Types of Pine Trees with identification Guide, Chart and Pictures

Northern Hemisphere is the native of Pine Trees. It is evergreen coniferous trees. Pine Trees are the family of Pinaceae and the genus Pinus. 126 species of pine trees are living in the world. They are called resinous trees, related to other types of conifers such as fir trees, cedars, and pictures. There are more types of Pine trees available in the world.

Varies types of pine trees grow in many environments; it has cold regions in North America, rain forests, and hot sandy deserts. It is a vital source of wood. Pinewood is a kind of softwood. Pinewoods are used to make furniture, flooring, construction frames, and timber. It is also important source to make paper.

In this article, we will learn about the many kinds of pine trees.

Pine

The most important feature of pine is their needles grow in clusters of 2, 3 or 5. The clusters are called as fascicle. Pines have subgroups, they include Scotch Pine, jack pine, black pine, and red pine. Pitch pine trees have 3 needles per fascicle.

Softpine trees are called white pine trees. The soft pines have a fascicle. The cones of pines have few scales. All pines are intolerant or mid tolerant. Pines require moderate to high level sunlight to survive.

Pine Tree Identification

These types of pine trees are identified by their needle like leaves, seed bearing cones, and reddish-brown or gray bark. Egg shaped cones and hang down from branches are useful for identifying the pine trees. Pine trees have large woody cones with long and straight. Pine trees are growing straight upward from the branches.

Pine Tree Needles

Their needles are growing in bundles of 2, 3 or 5 needles. Each bundle is known as fascicle. The length pine tree needles are varying widely. Pine tree needles has 45cm long. Foxtail pine needles has 2.5cm long.

Types of Pine Trees

More common types of pine trees species are available in the world.

Eastern White Pine Tree

It is one of the important pine species in North America. They are fast-growing trees and one of the tallest species of pines. Their needles are growing in small clusters and it has a bluish-green appearance. They are growing in containers and are a popular type of Christmas tree.

Eastern White Pine Tree Identification

They are a tall species and grow up to 230 ft. This white pine has pine leaves made up of clusters of 5 pine needles.

Sugar Pine Tree

It is always known as sugar cone pine. It is one of the tallest pine species in the world. It gets a common name from the sweet resin. The pine needles are light green color and it has white lines.

Sugar Pine Tree Identification

The average size of the sugar pine tree is between 130 and 195 ft. The needles are growing up to 14cm long. Their cones are growing up to 50cm long.

Red Pine Tree

They are characterized by a tall straight trunk, conical shape, and egg-shaped cones. It got a name from the red-orange bark. The red pine tree is growing on the upper part of the tree. Their pine needles are long and brittle and snap easily.

Red Pine Tree Identification

It is a medium-sized pine tree. The size is between 66 and 115 ft. The needles are identified by leaves are grow in clusters. They are yellow-green in color.

Gray Pine Tree

It is growing in warm climates. It has to drop the gray cooled needles. Gray pine trees are also called foothill pine or digger pine. It can grow up to 35cm and weight is 1.5 lb.

Gray Pine Tree Identification

It has a height of 14m with some older species. There are 3 needles per cluster are available in the Gray Pine tree.

Pitch Pine Tree

It has an irregular shape and twisted branches. Its name comes from the sticky resin. They are growing in difficult environments. They are used for pulp or constructing pallets. It has uneven growing patterns.

Pitch Pine Tree Identification

They are small to medium-sized trees. The height is between 20 and 98 ft. Needles are growing in bundles of three. Their cones are long, oval, and quickly grow up to 7 cm.

Scots (Scotch) Pine Tree

They are stunning conifers that have thick scaly brown bark, bluish-green needles. It has small red to tan cones. It gives the medium-sized pine 2 flat masses of foliage. The trees are popular Christmas trees. They are also growing for their ornamental value in landscaped gardens.

Scots (Scotch) Pine Tree Identification

They are growing up to around 114 ft. Some varieties of Scots pine trees are reaching 148 ft. The pine trees are identified by short needles that grow in bundles of 2.

Jack Pine Tree

They are like pitch pines. It has an irregular shape, dark green needle foliage. It grows in poor soil conditions. Jackpine trees are yellowish prickly cones. The cones are only opening in heat.

Jack Pine Tree Identification

They are small evergreen pines, then not growing more than a shrub. The size of Jack Pine Tree is between 30 to 72 ft. The yellowish-green needles are 4 cm long.

Longleaf Pine

Longleaf evergreen pine trees have long dark green needles. It is important for the timber and pulp industry. They are classed together with shortleaf pine trees. Both types of trees are yellow pines. Longleaf pine trees are tall pine trees. The trees eventually reach about 100 ft. Cones have 15 to 25 cm long and are reddish-brown.

Longleaf Pine Tree Identification

The size of the Longleaf tree is between 100 to 115 ft. The Longleaf pine trees are identified by their tall slender trunks and large hard cones. The leaves grow between 20 to 45 cm.

Shortleaf Pine

It is one type of yellow pine tree like the longleaf pine tree. Southern pine is important for the timber industry. They are different from longleaf pine trees by their needles, bark, and cones. It has tiny cones compared to longleaf pine trees. The small reddish-brown cones only measure up to 5 cm long. It has a rectangular shape.

Shortleaf Pine Tree Identification

Shortleaf pine tree is growing between 65 to 100 ft.

Bristlecone Pine Trees

It is a small pine tree with grayish-brown bark, short needle-covered branches, and yellow-tan cones. They are versatile trees that grow in a range of climates. They are also growing in the cold Rocky Mountains and hot Arizona desert. The needle color is dark green. The cones are a deep purple color.

Bristlecone Pine Tree Identification

Bristlecone trees grow to between 8 and 20 ft. Leaves and needles have 4 cm long and they have a bluish-green color.

Loblolly Pine Tree

They are southern yellow pine trees. It is the most common tree in the U.S. Loblolly pine is the lower classification of Pinus australis. It grows up to 115 ft of their trunks. They are common in the southeastern regions. They are adaptable in swampy, acidic soil. Loblolly pine is prized for its high-quality softwood timber.

Loblolly Pine Tree Identification

The pine grows to between 100 and 110 ft. It has wide trunks 5 ft. The needles have dark green, and it has 20 cm long. Needles are growing in bundles of three.

Slash Pine Tree

It is a fast-growing pine tree. Long slender needles, glossy red-colored cones, and orange bark are characteristics of the Slash pine tree. It is also classified along with the yellow pines. It is an important tree in the timber industry. They are common in the southern states of the U.S.

Slash Pine Tree Identification

The size of the slash tree is between 60 and 100 ft. 2 or 3 needles are growing in clusters.

Virginia Pine Tree

It is a medium-sized species. It has short pine needles and large seed cones. The needles of Virginia trees are not soft and are quite sharp to touch. They are popular Christmas Trees. They have a rough texture.

Virginia Pine Tree Identification

The size of the Virginia pine tree is between 18 and 60 ft. The needles have just 2 to 8 cm in length, 2 needles are growing in one cluster.

Lodgepole Pine

It can grow as a short evergreen shrub or tall slender pine tree. The largest pine trees are growing in the U.S. They are generally growing in cold mountainous areas. They are identified by their conical shape. It has dark green foliage and bright yellowish-green in the wintertime. They are glossy and dark green. 5 needles are growing in one cluster. Cones are approximately 3 to 7 cm long.

Lodgepole Pine Tree Identification

The narrow pines grow to between 130 to 160 ft high. They are characterized by short shoots and pointed needles. The needles are 4 to 8 cm long.

Ponderosa Pine Tree

It is a unique orange-red bark and black markings. Ponderosa pine species is prized in the timber industry. It is also known as western yellow pine or blackjack pine. They have long slender needles. Cones have 5 to 10 cm long.

Ponderosa Pine Tree Identification

It is classified as a big tree species and it grows up to 235 ft. Their flexible grow to around 20 cm. 3 needles is growing in one cluster.

Coulter Pine Tree

It is the large species tree. It has large spiny tan colored cones, long gray green pine needles and reddish-brown bark. It was named as big cone pine tree. This pine tree produces heaviest cones. The weight of cones between 2 to 5 kg. Its wood is a poor quality of lumber.

Coulter Pine Tree Identification

They grow to between 33 and 79 ft tall. The color of needles is a dull dark green color and are 15 to 30 cm long.

Monterey Pine Tree

It has tall stature, bright green needles, and egg-shaped cones. They are pointed by upward pointing branches. Here three needles grow in one cluster. They are a medium-dense types of softwood conifer. It is also an important pine tree in the timber industry. Their pine woods products have high quality. The products are flooring, fence posts, and indoor wooden structures.

Monterey Pine Tree Identification

Monterey pines are growing up to 200 ft. They are identified by needles that are 8 to 15 cm long. The cones are always 8 to 15 cm long.

Two Needle Pinyon Pine Tree

It is also called Colorado pinyon. This pine tree grows in hot or cold unforgiving climates. Their woods are extremely strong then it is classified as softwood. Needles are brownish in color. Its smaller varieties are also selling as Christmas trees.

Two Needle Pinyon Pine Tree Identification

The size of the Two-needle pinyon pine tree is in between 33 and 66 ft. It grows as small shrubs. They are oval-shaped pine trees. Needles are growing in pair of clusters and it has 5 cm long.

White bark Pine Tree

It grows at the highest elevations on mountains.  This pine is a whitish color. They are classed in the group of white pines. Their needles are growing in 5 clusters and the cones are 7 cm long. It has a native North America. White bark Pine species are endangered pine species.

White bark Pine Tree Identification

The size is in between 95 and 100 ft. The needles have dark green color, the size is 4 to 7 cm.

Aleppo Pine

It is sometimes called as Jeruselum pine. It is a valuable landscape tree in hot climates. It has a native of southern California. Their needles have a light yellowish green. Aleppo pine tree has conical open crowned shape. It has a best property. Aleppo pine trees have three needles per bundle. The native area of the Aleppo pine is Mediterranean region. Pines have 8 to 10 growing zones.

The height of the Aleppo pine is 30 to 60 feet. Aleppo is growing in Full sun exposure.

Austrian Pine

Austrian pines have a pyramidal shape. It is also called as European black pine. It is used as specimen tree in the landscape. They are comfortable for pest and disease problems. Austrian pines have two densely tufted needles per bundle.

Southern Europe, Northern Africa, Cyprus, Turkey. It has 5 to 8 growing zones. The height of Austrian tree is 40 to 100 feet. It grows in full sun exposure.

Canary Island Pine

Canary pine is a very sturdy, durable tree that adaptable most soil types. It is valuable for common landscape tree, and aromatic lumber. It has three needles per bundle. The native area of Canary Island Pine is Canary Island. It has 9 to 11 growing zones. The height of this pine is 50 to 80 feet. It grows in Full sun exposure.

Chir Pine Tree

It is an important forestry tree in Asia. It has a native of Himalayas. Chir pine is planted in far south for use in construction and furniture making. It is known as the imodi pine. It has three needles per bundle. It has a native area of Himalayan regions of Asia, Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal. They have 9 to 11 growing zones. It has 60 to 180 feet. It was planted in full sun exposure.

Foxtail Pine Tree

It is a rare pine tree commonly found at the Sierra Mountains. Foxtail pines are never grown as landscape tree. It has five needles per bundle. The native area of Foxtail pine is California. They are growing in 5 to 8 zones. The height of the foxtail pine tree is 20 to 50 feet. Its plants in full sun exposure.

Italian Stone Pine

It is known as umbrella-shaped pine tree. These pines have very attractive form. It is available in Mediterranean regions. They are planted foe food crop. It has two needles per bundle. The native area of Italian stone pine is Southern Europe, Lebanon Turkey. It has 9 to 10 growing zones. It is 30 to 60 feet tall. It is adaptable for full sun exposure.

Japanese Black Pine

It is a conical-shaped pine tree. It was simply called black pine. It is used in bonsai craft. It has native of Atlantic coast states. It has two needles per bundle. The native area of the Japanese pine tree is Japan, South Korea. They have 5 to 8 growing zones. The height of the Japanese black pine is 20 to 50 feet.

Japanese Whine Pine

It is a medium-sized tree. They have attractive branch patterns.  They are liked by bonsai enthusiasts. It has five needles per bundle. The characteristics are the same as the Japanese black pine trees. The height of the Japanese white pine is 25 to 50 feet.