Pinus rigida P. Miller. Subgenus: Pinus. Section: Trifoliae. Subsection: Australes. clade: Taeda. Pitch Pine, Black Pine. Phen: May; Sep-Oct. Hab: Southward primarily on dry ridges, more or less requiring fire for its reproduction, less commonly in peat soils of mountain bogs (and then often at elevations of 800-1000 m), northward (as in NJ) in acidic sandy and peaty soils near sea level, and also scattered through a variety of forest types. It is abundant near sea level in the Pine Barrens of NJ, but in NC is limited to the mountains and upper Piedmont; it is replaced in Coastal Plain fire-maintained wetland communities by the related Pinus serotina. Dist: S. Canada and s. ME south to n. GA.
ID notes: Typically with a crooked trunk, rounded crown, and often with needles or small branches sprouting epicormically from the main trunk. Pinus rigida has longer needles than other pines within its usual distribution, except Pinus taeda, with which it overlaps in a few areas.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, FNA2, G, Il, K1, K3, K4, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S, S13, Tat, Tn, Va, W, WV, Price (1989); = Pinus rigida Mill. ssp. rigida
Links to other floras: = Pinus rigida - FNA2
Wetland Indicator Status:
Heliophily ⓘ: 7
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