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Pinus rigida Mill.

Pitch pine

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionConiferophytaConifers—cone-bearing trees (and a few shrubs)
ClassPinopsidaGymnosperms such as cedars, Douglas-firs, cypresses, firs, junipers, kauri, larches, pines, hemlocks, redwoods, spruces, and yews
OrderPinalesCone-bearing plants: cedar, cypress, fir, juniper, larch, pine, redwood, spruce, yew, and others
FamilyPinaceaePine family: cedars, firs, hemlocks, larches, pines and spruces
GenusPinusLatin for “pine”
SpeciesrigidaFrom Latin rigida, for the stiff needles

About plant names...

Pitch pine is native to eastern North America.

Identification: These trees are often relatively small and oddly shaped, about 40-60′ (12-18 m), but they can reach 100′ (30 m). Bark is dark and scaly when the plant is young, becoming scaly, peelable plates that are light brown or red brown in mature trees. Needles are 2½-5″ (6.3-12 cm) long, in groups of 3, yellow-green or green, twisted. Tufts of needles may occur on the trunk, but I have never seen anything like the heavily needled branches of the tree in four of the photos at right.

For further information, see the Pinus comparison tables.

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

From Britton, Nathaniel Lord, and Brown, Addison, An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions, 1913. Scanned for the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.

Online References:

Www.carolinanature.com

The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database

Wikipedia

Plantdatabase.uconn.edu

References:

Sibley, David Allen, The Sibley Guide to Trees, Alfred A. Knopf, 2009, p. 24

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

7/2/2010 · Stansbury Mill Rd, Phoenix, Mary­land · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 15 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

5/29/2014 · Bemis Rd., Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 10 × 15″ (25 × 37 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

8/24/2023 · Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

4/15/2021 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

7/27/2016 · Michaux State Forest, Caledonia State Park, Fayetteville, Penn­syl­vania · ≈ 6 × 10″ (16 × 24 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

9/14/2023 · Nature Conservancy Access Trail, Sprague Pond, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

3 needles · 10/25/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Nashua, New Hamp­shire

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

9/19/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm) ID is uncertain

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

3/9/2012 · Groton Place and Sabine Woods, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

9/17/2023 · Sprague Pond Preserve, Basin Preserve, Phippsburg, Maine

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

6/20/2010 · Blue Hill Reservation, Milford, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

5/26/2016 · Pearl Hill State Park, Ashby, Mass­a­chu­setts

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

Baby cones. · 9/16/2016 · Cadillac Mountain South Ridge Tr, Bar Harbor, Maine

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

7/2/2010 · Stansbury Mill Rd, Phoenix, Mary­land · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

4/15/2021 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

9/19/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine ID is uncertain

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

9/18/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine ID is uncertain

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

2/18/2012 · Pearl Hill State Park, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

3/9/2012 · Groton Place and Sabine Woods, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (14 × 22 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

Baby cones. · 9/16/2016 · Cadillac Mountain South Ridge Tr, Bar Harbor, Maine

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

9/17/2023 · Sprague Pond Preserve, Basin Preserve, Phippsburg, Maine

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

7/27/2016 · Michaux State Forest, Caledonia State Park, Fayetteville, Penn­syl­vania · ≈ 15 × 10″ (39 × 26 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

5/29/2014 · Bemis Rd., Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (16 × 23 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

6/20/2010 · Blue Hill Reservation, Milford, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)

 

Pinus rigida description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 20 Sep 2023.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.


 

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

9/19/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 1 × 2′ (41 × 62 cm) ID is uncertain

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

8/24/2023 · Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

9/8/2020 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

9/8/2020 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 6 × 4″ (14 × 10 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

4/30/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

9/16/2016 · Cadillac Mountain South Ridge Trail, Bar Harbor, Maine

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

I have never seen a tree like this one. · 9/24/2009 · Pearl Hill State Park, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts ID is uncertain

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

9/8/2020 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

9/18/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine ID is uncertain

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

4/30/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 14 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

4/24/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

Baby cones. · 9/16/2016 · Cadillac Mountain South Ridge Tr, Bar Harbor, Maine

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

8/6/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

7/2/2010 · Stansbury Mill Rd, Phoenix, Mary­land · ≈ 14 × 9″ (35 × 23 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

I have never seen a tree like this one. · 9/24/2009 · Pearl Hill State Park, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts ID is uncertain

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

7/27/2016 · Michaux State Forest, Caledonia State Park, Fayetteville, Penn­syl­vania · ≈ 8 × 12″ (20 × 31 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

9/16/2016 · Cadillac Mountain South Ridge Trail, Bar Harbor, Maine

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

7/27/2016 · Michaux State Forest, Caledonia State Park, Fayetteville, Penn­syl­vania · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

9/19/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 14 cm) ID is uncertain

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

7/27/2016 · Michaux State Forest, Caledonia State Park, Fayetteville, Penn­syl­vania · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (52 × 34 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

11/5/2009 · Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

9/8/2020 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

2/18/2012 · Pearl Hill State Park, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

4/24/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

9/19/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm) ID is uncertain

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

8/24/2023 · Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Pinus rigida (pitch pine)

5/26/2016 · Pearl Hill State Park, Ashby, Mass­a­chu­setts

Range: Zones 4-7:

About this map...