Using the selection and genetic improvement projects described above, its range has been extended into Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, east Texas, and southern areas of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. Bounded on the east by the Atlantic coast, it extends west into Ohio, southern Indiana and Tennessee. The natural range of the Virginia pine begins in central Pennsylvania and extends southward into northern Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. Breast height diameters of over 31inches and heights of 114 feet have been recorded. Virginia pine is considered to be a small to medium sized tree. After years of progeny tests and selective removal of trees from the seed orchards, growers have Virginia pine seed sources specifically cultured for Christmas tree production. In both cases, the respective State Christmas tree associations were major contributors to the effort. One was a Texas Forest Service project and the other was based at Alabama A&M University. Due to the intense demand for planting stock with enhanced Christmas tree characteristics, two genetic improvement programs were initiated. But in prior times it was not considered to be commercially significant to the forest products industry. Virginia pine has been the staple for the Christmas tree industry in the south since its inception. This characteristic becomes apparent after about the sixth year as the lower limbs begin to wither. As with other pines, these show a tendency to self pruning when grown with competition from other trees. And, on Christmas tree plantations their foliage can become extremely dense. Open pollination is used in most Virginia pine seed production. Pollination occurs in early June and cones mature in late September to early November of the following year. They are about 2 inches long and are protected by quite prickly scales. The bark has a coarse appearance.Ĭones begin forming in about the fifth year. It forms plates that are reddish brown in color with shallow fissures or furrows. They are then shed and replaced with new needles as the branches grow in length. Individual needle clusters can remain for 3 or 4 years. Loblolly needles, by comparison, are from 4 to 9″ long. They are relatively short when compared to those of other pines. They are twisted and range from 1.5 to 3″ in length. The Virginia pine’s needles occur in pairs.