pitch pine Pinaceae Pinus rigida

Leaf:Evergreen needles, 2 1/2 to 5 inches long, with three twisted needles per fascicle, yellow-green to green.
Flower:Species is monoecious; males cylindrical, red to yellow, in large clusters at twig tips; females yellow to red, with small, curved scales.
Fruit:Cones are ovoid, 2 to 4 inches long, light brown in color; umbo is armed with a short, stout prickle; cones are often persistent for many years; maturing in fall.
Twig:Orange-brown and moderately stout; buds narrowly ovoid, light gray-brown.
Bark:Dark and scaly when young, developing red-brown or yellow-brown thick flat plates with deep furrows; sprouts of needles may be present.
Form:Extremely variable; short and poorly formed on poor sites, but can be a straight, medium sized tree reaching 80 feet tall on better sites; epicormic sprouting is common.

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