Pond pine
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Gymnospermae
Division:	Pinophyta
Class:	Pinopsida
Order:	Pinales
Family:	Pinaceae
Genus:	Pinus
Subgenus:	P. subg.Pinus
Section:	P. sect.Trifoliae
Subsection:	P. subsect.Australes
Species:	P. serotina
Binomial name
Pinus serotina Michx.
Natural range

Pinus serotina, thepond pine,black bark pine, bay pine,marsh pine, orpocosin pine,^[2] is apinetree found along the Southeastern portion of theAtlantic coastal plain of the United States, from southernNew Jersey south toFlorida and west to southernAlabama.^[3] Pond pine distribution may be starting to spread west towardsMississippi andTennessee.^[4][5]

Thispine often has a crooked growth pattern and an irregular top and grows up to 21 metres (69 ft) high,^[6] rarely to 29 metres (95 ft).^[7] The needles are in bundles of three or four, and 15–20 cm (6–8 in) long.Pinusserotina will grow needles and little branches directly from the trunk, similar to thePinusrigida (pitch pine), but the pitch pines will only grow in drier areas. ThePinusserotina is very similar to the commonPinustaeda (loblolly pine), but the key differences are they have direct needle growth from the trunk, are smaller in size, and tend not to grow straight.^[8] The bark of the pond pine forms rough plates. They are a brownish-red color. The pond pines are not as cold hardy as the loblolly and pitch pines. It takes 18 years for the pond pine to reach full maturity.^[9] The almost round cones are 5–8 cm (2–3+1⁄4 in) long with small prickles on the scales. Its cones are usuallyserotinous, requiring fire to open.^[6] Thepollen cones are cylinder-shaped with a yellow, brownish color, and are up to 1.8 inches long.Seed cones need two years to mature afterpollination. In some cases, they will drop their seeds, but in mostPinus serotina, they will persist and hold their seeds. The color of the seed cones and seed scales is red-brown in color. The foliar sheaths measure 0.4 to 0.8 with long bases. The seeds are ovule in shape, being between 0.2 and 0.24 inches (0.51–0.61 cm) in length, and have an angled tip colored a pale brown.^[10] For seeds to be used for regeneration, seed trees that are 23 to 25 centimetres (9.1–9.8 in) in DBH and 30 years old are expected to produce 5,000 seeds.^[11]

Pinus serotina was described in 1803 byAndré Michaux.^[12]Pinus is a large genus of evergreen conifer trees.^[13] The species nameserotina is derived from the persistently serotinous cones that may remain closed for several years before they release their seeds. Historically this species has been viewed as a subspecies ofPinus taeda.^[14] SimilarlyPinus serotina has also been considered a subspecies ofPinus rigida (Pinus rigida subsp.serotina (1880)).^[4][15]

Pinus serotina is primarily found in wet and poorly drained sites, most commonly in or near swamps, ponds, bays, marshes, andpocosins.^[16][17] This species is often associated with long-leaf pine,Pinus palustris, due to similar requirements for frequent fire. Pond pines need fire to germinate.^[18]Pinus serotina is commonly found in wet and poorly drained sites, but it will grow very well in mineral soils.^[7][19] Pond pines are very useful in preventingerosion and improving water quality.^[9]Pinus serotina thrives inflatwoods, flatwoods bogs, savannas, and barrens.^[20] At the north end of its range, pond pine intergrades and hybridizes withpitch pine (P. rigida); it is distinguished from that species by longer needles and on average slightly larger cones. Some botanists treat pond pine as a subspecies of pitch pine.Pinus serotina habitat includes mild and humid climates. The average temperature ranges from 45 to 80 °F (7 to 27 °C). The more extreme temperature ranges recorded forPinus serotina are −10 and 110 °F (−23 and 43 °C). The average annual precipitation in the range ofPinus serotina is between 44 and 55 inches (110 and 140 cm).^[7]

Pinus serotina stands provide habitat and support for many wildlife species, particularly for birds and mammals in wetlands and flatland environments.^[21][22] The pond pine is intolerant of shade.^[21] In order for reproduction to occur,Pinusserotina needs fire in the form of intense scorching or defoliation. The buds are dormant and protected by the tree's thick bark. When parts of the tree are top killed by fire, epicortical buds can resume growth. Fifteen to twenty seed trees are needed per hectare (6 to 8 per acre) for the sufficient seed set after fire. Without the heat from a fire the seed fall is limited by the serotinous cones of pond pine. Pond pine seedling growth is often limited by the moisture in the soil, lack of nutrients, and competition. Under poor growing conditions pond pine seedlings grow can as little as 30 cm (12 inches) or less per year.^[21]

Even though thePinus serotina has poor form and relatively slow growth, it can produce economically valuable tree stands of forpulpwood and saw timber where other trees will not grow.^[21] Tan or green dyes can be obtained from the needles of thePinus serotina. A vanillin flavoring is obtained from the byproducts of the pulpwood's resins.^[23] It is suggested thatPinus serotina might be a valuable remedy to treat the kidney, and can be administered as a rub or in a steam bath.Pinus serotina may be useful in treating diseases of the mucous membrane and respiratory complaints.^[23]

Several species of bark beetles attack southern pines including pond pine, the beetles include theSouthern pine beetle, three species of the Ips engraver beetles, and the black turpentine beetle. These beetle species grind through conducting tissues of their hosts. Phloem damage leads pine needles fading from green, to light green, and death of the tree.^[24] These trees also face the eastern pine weevil and are susceptible to wind damage.^[2]Pinus serotina also faces red heart disease (Phellinus pini), a fungal disease of pines.^[25]

The primary threat to thePinus serotina is habitat loss of wet flatlands, peat-rich soils, sandy wet flatlands, and pocosins.Pinus serotina allows for trees to regenerate by coppicing. Thus disturbances (e.g. fire) are required for this species to persist and recruit.Pinus serotina is listed by theIUCN Red List as a species of least concern (LC) for extinction.^[1]

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  Pond pine cones are smaller and rounder thanloblolly pine cones.
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  Unlike loblolly pines, pond pines have the ability to grow needles directly from the trunk.^[26]

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• IUCN Red List least concern species
• Pinus
• Least concern flora of the United States
• Trees of Northern America

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