# red pine (*Pinus resinosa*)

The red pine is a tall tree with long, slender needles that are green all year round. It has a beautiful reddish-brown bark that can be very rough. This tree is great for making paper and is often found in forests.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 4
- **Habitat:** Forests

![red pine](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426297/objects/3203.jpg)

## Appearance

The red pine is a tall, straight evergreen tree with distinctive reddish-brown bark that flakes into irregular plates. Its long, dark green needles grow in bundles of two, making its crown appear dense and slightly conical.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Pinopsida
- **Order:** Pinales
- **Family:** Pinaceae
- **Genus:** Pinus

## Interesting facts

- Its reddish-brown bark gives it a unique 'scales' look, inspiring its common name!
- Red pine wood is so straight and strong, it was once perfect for making tall ship masts!
- Red pines can live for over 300 years, becoming ancient, silent guardians of the forest!
- Young red pines grow faster than many other pines, quickly reaching for the sunlight!

## Special abilities

- **Fire Armor:** Red pine has thick, reddish bark that helps it survive ground fires, protecting the living inner wood from heat damage.
- **Evergreen Energy:** Its long, dark green needles stay on the tree for years, allowing it to photosynthesize even in winter snows.
- **Wind Resilience:** The red pine develops strong roots and sturdy wood, helping it stand firm against strong winds and storms.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 2000-4000 cm
- **Spread:** 600-1200 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses on young seedlings and needles
- **Eats:** [Red squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-squirrel) (*Tamiasciurus hudsonicus*) — collects and eats seeds from its cones
- **Parasitizes:** Pine Engraver (*Ips pini*) — larvae tunnel and feed under the bark, weakening the tree

## Traits

- [Cold Hardy](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cold-hardy): Cold hardy plants are able to withstand low temperatures and freezing conditions without significant damage.
- [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.
- [Timber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/timber): Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry.
- [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.

## 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 sharp branches.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify red 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 red pine?

2000-4000 cm

### How wide does red pine spread?

600-1200 cm

### When does red pine bloom?

Spring

### Is red pine edible?

No

### Is red pine toxic?

None

### What is red pine's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is red pine pollinated?

Wind

## Where to spot

- [Algonquin Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/algonquin-provincial-park) — Ontario, CA · State Park
- [Minnesota Landscape Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/minnesota-landscape-arboretum) — Minnesota, US · Botanical Garden
- [Cosley Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cosley-zoo) — Illinois, US · Zoo
- [Lake Superior Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lake-superior-zoo) — Minnesota, US · Zoo

[View all places to see red pine](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/red-pine)

## Watch

- [Play video: red pine](https://www.snappit.app/videos/red-pine)
- [YouTube](https://youtube.com/watch?v=ziIBQ_DogYQ)

## 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*)

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Source: [Red Pine: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-pine)