Table mountain pine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Table Mountain pinePinus pungens |
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| Cultivated specimen Morton Arboretum acc. 255-86-3 |
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Pinus
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| Species: |
pungens
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| Natural range | |
The Table Mountain pine, officially called Pinus pungens, is also known by names like hickory pine or prickly pine. This small pine tree grows naturally in the Appalachian Mountains in the United States.
Contents
About the Table Mountain Pine
What It Looks Like
The Table Mountain pine is a medium-sized tree, usually growing between 6 and 12 meters (about 20 to 40 feet) tall. It often has a rounded, uneven shape. Its needles grow in groups of two, or sometimes three. They are yellow-green to medium green and are quite strong. Each needle is about 4 to 7 centimeters (1.5 to 3 inches) long.
The tree's buds are oval to cylinder-shaped and are reddish-brown. They are about 0.6 to 0.9 centimeters long and feel sticky because they have a lot of resin. The cones are oval-shaped and pale pink or yellowish. They are 4 to 9 centimeters (1.5 to 3.5 inches) long and grow very close to the branch, almost without a stalk. Each cone scale has a sharp spine, about 4 to 10 millimeters long. Young trees can even start growing cones when they are only 5 years old!
Where It Grows
Pinus pungens likes dry places. You will often find it on rocky slopes, especially at higher elevations. It grows from about 300 meters (1,000 feet) up to 1,760 meters (5,770 feet) high.
Unlike many other pine trees, the Table Mountain pine usually grows as single trees or in small groups. It does not form large forests. This tree needs special events, like forest fires, to help its seeds grow into new trees. This is because fire helps clear the ground for new seedlings to start.
Reproduction
The pollen from the Table Mountain pine is released early in the season. This happens before other pine trees in the area release their pollen. This early release helps prevent different types of pines from mixing their genes. This means the Table Mountain pine usually stays true to its own kind.
The "Lonesome Pine" Story
The Pinus pungens is famous as the Lonesome Pine from a novel written in 1908. The book is called The Trail of the Lonesome Pine by John Fox, Jr.. This tree became even more well-known because of the Laurel and Hardy film Way out West, which featured a popular song:
- On the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia
- On the Trail of the Lonesome Pine
Because of this famous story, several hiking trails in the Blue Ridge Mountains and other parts of the Appalachians have been marked as "Lonesome Pine" trails. These trails let people explore the areas where these special trees grow.
