Common Name: Shortleaf Pine

General Information

Pinus echinata is an evergreen tree with a rounded to conic crown; it can grow up to 40 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be 120cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials. It is highly valued as a commercial source of timber, being harvested from the wild and also grown in plantations[]..
Pinus echinata is abundant within its wide range and is actually spreading into abandoned farmland. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

The wood, sawdust and resins from various species of pine can cause dermatitis in sensitive people[].

Botanical References

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Range

Eastern N. America - southern Missouri to Ohio and New York, south to eastern Texas and northern Florida

Habitat

Uplands, dry forests; at elevations from 200 - 610metres[]. Old fields and woods in dry or sandy soils[, , ]. The best specimens are found on fine sandy loam or silt loam soils[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	35.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Pinus echinata is a moderaely cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -20°c when fully dormant[]. It is primarily limited by climatic factors, such as the 10°c average annual temperature isoline at its northern limit and an average annual precipitation above 1,000 mm distributed more or less evenly over a year as its southern limit[].
Pine species in general require a sunny position if they are to grow well and, whilst the different species have their own soil preferences, most will thrive in a light well-drained sandy or gravelly loam[, ]. This species grows in the wild on a great variety of soils, but most have a capacity for moisture retention with a sandy loam or silty loam texture and good drainage[]. Dislikes poorly drained moorland soils[]. Established plants tolerate drought[].
This species is fairly fast-growing in its native habitat, where it reaches seed-bearing age in 20 - 25 years[].
The seed takes two summers to mature[], the cones are 4 - 6cm long, opening and shedding their seed whilst still attached to the tree[, ].
Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly[]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[].
This species is often afflicted by root rot[].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

The seeds of all Pinus species are more or less edible, and some are of good size and make very tasty and nutritious foods, often eaten in quantitiy. Others can be less desireable, either having a strongly resinous flavour, being bitter or, more commonly, rather too small and fiddly to make it very worthwhle even trying to eat them,
We have no specific information of the desireability of this species, though they are rather small (the size given includes the shell)[].
The grey to nearly black seeds are around 6mm long[].

A vanillin flavouring is obtained as a by-product of other resins that are released from the pulpwood[].

Medicinal

Oil of turpentine, obtained from the oleo-resin of all pine trees, is antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, diuretic, rubefacient, stimulant and vermifuge[, ]. It is a valuable remedy used internally in the treatment of kidney and bladder complaints and is used both internally and as a rub and steam bath in the treatment of rheumatic affections[]. It is also very beneficial to the respiratory system and so is useful in treating diseases of the mucous membranes and respiratory complaints such as coughs, colds, influenza and TB[].
Applied externally in the form of liniment plasters, poultices, herbal steam baths and inhalers, it is a very beneficial treatment for a variety of skin complaints, wounds, sores, burns, boils etc[].

A tea made from the pitch in the trunk is laxative[]. It is used in the treatment of kidney ailments and TB[].

A tea made from the inner bark is emetic[].

A cold tea made from the buds of the plant is vermifuge[, ].

Agroforestry Uses:

The needles contain a substance called terpene, this is released when rain washes over the needles and it has a negative effect on the germination of some plants, including wheat[].

Other Uses

A tan or green dye is obtained from the needles[].

Oleo-resins are present in the tissues of all species of pines, but these are often not present in sufficient quantity to make their extraction economically worthwhile[]. The resins are obtained by tapping the trunk, or by destructive distillation of the wood[, ]. In general, trees from warmer areas of distribution give the higher yields[].
Oil of Turpentine consists of an average of 20% of the oleo-resin[] and is separated by distillation[, ]. Turpentine has a wide range of uses including as a solvent for waxes etc, for thinning and dissolving varnish and paints, a shoe polish, medicinal etc[, ].
Rosin is also obtained by distillation of pine resin. This is used in paper glue and soap manufacturing, as a constituent of varnishes and paints, and for coating the bows of stringed musical instruments such as violins[, ].
Pitch can also be obtained from the resin and is used for waterproofing, as a wood preservative etc[].

The heartwood is orange or yellowish brown; the sapwood a creamy yellow[]. The wood is very variable in quality, it is usually coarse grained, hard, strong and heavy[, , , ]. It weighs 38lb per cubic foot[, ]. A valuable timber in its native range because it is less resinous than most pines and is easily worked[, ]. It is used for general construction, interior finish, veneer, low-grade furniture, railway sleepers, lumber and pulp[, , , , ].

Propagation

It is best to sow the seed in individual pots in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe if this is possible otherwise in late winter. A short stratification of 6 weeks at 4°c can improve the germination of stored seed[]. Plant seedlings out into their permanent positions as soon as possible and protect them for their first winter or two[]. Plants have a very sparse root system and the sooner they are planted into their permanent positions the better they will grow[]. Trees should be planted into their permanent positions when they are quite small, between 30 and 90cm[]. We actually plant them out when they are about 5 - 10cm tall. So long as they are given a very good weed-excluding mulch they establish very well[]. Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth for several years. This also badly affects root development and wind resistance[].
Cuttings. This method only works when taken from very young trees less than 10 years old. Use single leaf fascicles with the base of the short shoot. Disbudding the shoots some weeks before taking the cuttings can help. Cuttings are normally slow to grow away[].