Plant
Virginia Pine
Pinus virginianaAlso known as Scrub Pine, Jersey Pine, Possum Pine
Virginia pines are tenacious pioneer conifers that quickly colonize abandoned agricultural fields, dry ridgetops, and cut-over woodlands across eastern North America. Their short, twisted needles grow in pairs, and persistent, spiny-scaled cones often cling to branches for years after releasing their winged seeds. These scrubby evergreens stabilize eroded soils and provide crucial winter thermal cover for songbirds, small mammals, and white-tailed deer.
ConiferEvergreenPioneer Species
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preySunlight, Soil moisture, Atmospheric carbon dioxide
Predators
- Southern pine beetle
- Red-headed pine sawfly
- White-tailed deer
ThreatsSouthern pine beetle infestations, fire suppression, and ecological succession
HabitatsDry uplands, old fields, barrens, and degraded soils
Life span65–90 years
Classification
- OrderPinales
- FamilyPinaceae
- GenusPinus
- SpeciesPinus virginiana
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Needle Count: Check the bundles to find short, twisted needles bundled strictly in pairs.
- Cone Check: Look for sharp, prickle-tipped scales on persistent cones that stay on limbs.
Parasite (c) Erich G. Vallery, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Michael Ellis, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Forest and Kim Starr, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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