A molecular phylogeny indicates that the sister taxa to Pinus virginiana are Pinus clausa, Pinus contorta, and Pinus banksiana.[5] Pinus banksiana has shorter needles than P. viginiana at 2–3.5 centimeters in length, whereas P. virginiana is 2–8 centimeters in length. P. banksiana needles are not twisted, but curved, and has cones that are serotinous and unarmed. The leaf sheaths in P. banksiana are less than 2.5 millimeters long. In P. virginiana the needles are twisted and straight. The cones open at maturity, are not serotinous and the scales on the cones have prominent prickles. The sheaths of the P. virginiana are greater than 2.5 millimeters long. Pinus clausa has larger needles than the P. virginiana. The Pinus clausa has needles that are between 5 and 13 centimeters long, P. virginiana has needles that range between 2 and 8 centimeters long. Pinus clausa is also serotinous.[2] Lastly, Pinus virginiana and Pinus contorta are distributed differently: Pinus virginiana are found on the eastern side of the United States, whereas Pinus contorta are found on the western side.[6] A similarity between Pinus virginiana and Pinus contorta is that the needles of both species are twisted.
Distribution and habitat
Pinus virginiana inhabit dry forested areas. The tree occurs in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi,[2] Indiana, South Carolina, Maryland and Delaware.[3] In locations where the P. virginiana lives, rainfall is typically between 890 and 1400 millimeters. The average temperatures in the summer are between 21–24 degrees Celsius and in the winter it is around −4 to 4 degrees Celsius. Pinus virginiana is poorly adapted to fire, but if the tree is larger they are able to survive. Open growth Virginia pines may begin cone production at only 5 years old. There have been documented cases of trees as young as 18 months beginning to flower. Virginia pine is monecious and some self-pollination is possible, but a significant seed crop requires two trees. Cones take two complete growing seasons to develop. Pollination takes place 13 months after cone formation begins, and dispersal occurs the following autumn. Unlike some other pines, Virginia pine produces cones in all parts of the canopy.[5] Pinus virginiana is reportedly naturalized in southern Ontario [7]
Ethnobotany
Cherokee Native Americans used P. virginiana medicinally. They used it for many symptoms like diarrhea, stiffness of the body, colds, fevers, hemorrhoids, tuberculosis, and constipation. Cherokee Indians used P. virginiana in different ways including bathing in water that had been soaked in the bark, steams and oils, root and needle infusions, and for tar. They also used it in certain cultural rituals. In burial rituals P. virginiana branches were burned and the ashes were used for a fire in their homes. Also, they would infuse needles in apple juice and they would drink it. The Cherokee basically did that as a toast to the wind. Lastly, they used the root infusions as a stimulant and the needles were used as a soap.[5]
Etymology
The etymology of the Pinus virginiana is as follows: Pinus is Latin for Pine and virginiana means of Virginia.[8]
Uses
Pinus virginiana was used historically as mine timbers, for railroad ties, and for fuel and tar. Currently, it is being planted as in reclamation sites for coal mining operations. Pinus virginiana can also be used for wood pulp, which is used to make paper, and for lumber. The wood weighs 32 pounds (14 kg) per foot.[9]
Conservation
On the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the Pinus virginiana is considered a species that is of least concern. It is a species of least concern due to relative commonness as an early successional species. In areas of abandoned farmland in the eastern US, P. virginiana tends to be common.[1]
Gallery
New growth and pollen cones
See also
References
-
^ a b Farjon, A. (2013). "Pinus virginiana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T42426A2979266. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T42426A2979266.en. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
-
^ a b c d USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Pinus virginiana". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
-
^ a b "UNC Herbarium". herbarium.unc.edu. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
-
^ "Home — The Plant List". www.theplantlist.org. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
-
^ a b c Earle, Christopher J., ed. (2018). "Pinus virginiana". The Gymnosperm Database. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
-
^ "BioWeb Home". bioweb.uwlax.edu. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
-
^ "BONAP's Map". bonap.net.
-
^ Schoennagel, Tania; Veblen, Thomas T.; Romme, William H. (July 2004). "The Interaction of Fire, Fuels, and Climate across Rocky Mountain Forests" (PDF). BioScience. 54 (7): 661–676. doi:10.1641/0006-3568(2004)054[0661:tioffa]2.0.co;2. ISSN 0006-3568.
-
^ "IPNI Plant Name Details". International Plant Names Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries; Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
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Pinus virginiana: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
Pinus virginiana, the Virginia pine, scrub pine, Jersey pine, Possum pine, is a medium-sized tree, often found on poorer soils from Long Island in southern New York south through the Appalachian Mountains to western Tennessee and Alabama. The usual size range for this pine is 9–18 m, (18–59 feet) but can grow larger under optimum conditions. The trunk can be as large as 20 inches diameter. This tree prefers well-drained loam or clay, but will also grow on very poor, sandy soil, where it remains small and stunted. The typical life span is 65 to 90 years.
The short (4–8 cm), yellow-green needles are paired in fascicles and are often twisted. Pinecones are 4–7 cm long and may persist on the tree for many years, often (though not always) releasing their seeds in the second year. In growth habit, some trees may be inclined with twisted trunks.
This pine is useful for reforesting and provides nourishment for wildlife. Its other main use is on Christmas tree farms, despite having sharp-tipped needles and yellowish winter color. It also can provide wood pulp and lumber. Like some other southern yellow pines, Virginia pine lumber case hardens. That is, it becomes very hard over time during wood drying. Wood from Virginia pine is not normally considered to resist rot unless treated with preservatives.
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