Pinus Palustris – The Long Needle Pine thrives in Central Florida’s acidic, sandy soil. The trees are very fast growing, once they get started. When they first germinate they resemble a cartoon character with a stiff, bushy tuft of needles covering its eyes. The tuft grows straight up until about 8 ft, then starts to spread a canopy, branching gracefully in all directions. Full grown long needle pines are straight as an arrow and can grow upwards of 60 ft high.

Long needle pines grow quickly, once they establish their deep tap roots.    Planting three together will give lovely shade in a short time.   We plant acid loving blueberries in the shade of our pines.  The long needles make a great natural looking canopy floor and mulch for forest paths and other areas of the farm.

There are several long needle pines on our farm, although there were more before the previous owner had them bulldozed.  Only 5% of the original long needle pine acreage remains from Texas across the southern States and down into  Florida, due to land development and mismanagement of forests.

This stately beauty sits solitary in our front garden.  The wind must have caught it just right.  When we came out one morning a huge branch had snapped and was hanging by the bark, a fascinating attraction for an adventurous grandson who wanted to see how far that pendulum would swing.   The branch came down easily and the tree looks none the worse for wear.

Happy Homesteading,

T.