How to Classify Pine Trees
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Yellow or brown bark with a rough, cracked texture is characteristic of a Pinus pine.background of pine tree image by Slobodan Zivkovic from Fotolia.com
Look at the tree trunks for a quick evaluation. Strobus pines tend to have smooth, grayish trunks. Pinus trees have yellow or brown trunks with thick, cracked bark. The trickiest to identify is the Ducampopinus pine, which usually has smooth, hard wood that frequently -- but not always -- roughens with age. Even if you can't instantly tell the difference between the Ducampopinous pine and the others, you usually can eliminate one tree category by looking at the bark coloring and texture. - 2
Pine needles grow in clusters of two to five.white pine needles image by Carbonbrain from Fotolia.com
Study the pine needles for further differentiation. All pine trees have needles in clusters of two to five, which differentiates them from single-needle fir and spruce trees. Strobus pines usually have five needles in each cluster, while Pinus pines tend to have smaller clusters of two to three needles. Ducampopinus leaves can fall anywhere in this range, with clusters of two to five. - 3). Look at the sheaths of the needle clusters, which attach the needles to the tree. In Strobus trees they are deciduous, meaning they tend to fall off as they mature. Pinus trees hold onto their sheaths. Sheaths on Ducampopinus trees are only occasionally deciduous, but you may recognize them by the way they form a backward basal rosette -- in other words, the needles flare out in a circular pattern from the sheath.
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Pine cones with sharp points usually belong to the Pinus subgenus.pine cone image by Carol Tomalty from Fotolia.com
Check the pine cones for a more definitive classification. Strobus pine cones are usually long and narrow when young, then open and scaly as they mature. In some species, birds break up the cones before they open. Pinus pine cones open to form flexible cones that often have a sharp point at the end. Ducampopinus pine cones are difficult to consider this way, as they vary in appearance, depending on the species. - 5). Keep in mind your location to double-check your classification. For instance, the southwestern United States is home to the most common Ducampopinus pine tree, known as the Pinyon. Meanwhile, the southeastern U.S. has several common Pinus trees, including the Loblolly pine with bright red-brown bark and cones, the shortleaf pine with two-needle clusters, and the longleaf pine with three- or five-needle clusters and the biggest pine cones in the south. Their pine seeds attract birds, turkeys and squirrels. Strobus pines such as the Eastern white pine and Western white pine are commonly found in the northern half of the U.S. and Canada; they are easy to differentiate, as their names give away which side of the country they call home.
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