Pine Tree Species

Pines are the evergreen and resinous trees, that belong to the genus pinus and the family pinaceae. They are gymnosperm and cone bearing trees, for which they are often termed as conifers. Pine trees have great commercial value for their wood. They are one of the most popular trees for landscaping, for their unique and striking foliage system.

Pine Tree Species
The pine tree family includes approximately 115 species of pines. However the opinions of the experts greatly vary in this regard, for which it is generally accepted that around 105 to 125 pine tree species exist throughout the world. Though it is not possible to provide information on all of these species, here is a brief discussion about some of the common pine trees, for easy pine tree identification.

Sugar Pine
Pinus lambertiana is the scientific name of sugar pine, which is the largest species of pine tree. Sugar pine tree generally reaches a height of around 40 to 60 meters with a trunk diameter of 5 to 8 feet. Sugar pines are not only giant trees, they also bear the longest cones, growing to a size of about 11 to 21 inches. This is one of the most distinguishing features of sugar pines. This pine tree is mainly found in the mountains of Oregon and California. The cones of this tree serve an important purpose, by protecting the inhabitants of such areas from harsh winter snows and rain.

White Pine Trees
Ranging from the seedlings to the giant trees, several types of pines belong to the group of white pine trees. Out of them, eastern and western white pine trees are noteworthy. Eastern pine tree is native to eastern North America, and it has the reputation of being the tallest tree in this part of the world, with a height of 50 to 80 feet. This beautiful pine tree with greenish or bluish foliage, is truly ideal for landscaping purposes and is accepted as the official tree of Ontario. Similarly, western pine tree is also a giant tree, that can reach a height of about 90 to 110 feet, with bluish-green foliage. It is native to western United States and Canada. It is related to the eastern white pine tree and is widely grown as an ornamental tree. More information on white pine trees.

Long Leaf Pine
Long leaf pine tree is mainly found in North America and southeast United States. The tree is characterized by dark green, needle-like leaves, that are found in bundles of three. They can grow to a length of 18 inches and has the distinction of being the longest needles among all the pine trees, that usually grow in North America. This tree has a lot of commercial significance for being a source of several resinous products, including turpentine and tar.

Shortleaf Pine
Shortleaf pine tree is also known by the names of shortleaf yellow, southern yellow, oldfield, shortstraw, or Arkansas soft pine. It is widely found in eastern United States and it usually reaches a height of 20 to 30 meter. Its leaves are also needle-shaped, like long leaf pine tree, but occur in bundles of two and three together. Being a source of wood pulp, lumber and plywood veneer, this tree has great significance from the commercial point of view.

Bristlecone Pine
Bristlecone pine or pinus aristata is an evergreen pine tree, with needle-like foliage. It usually reaches an average height of 20 feet and is characterized by irregular shape. It grows quite slowly, but is known for its longevity. The oldest living organism known to the world is a bristlecone pine tree, which is given the name 'Methuselah' and is estimated to be more than 4700 years old. Another distinguishing characteristic of this tree is that its wood is so dense and resinous, that it is resistant to bacteria, fungus and any pest, that can cause several types of pine tree diseases.

Red Pine
Red pine is a tall evergreen pine, that is native to northeastern North America. It can reach a height of 70 feet, with the characteristic red bark. The foliage of this tree is dark green in color and they are soft and needle-shaped. Red pine is the state tree of Minnesota and its wood has great commercial value as timber.

Foxtail Pine
Foxtail pine is a rare species of pine tree, that is found in California. This pine trees is also characterized by needle-like foliage, that occur in bundles of five. The leaves are 2 to 4 cm long and dark green in color, a bit glossy on the outer surface, while the inner surface is white. Another peculiarity of the leaves of foxtail pine tree is that they are sheath less and are clustered together at the end of the branches, which give them the look of a fox's tail. It also give this pine tree its unique name. Foxtail pine usually reaches a height of 10 to 20 meters. Rarely, it can grow to a size of 35 meters.

These are only a few of the pine tree species that are found throughout the world. Bull pine, Cuban pine, Mexican weeping pine, Jack pine, Austrian or black pine, sequoias, tamarack, red spruce, white spruce, Sitca spruce, red cedar, etc. are some other common pine tree types. Almost 35 pine tree species are found throughout North America. These pine trees have immense commercial importance and they are widely used for forestry and landscaping.