Pinus Palustris

Kingdom:Plantae

Division:Pinophyta

Class:Pinopsida

Order:Pinales

Family:Pinaceae

Genus:Pinus

Pinus Palustris also known as the longleaf pine is a common pine found in Florida. Everywhere you look you can catch a glimpse of this tall pine. This pine towers to a height of about 98 to 110 feet with a diameter close to 27 inches. The leaves of this longleaf pine are unique long dark green needles which grow in groups of three. These pines are very slow growing and can take up to 150 years before the pine is fully grown. This is the reason why pines are becoming somewhat threatened. These pines are being cut down and new ones are being planted, but the time it takes for a pine to fully mature is making the process difficult. An interesting fact about this tree is during it's seedling phase, the pine does not look like a tree, but a grass. What makes it more interesting is that if a fire were to burn the grass of the seedlings the pine would still grow because it only burns the needles of the pine not the actual bud. In older times the needles of the pine were used to make baskets and roots of these pines after awhile become fat lighter.