Grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24” per year to a height of 50–80’ and a spread of 20–40’ at maturity, although more often they top out at about 30-35′ in our area. Grows in acidic, moist, well-drained and dry soils. Soft, flexible, long, slender, blue-green needles 5” in length grow in bundles of 5. 3–8” cones provide pine seeds for rabbits, red squirrels and many birds, and provide nesting sites for woodpeckers, common grackles, mourning doves, chickadees and nuthatches, to name a few.
NATIVE TO THE EASTERN HALF OF THE U.S.
‘Fastigiata’ is a columnar selection that grows 30-40′ tall with a spread of only 7-10′.