← Bedfellow

Virginia Pine

Pinus virginiana

Also known as: Scrub Pine

Pioneer pine of poor dry sites — eroded slopes, abandoned fields, strip-mine reclamation. Short twisted needles in pairs, persistent prickly cones. Once the dominant Christmas tree of the mid-Atlantic. The small, resinous seed and needle tea are traditional foods, though the seed is fiddly enough to harvest that it's more curiosity than staple.

Family

Pinaceae

Type

tree

Lifespan

perennial

Height

70–70 ft

Spacing

15–30 ft apart

Light

sun

Soil moisture

dry, moist

Soil pH

acidic, neutral

Bloom

April

Bloom colors

yellow, brown

Wildlife value

pollinators, mammals, songbirds, larval host

Caterpillar hosts

~201 butterfly & moth species

Landscape uses

specimen

Native states

AL, DC, DE, GA, IN, KY, MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WV