Loblolly Pine is a fast growing, medium to tall evergreen conifer that is native to the Southeastern United States where it typically grows from sea level to 2400 feet in a variety of conditions ranging from poorly drained low wet areas, bottomland forests and flatlands to well-drained upland soils. It typically grows to 40 to 50 feet in cultivation, but may reach 100 feet tall or more in the wild. This tree is particularly noted for its straight trunk and wide spreading branches. It loses its lower branches as it matures, gradually developing a dense oval-rounded crown. Bark is scaly gray developing furrows with age. The fragrant dark yellow-green needles are 6 to 10 inches long in bundles of three (infrequently in bundles of two) are finely-toothed, stiff and slender. Cones appear in groups of 2 to 5, stalkless, oval-cylindrical, 3 to 6 inches long with sharply-spined scales.
