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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Pinus pungens (Table mountain pine)
Cressler, Alan

Pinus pungens

Pinus pungens Lamb.

Table Mountain Pine, Hickory Pine, Prickly Pine

Pinaceae (Pine Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: pipu5

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

A 20-40 ft. pine, the bold branching pattern resembling a giant bonsai. Short, dark-green needles are in bundles of 2-3. Large cones remain on the limbs for several years. Tree with rounded or irregular crown of stout, horizontal branches and abundant spiny cones in clusters along branches.

Easily seen at Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks, this tree of mountain ridges is the only pine restricted to the Appalachian Mountains. Called "Hickory Pine" because of the very tough hickorylike branches.

 

From the Image Gallery

1 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Leaf Arrangement: Fascicled
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Shape: Linear
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Monoecious
Fruit Type: Cone
Size Notes: Up to about 40 feet tall.
Leaf: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Apr

Distribution

USA: DC , DE , GA , MD , NC , NJ , PA , SC , TN , VA , WV
Native Distribution: Mts. from PA, to n.e. GA; also local in NJ
Native Habitat: Dry, rocky mountain slopes & ridges

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Soil Description: Dry, rocky soil.
Conditions Comments: Extremely drought-tolerant. Slow-growing.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Web Reference

Webref 3 - Flora of North America (2014) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Pinus pungens in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Pinus pungens in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Pinus pungens

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-09-23
Research By: TWC Staff

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