Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris)

Kingdom: Plantae

Division: Pinophyta

Class: Pinopsida

Order: Pinales

Family: Pinaceae

Genus: Pinus

Subgenus: Pinus

Species: P. palustris

Longleaf pines are native to the southeastern United States, found along the coastal plain from eastern Texas to southeast Virginia extending into northern and central Florida. The needles are long and are in bundles of three. A longleaf pine takes 100 to 150 years to become full size and may live to 500 years old. It grows on well-drained, usually sandy soil, often in pure stands. In northern Alabama, it sometimes occurs on clay soil.
The longleaf pine is resistant to fire. In fact periodic natural wildfire selects for this species by killing other trees. When it is very young and in its "grass stage" it is very resistant to fire because while the fire can burn the needle tips it can not get to the tightly packed center of the plant.