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Characteristics
 Family-
Pinaceae--The Pine Family
- Origin
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Native NC
- Plant Description
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Evergreen tree
- Coastal Ecology
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Pinus serotina is the Pond pine. The specific epithet serotina means "late," referring to the late opening of the cones, usually in response to fire. Pond pine is a medium sized, rather scraggly appearing tree growing to a height of 50 to 70 feet. Pond pine often has a scrubby appearance in nature, due to its ability to sprout new needles and branches from the trunk after damage from fires. Pond pine occurs where its common name indicates: in the wet, acid organic soils of coastal pocosins. It occurs in the maritime forest in wet swales and next to marshes, never on the dry dunes. Pond pine has evolved in an environment frequently beset by wildfires, and it shows outward adaptations to survive fires, such as branches which sprout along the mature trunk, called "epicormic branches," and cones which require the heat of a fire to open, called "serotinous cones." Pond pine is recognized by its 4 to 8 inch long needles held in bundles of 3 or rarely 3 and 4 on the same tree; and its football shaped seed cones which remain closed until burned by a fire.
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