# pitch pine (*Pinus rigida*) Pitch pines are tall trees with long, slender needles. They are known for their thick, scaly bark and can grow in sandy soils. These trees are great for wildlife and help keep the environment healthy. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 13 - **Habitat:** Forests ![pitch pine](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pinus_rigida_cone_Linville.jpg&width=800) Photo: bobistraveling on Flickr, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pinus_rigida_cone_Linville.jpg) ## Appearance The pitch pine has a distinctively irregular, often gnarled shape with thick, reddish-brown bark that's deeply furrowed and scaly. Its stiff, yellowish-green needles grow in bundles of three, and its prickly cones often remain on the branches for years. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Pinopsida - **Order:** Pinales - **Family:** Pinaceae - **Genus:** Pinus ## Interesting facts - Its name comes from its sticky resin, once used to seal old wooden ships! - Some pitch pines can live for over 300 years, standing tall through many storms! - These tough trees are often the \*first\* to grow back after a forest fire! - You can always tell a pitch pine by its needles, which grow in bundles of \*three\*! ## Special abilities - **Fire Rescuer:** Pitch pine has super thick bark and dormant buds that help it survive forest fires and quickly sprout new growth. - **Heat Seed Release:** Pitch pine cones are serotinous, meaning intense heat like a fire helps them open to release their seeds. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 1000-2000 cm - **Spread:** 600-1200 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Shelter:** Red-cockaded woodpecker (*Dryobates borealis*) — nests in living pine trees, including pitch pines. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses on the needles and twigs, especially in winter. - **Eats:** [Eastern gray squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-gray-squirrel) (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — feasts on the nutrient-rich seeds from the pine cones. ## Traits - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Coniferous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coniferous): Coniferous plants are typically evergreen, bearing needles or scales and reproductive cones. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Timber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/timber): Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Stay on paths when exploring forests and don't touch the trees too hard. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify pitch pine? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is pitch pine? 1000-2000 cm ### How wide does pitch pine spread? 600-1200 cm ### When does pitch pine bloom? Spring ### Is pitch pine edible? No ### Is pitch pine toxic? None ### What is pitch pine's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is pitch pine pollinated? Wind ## Where to spot - [Albany Pine Bush](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albany-pine-bush) — New York, US · Nature Reserve - [Carriage Paths, Bridges and Gatehouses](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/carriage-paths-bridges-and-gatehouses) — Maine, US · Historic District - [East Windsor Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-windsor-hill-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Guilford Historic Town Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/guilford-historic-town-center) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Ravenswood Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ravenswood-park) — US · Nature Reserve - [Abram S. Hewitt State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abram-s-hewitt-state-forest) — New Jersey, US · Forest [View all places to see pitch pine](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/pitch-pine) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Pitch Pine: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pitch-pine)