Shortleaf pine

Similar to the loblolly pine, the shortleaf pine is easily distinguished by having only two needles per bundle and smaller pine cones on a short stock. Its slower growth as a young tree makes it less likely to be grown on tree plantations, but is harvested in old growth forests.

Like other yellow pines, the shortleaf pine grows across the southeastern United States. The red-cockaded woodpecker often bores holes in living shortleaf pines, feeding on insects in the bark and laying eggs in the cavities, which can also become home to other small birds and mammals. The seeds of shortleaf pines are also eaten by squirrels and other small birds. As the name suggests, the shortleaf pine has shorter needles in bundles of two, compared to the loblolly pine's longer bundles of three. The shortleaf also has smaller cones, usually less than half the size of a loblolly pine cone.

Branches in Time: Notable and Historic Trees of Old Washington Historic State Park. Little Rock, AR. Arkansas State Parks, 2001.