The land of the Longleaf Pine

The Order of the Longleaf Pine is one of the highest honors a citizen of North Carolina can receive, and the highest honor one can receive directly from the governor. This award is granted to distinguished North Carolinians who have a proven record of exemplary service to the state or have accomplished a special achievement worthy of recognition. Famous North Carolinians, from Michael Jordan to Maya Angelou, have received this award, and I’ve been lucky enough to witness many colleagues receive this award at the culmination of their careers as civil servants.

Why the Longleaf Pine? Well, the Pine tree is the state tree of North Carolina, and while no single species of pine is singled out, the Longleaf Pine is one of eight species native to the state, and is specifically referenced in the official state toast of North Carolina. The toast begins “Here’s to the land of the Longleaf Pine,” and one of the benefits of induction into the Order of the Longleaf Pine is that recipients are considered cultural ambassadors of the state and can recite the state toast at any time they may deem appropriate.

Planting a young Longleaf Pine tree in the Children's Garden of the Pitt County Arboretum. The tree was donated by the Susanna Coutanch Evans Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) of Greenville. Photo: Vicki K., Extension Master Gardener, Pitt County Arboretum.

---

The Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) is an evergreen tree species, notable for its exceptionally long needle-length, as much as 6-12” long. This about twice as long as the typical needle of a Loblolly Pine, and about four times as long as Virginia Pine, so among pines native to North Carolina, it clearly stands out. In addition to its long needles, it also produces the largest cones of any pine species native to eastern North America, but when it comes to names, large-cone pine just doesn’t have the same ring to it as Longleaf Pine. 

Longleaf Pine can be difficult to transport, as it develops a long taproot fairly rapidly. Young plants are known for their “grassy” stage, staying fairly short for the first five years of growth, until the stem thickens sufficiently and begins to grow more upright over time. Ultimately, trees will reach 60 feet tall or greater, with a spread of about 30 feet. The large needles are often used as mulch, though the needles and cones can be messy when they drop.  When planted individually in landscapes, the trees produce a sort of filtered shade, but when planted in mass or in close proximity to other trees, create more of a dense shade. As with most pines, they are heavy pollen producers and can cause agitation for allergy sufferers, but they are also valuable trees for supporting a number of native bird and wildlife species. 

Above: The cones of the Longleaf Pine are the largest of any pine in eastern North America. Photo: Seuss, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Right: Longleaf Pine needles measure as much as 6-12 inches long.
Photo: C. Dewitt, CC BY 4.0

Here at the Pitt County Arboretum, we celebrated North Carolina’s Arbor Day with a ceremonial tree planting, and as you may have guessed, we planted a longleaf pine as part of that ceremony. Although National Arbor Day falls on the last Friday of April, North Carolina’s state observance of Arbor Day is typically held on the first Friday after March 15, which this year fell on March 21. We would like to thank our partner organization for this event, the Pitt County chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, for their donation of the tree.

Matthew Stevens is the County Extension Director and Horticulture Agent for North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s Pitt County Center. If you have questions about this article or gardening in general, please contact the Pitt County Extension Master Gardeners at [email protected] or 252-902-1705.