Pond Pine
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The Pond Pine (Pinus serotina) is a tree found along the Atlantic coastal plain of the eastern United States, from southern New Jersey south to Florida and west to southern Alabama. This pine often has a crooked growth pattern and an irregular top and attains the height of 15-20 m, occasionally up to 30 m.
The needles are in bundles of three, and of length 15-20 cm. The almost round cones are 5-9 cm long with small prickles on the scales. The Pond Pine is found in wet habitats near ponds, bays, and swamps.
This pine is also called the Marsh Pine or Pocosin Pine. The species name is derived from the persistently unopened cones that may remain closed for several years before they release their seeds; the opening is often in response to forest fires.
At the north end of its range, it intergrades and hybridises with Pitch Pine (P. rigida); it is distinguished from that species by the longer needles and on average slightly larger cones. Some botanists treat Pond Pine as a subspecies of Pitch Pine.