Taxonomy

Division:

Coniferophyta | - Conifers

Family:

Pinaceae

Genus:

Pinus

Species:

Pinus elliottii

USDA Symbol:

PIEL

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Tree

Height:

3000 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

jan,feb,mar

Wildlife Benefits

Caterpillars:

★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals, squirrels

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Thick bark protects mature trees from low-intensity fire. Seedlings establish well in post-fire conditions. Historically maintained by frequent fire in longleaf-slash pine ecosystems.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

thrives in coastal plains and flatwoods

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–28 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate readily after cold stratification. Light improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI