Longleaf pines of old resurface, thanks to reclaiming efforts. (Wood of the Month).When you talk about pine trees, you are talking about a vast number of species with a natural range extending from the Arctic circle Arctic Circle, imaginary circle on the surface of the earth at 66 1-2°N latitude, i.e., 23 1-2° south of the North Pole. It marks the northernmost point at which the sun can be seen at the winter solstice (about Dec. to the equator in Europe, Asia and North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. . There are more than 100 recognized pine species worldwide and 36 of them are native to North America. This column will highlight longleaf pine, a conifer conifer (kŏn`ĭfûr) [Lat.,=cone-bearing], tree or shrub of the order Coniferales, e.g., the pine, monkey-puzzle tree, cypress, and sequoia. Most conifers bear cones and most are evergreens, though a few, such as the larch, are deciduous. with a rich past and important future. Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) is the state tree of Alabama. Its natural growing area is the southeastern United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , extending west to Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. Longleaf pine gets its name from its long needles, which typically range from 8 to 18 inches in length. The trees have been described as quirky by some. Hugh Johnson Hugh Johnson may refer to:
Year Size Name Area Notes 1825 3,000,000 acres (12,000 km²) Miramichi Fire New Brunswick Killed 160 people. and at the same time build up a strong root system to boost its later growth." A Famous Family Longleaf pine is part of the group called southern yellow pine. The Fine Hardwoods Selectorama's list of other pines in the group include shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata); loblolly pine loblolly pine, common name for the pine species Pinus taeda, found in the SE United States. (Pinus taeda) and slash pine (Pinus elliottii). In the book Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material, by the USDA USDA, n.pr See United States Department of Agriculture. Forest Products Laboratory, the editors explain that "the wood of the various southern pines is quite similar in appearance. The sapwood sapwood, relatively thin, youngest, outer part of the woody stem of a tree, the part that conducts water and dissolved materials. In the cross section of a tree, the sapwood is recognizable by its texture and color; it is softer and lighter than the inner heartwood. is yellowish white and the heartwood heartwood, the central, woody core of a tree, no longer serving for the conduction of water and dissolved minerals; heartwood is usually denser and darker in color than the outer sapwood. is reddish brown." The editors say that longleaf and slash pine are classed as heavy, strong, stiff, hard and moderately high in shock resistance, while shortleaf and loblolly pine are usually somewhat lighter in weight than longleaf. "All the southern pines have moderately large shrinkage, but are stable when properly seasoned," the editors note. Users of longleaf pine report that the highly resinous material can be difficult to sand. Experts recommend using sharp tools and slow sanding, giving attention to abrasive materials used in order to avoid a buildup of resins. Strong and Useful At one time, longleaf pines were considered to be one of the premiere commercial timbers in the United States. The tree was excellent for heavy construction; longleaf pine has a density and strength comparable to red oak, natural resistance to insects and decay, and long, straight trunks (old-growth trees averaged 125 feet tall). Uses for the timber included warehouses and factories, railroads, shipbuilding, bridges and wharves Structures erected on the margin of Navigable Waters where vessels can stop to load and unload cargo. Cities located on lakes, rivers, and oceans usually have at least one wharf, where ships can deliver and pick up passengers and load and unload various types of goods. . The trees also were the favored material for ship masts in North America and Europe, and they could net prices up to 30 percent higher than other conifers. They also contributed non-timber products such as pitch, tar, rosin rosin or colophony, hard, brittle, translucent resin, obtained as a solid residue from crude turpentine. Usually pale yellow or amber, its color may vary from brownish-black to transparent depending on the nature of the source of the crude and turpentine turpentine, yellow to brown semifluid oleoresin exuded from the sapwood of pines, firs, and other conifers. It is made up of two principal components, an essential oil and a type of resin that is called rosin. . Southern pine trees remain an important commercial timber used in construction, furniture, plywood, pulp, craft paper, railroad ties, piling and shipbuilding. The trees continue to be a source for turpentine, resin and pine oil, which is used in cosmetics and perfume. Rebirth and Recovery At one time, longleaf pines covered as much as 90 million acres from Virginia to Louisiana. Today, there is just a fraction of the old growth timber left. According to the Southern Pine Council's Web site, "Because it has a slower rate of growth, longleaf pine was not replanted as widely as other faster growing species." Because of its usefulness, though, efforts are underway to bring longleaf pine back. The Auburn University School of Forestry has founded the Longleaf Alliance to promote the ecological and economic values of longleaf pine. The group's Web site says that "Stands of longleaf offer more diversity, visual appeal, wildlife habitat and high valued products than other pine species." Old-growth longleaf pine, which yields lumber with more heartwood than second-growth trees, is one of many species being "rescued" from the bottom of lakes, rivers and swamps. George and Carol Goodwin run the Goodwin Heart Pine Co., in Micanopy, FL. They recover longleaf or "heart pine" as they call it, from river bottoms. Goodwin and his crew of divers don scuba gear to dive for the "sinkers," which are in remarkably good shape despite decades in the water. Goodwin says the low oxygen levels and low water temperatures preserve the logs. Editor's note: 65 Wood of the Month articles are now online, with more coming soon. Visit the Wood of the Month archive at www.iswonline.com RELATED ARTICLE: FAMILY NAME Pinus palustris and Pinus elliottii of the Family Pinaceae COMMON NAMES Longleaf pine, Florida longleaf, yellow pine; Georgia yellow pine, slash pine, Gulf Coast pitch pine, longleaf pitch pine, turpentine pine HEIGHT/WEIGHT Heights range from 100 to 125 feet with diameters of 2 to 3 feet. Average weight is 41 to 43 pounds per cubic foot. PROPERTIES Dries well with little degrade, small movement in service. Moderate resistance to cutting edges, however resin can clog cutting surfaces. Will hold nails and screws well and can be glued without problems. |
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