# slash pine (*Pinus elliottii*) The slash pine is a tall tree with long, slender needles. It grows in warm areas and is known for its straight trunk and sweet-smelling pine cones. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Forests ![slash pine](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pinus_elliottii%281%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Mason Brock ( Masebrock ), Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pinus_elliottii%281%29.jpg) ## Appearance The slash pine is a tall, straight evergreen tree with an open crown. It has dark green, flexible needles grouped in bundles of two or three. Its shiny, reddish-brown cones are 7-15 cm long with small prickles on each scale. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Pinopsida - **Order:** Pinales - **Family:** Pinaceae - **Genus:** Pinus ## Interesting facts - Its sticky sap was once vital for sealing ships, helping sailors explore the world! - Its wood helps make strong paper, furniture, and even telephone poles! - Some slash pines can live for over 200 years, growing through many storms! - This tough tree is a "pioneer," often growing first in disturbed or cleared lands! ## Special abilities - **Fire Fighter:** Slash pine has thick, protective bark that helps it survive quick-moving ground fires in its natural habitat. - **Water Wonder:** Slash pine can grow in soggy, wet soils where many other trees would struggle to survive. - **Fast Grower:** Slash pine grows quickly, allowing it to reach sunlight faster and outcompete other plants. - **Sticky Shield:** Slash pine produces sticky resin that seals wounds and traps invading insects, protecting the tree. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 1800-3000 cm - **Spread:** 900-1500 cm - **Bloom Season:** Winter-Spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Eastern Gray Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-gray-squirrel) (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — Eats seeds from the pine's cones. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Browses on young needles and seedlings. - **Shelter:** Red-cockaded Woodpecker (*Dryobates borealis*) — Nests in cavities of older pine trees. - **Depends on:** [Gopher Tortoise](https://www.snappit.app/explore/gopher-tortoise) (*Gopherus polyphemus*) — Relies on open pine forests for habitat. ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [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. - [Nut Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nut-bearing): Nut bearing plants produce hard-shelled fruits, commonly known as nuts, which contain a single seed and are a valuable food source. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [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. - [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 away from sharp pine cones and branches when exploring. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify slash 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 slash pine? 1800-3000 cm ### How wide does slash pine spread? 900-1500 cm ### When does slash pine bloom? Winter-Spring ### Is slash pine edible? No ### Is slash pine toxic? None ### What is slash pine's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is slash pine pollinated? Wind ## Where to spot - [Springfield](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/springfield) — Florida, US · Neighborhood - [Doctor Julian G. Bruce Saint George Island State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/doctor-julian-g-bruce-saint-george-island-state-park) — Florida, US · State Park - [Saint Joseph Peninsula State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/saint-joseph-peninsula-state-park) — Florida, US · State Park [View all places to see slash pine](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/slash-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: [Slash Pine: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/slash-pine)