North Carolina State Tree

Longleaf Pine Pinaceae Pinus palustris

Leaf

Evergreen, very long and feathery (8 to 18 inches long), with three dark
green needles per fascicle.

Flower

Monoecious; males yellow-red, long, in clusters; females oval, purple.

Fruit

Very large (largest cone in the Eastern U. S. –6 to 10 inches long),
ovoid to conical in shape, sessile. Scales are red-brown in color. The umbo (A blunt or rounded protuberance, as on the ends of the scales of pine cones) is armed with a curved prickle. Maturing September to October.

Very stout, brown, with large obvious, asbestos-white buds.

Bark

Quite scaly, orange-brown to gray, will eventually develop plates.

Form

A medium-sized tree with a straight trunk, coarse branches and tufted
needles at ends of branches.