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If you have traveled almost any road in East Texas, you have most likely seen the amazing Pine Trees. My favorite of the pine trees is the shortleaf pine or Pinus echinata. Although East Texas is known as the home of the Pinus echinata; the shortleaf is actually “native to Missouri where it mostly occurs in dry, sandy or rocky upland areas in the Ozark region.”(Lawson) The shortleaf pine has a high significance to the southeastern region of the United States.
Pinus echinata is known for its role in the commercial industry. It is considered to be “one of the four most important commercial conifers in the southeastern United States.”(Lawson) Tree farmers value the Pinus echinata for its timber and pulpwood. The shortleaf pine is important to the carpentry industry as well, since its lumber is known for being “used for lumber, plywood, other structural materials, and pulpwood. Even the taproots are used for pulpwood.”(Lawson) The Pinus echinata is not only important to humans, wildlife benefits from these trees as well.
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Small mammals and birds use the seeds as a food resources. Some species even use the Pinus echinata as a nesting place. The shortleaf pine tree also helps to prevent erosion of sandy soils.
“Shortleaf pine is a medium to large tree reaching 80 to 100 feet tall and 2–3 feet in diameter in a lifespan of 200 years.” (Pickens) Although the shortleaf pine is beneficial to both humans, wildlife, and nature, its growing season is considerably slow compared to the other pines.
“Male and female strobili emerge from late March in the southwestern part of its range to late April in the northeastern sections. Open grown trees may produce strobili 2 weeks earlier.” (Lawson) Late October to early November is when the shortleaf pine drops the seeds. “As the cones dry, the bracts open, allowing the winged seeds to fall out.”(Lawson) The Pinus echinata root system starts slowly. Generally the first two years is when all the root growth takes place. The shortleaf pine grows a taproot. This allows the tree to grow in unsatisfactory locations. If the terrain is too rocky, a taproot will not form. Most seeds do not get to germination due to the birds and mammals eating them. “Shortleaf pine seeds that lie on the ground during the winter are naturally stratified and epigeous germination takes place in early spring. Once fertilization has occurred, the cone of the Pinus echinata grows at a fast rate. ”(Lawson).
Fun Fact: generally a Pinus echinata will not bear seed before year 20 of growth. Once a shortleaf pine reaches at least thirty centimeters in diameter, then they will produce an abundance of seeds. If the day is windy enough, you can see a yellow like cloud due to all the pollen spreading from the cones. You can direct sow a Pinus echinata and have good results. To grow your shortleaf pine by propagation, you need to collect the pine cones before they release the seeds. Once you collect the seeds out of the cones, “Place the seeds in a container with room temperature water for two days. Add the seeds to a bag with peat moss or sand and keep moist. Keep the bag in your refrigerator for 60 to 90 days.” (Miksen, 2007)The shortleaf pine tree is known for its ability to grow in different terrains.
Sandy, acid soils are best for the growth of a shortleaf pine tree, but they can adapt to rough rocky terrains as well. “Shortleaf pine grows in a fairly humid region but is the least exacting of the southern pines as to temperature and moisture.” (Lawson) Pinus echinata like full sunlight exposure. “A key components of a good medium for pine trees are water holding capacity, porosity and weight.” Pine trees prefer a neutral pH level in their soil. They are drought tolerable, therefore they do not need to be drenched with water. “While shortleaf pine will respond to fertilization on many sites, it will not respond as dramatically as loblolly or slash pine, and will not reach similar early growth rates.”(Pickens).
There are certain steps to follow to ensure a higher success rate. Shortleaf pines do not grow to full potential when having to compete. They need good drainage and a clay like soil. Growing site is a huge factor in growing a Pinus echinata successfully. Take time to prepare the site where the pine will be growing. Keep in mind that the pine grows at a slow rate the first 2-3 years of its life. Fun fact: A Pinus echinata that is hand planted will have a higher success rate than one that is bareroot. Last, but not least, “Choose an experienced tree planter. Shortleaf is sensitive to improper handling, long storage and poor planting.” (North Carolina Division of Forest Resources, 2009).
The Pinus echinata is known for a disease called littleleaf disease. “Littleleaf disease probably has been present for many years in Northwestern Alabama, although two reports in 1931 and 1935 constitute the first recorded observations of the new disease of pines.” (Campbell, 1954) Little leaf disease is potentially deadly to a shortleaf pine tree. The cure for little leaf disease is not a quick and simple task either. When detecting little leaf disease you will find that, “The affected tree has a stunted growth and dies within 6 years.” (Misra, 2017) The little leaf disease is associated with a fungi called Phytophthora cinnamomi.
This fungi is present in the soils where to Pinus echinata is planted. It attacks the tree through openings or wounds. If a tree is found to be infected, it should be removed in the process of thinning. A way to help prevent this disease is to avoid any damage possibly done by farm equipment. Little leaf and fungi are not the only threat to Pinus echinata. Bark beetles, which are common in all conifer plants, can attack the tree as well. The fungi and beetles feed off each other. “Beetle species may benefit from the association with fungi by feeding on the fungi, or by the fungi contributing to the death of the host trees.” (Harrington, Paine, Raffa, 1997).
Since the Shortleaf Pine tree is one of the top trees, harvesting plays a big role in the industry. Pinus echinata is a major timber provider. Controlled burns and harvesting actually promote the Pinus echinata. Shortleaf pine trees are harvested mainly for building materials. Your plywood and a good amount of lumber comes from the shortleaf pine tree. One method of harvesting is mixing the pines. When the pines are mixed together, it helps promote the sale. Besides the basics of materials to build and lumber, the Shortleaf pine is harvested for its turpentine oils. These oils can be distilled and used in medications for humans.
Pinus echinata or Shortleaf pines thrive in East Texas. If a person were to look into planting one, or planting an entire tree farm of shortleaf pines, the trees will flourish. East Texas has the ideal characteristics for a shortleaf pine tree. The climate is disable, the soil is correct, etc. As you can see just driving down the road, pine trees rule East Texas. As stated before, when mixing the pine trees in growing, they benefit. With the number of “wild” pine trees around, planting a farm of Pinus echinata or shortleaf pine trees would be ideal. The market for the shortleaf is high. It would be a smart investment for any farmer who is looking to make a profit from their crop. Although it will be a rather slow investment considering they do not release seed until year 20, management, is low.
Short Interesting Information About Pine Trees Of East Texas. (2024, Feb 19). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/short-interesting-information-about-pine-trees-of-east-texas-essay
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