Sand Pine is an evergreen coniferous tree that grows in Florida and Alabama on strongly acidic sandy soils of the coast. It is an important part of the Florida scrub ecosystem and provides habitat for wildlife. This tree grows up to 65 ft tall, has dense spreading to ascending branches that are poorly self-pruning and a rounded to irregular crown. Because they grow in areas where hurricanes occur, they are often lean to one side. It is one of the shorter-lived pines, up to 60 years. Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This tree is susceptible to wind damage. More information on Pinus .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Very Dry
Growth rate
Slow
Canopy layer
2 - Understory
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Irregular; Rounded
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf shape
Filiform; Linear
Leaf margin
Serrate
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
2-4 inch yellow-green needles are 2 per fascicle with twisted margins that are finely serrated. The needles last 2-3 years.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Purple/Lavender
Flower detail
No flowers
Fruit size
1-3 inches long
Fruit detail
2-3.5 inch, armed with short stout prickles, reddish-brown to grey-brown oval pollen cone. Seed cones are red-brown.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Dark Gray; Red/Burgundy
Bark detail
Thin reddish brown to grey-brown smooth bark that eventually developing scaly patches. Gray to gray-brown, furrowed, with narrow, flat, irregular ridges, upper part of the trunk is red-brown platy and becoming smooth as it reaches the branches
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Spreading to ascending poor job of self-pruning. Purple to red-brown aging to gray and smooth. Buds are cylindric purple-brown with white fringed scales.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
U.S.A., AL and FL
Distribution
AL, FL
Wildlife value
This plant supports Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Provides cover for wildlife. Seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals.
Attracts
Moths; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Uses (ethnobotany)
It is used for pulp wood, making ship masts and as christmas trees.