Pinus virginiana

Pinus Virginiana The Virginia Pine and scrubpin, Jersey pin are medium-sized trees that can be found in poorer soils, from Long Island, New York, to the Appalachian Mountains, west Tennessee, and Alabama. This pine can grow to a height of 9-18m (18-59feet), but it can also grow larger in optimum conditions. The trunk can reach up to 20 inches in 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. The pinecones measure 4-7 cm in length and can be kept on the tree for years. They will often release their seeds in the second or third year. In growth habit, some trees may be inclined with twisted trunks.

This pine can be used to reforest and provide food for wildlife. Its other main use is on Christmas tree farms, despite having sharp-tipped needles and yellowish winter color. It can also be used to make wood pulp and lumber. Virginia pine lumber, like other southern yellow pines hardens. That is, it becomes very hard over time during wood drying. Wood made from Virginia pine cannot be considered resistant to rot unless it is treated with preservatives.

Description

Pinus virginiana is a distinct pine in 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 P. Virginiana leaf sheath is 2.5 millimeters in length. After they mature, the cones of the P. Virginiana open. The branches of the Pinus virginiana are flexible. When pressure is applied to them, they bend. Pinus virginiana can reach heights of 9-18 meters. 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. The seed cones are distributed throughout the tree. The mature seed cones (4-7 cm) are much larger than the pollen cones. The P. virginiana prefers to grow in poor soils and dry loam or clay. Although they can grow in sandy soil, the tree will usually be smaller than the average P. virginiana.

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. It weighs in at 32 pounds (11.4 kg) per foot.

Taxonomy

Pinus virginiana is in the family Pinaceae and the order Pinales. A molecular phylogeny indicates that the sister taxa to Pinus virginiana are Pinus clausa, Pinus contorta, and Pinus banksiana. 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 have curved cones and are not twisted. The leaf sheaths in P. banksiana are less than 2.5 millimeters long. The P. virginiana needles are straight and twisted. The cones are open at maturity and do not have serotinous characteristics. The P. Virginiana sheaths are 2.5 millimeters in length. 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. 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. A similarity between Pinus virginiana and Pinus contorta is that the needles of both species are twisted.