Common Name: Loblolly Pine

General Information

Pinus taeda is an evergreen tree with a broadly conic to rounded crown; it can grow up to 46 metres tall. The usually straight, cylindrical bole can be up to 160cm in diameter[].
A valuable timber and pulpwood tree, commercially it is the most important pine of the southern United States, where it makes up over half of the standing pine volume. It is harvested on a large scale from the wild and also from plantations. The tree is often used in forestry outside its native range, especially in Australia, New Zealand, S. Africa, China and Brazil[].
Pinus taeda is a widespread and abundant species that is currently increasing its area of occupancy. 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

Central and south-eastern N. America - Oklahoma, through Kentucky to Delaware, south to Texas and Florida

Habitat

Forming extensice stands on mesic lowlands and swamp borders to dry uplands; at elevations from sea level to 700 metres[, ]. Found on a variety of soil types from low poorly drained areas to well drained soils, but usually on poor upland soils[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	40.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Pinus taeda is native to the warm-temperate, moist climate of southeastern N. America where winters are mild and the summers long and hot. Mean annual precipitation is between 1,000 - 1,500mm[]. The plant is moderately cold-hardy, being able to tolerate temperatures down to around -15°c when fully dormant[]. It grows best in areas with hot summers. In areas with cooler summers (even if the winters are mild), such as the maritime regions of the temperate zone, it often grows poorly, failing to properly ripen its wood and suffering frost damage over the winter[, ].
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[, ]. Dislikes poorly drained moorland soils[]. Established plants tolerate drought[].
A fast growing tree[], it is often cultivated for timber in the USA and also on a small scale in Europe[].
This species does not grow well in Britain[]. The trees are fully hardy in this country except when they are young[]. Rarely found in Britain, the few trees that have been planted are all found in southern England and are all growing well[]. It is proving to be a fairly vigorous tree here, averaging 30cm annual increase in height for at least the first 50 years[].
Trees can produce cones when only 10 years old, though 30 - 40 years is more usual[]. Good crops are produced most years in the wild[].
The narrowly ovoid seed cones are 5- 15cm long, taking two growing seasons to reach maturity[]; They open and shed their seed whilst still attached to the tree and usually persist on the tree for a further year[, ].
Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly[]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

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

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 red-brown seeds are 5 - 6mm long[].

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[].

Agroforestry Uses:

This species can form pure stands resulting from pioneer invasions after forest disturbance or onto abandoned fields[]. It can be used as a pioneer species for restoring native woodlands[].
It is planted in shelterbelts in order to provide protection from the wind and is also planted to stabilize soils[].
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[].

The leaf litter is used to make a mulch[].

An extract of the bark is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a tonic[].

This tree is a source of resin but it is not exploited commercially[]. The flow of resin checks too quickly and labour costs are too high[]. 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 wood is weak, brittle, coarse grained, resinous, not durable[, , , ]. The wood weighs 34lb per cubic foot[]. Used for lumber, cooperage, crates, the interior of buildings, pulp etc[, , , ]. Its sawn wood properties are not of sufficient quality to be used in high grade construction and manufacture, and its fast growth and great volume is consequently put mainly to the wood pulp industry for paper and other long-fibre products[].

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[].