Decorating With Plants: Indoors and Outdoors

Pine Trees

Pine trees are evergreen conifers characterized by needle-like leaves, conical or irregular shapes, and cone production. They are found in various species and are widely distributed across the world's forests. Pine trees, or Pinus, are a family of conifers that includes at least 121 species. They're typically located in the Northern Hemisphere and can be as small as 10 feet or as large as 268 feet. Pine Trees Bark and Cones For the most part, they have a scaly, thick bark. The branches are highly tight spirals, which are often referred to as 'pseudo whorls.' These whorls typically grow one set of branches per year. The cones, meanwhile, provide the plant with a source of reproduction. Both genders appear on each of these evergreens, offering a unique appearance. Cone hunters often collect the cones, which have been displayed in any number of baskets over the years. The needles of these conifers can be sharp, but they're yet another thing that offers a visual feast for wildlife lovers. Interestingly, more mature ones do not typically have any needles. Instead, they only stick around for up to 40 years. While they're still there, though, they feed butterflies and moths. The seed leaves come in a whorl of four to 24. Not only do these help distribute additional evergreens, but they also offer a food source to squirrels and a wide array of birds. Height and Life Expectancy of Pine Trees Although the extreme height range is listed above, most can grow to approximately 50-150 feet tall. Even more impressive, though, is their expected lifespan. Most will live anywhere from 100 to 1,000 years. However, the oldest known ones are around 4,800 years old! In other words, anytime you plant one of these evergreens, it'll likely be around for many subsequent generations. Pine Trees Are Perfect for Christmas Everyone who envisions their ideal Christmas tree immediately thinks of them. These evergreen types have just the right mixture of greenery and heavy-bearing limbs to make them suitable for holding all your Christmas decorations. Of course, you probably won't want to cut down these beautiful conifers, but you can still decorate them in your yard! If you're looking for something beautiful, durable, and extremely hardy, you should definitely consider planting Pine Trees!

Loblolly Pine Tree

Loblolly Pine Tree is a tall evergreen with long, slender needles and large, brown cones. It is recognized for its economic importance in the timber industry and widespread distribution in the southeastern United States. The Loblolly Pine Tree is an evergreen member of the conifer family. Instead of leaves, it grows pine needles and brown cones that contain seeds that produce the next generations of them. Physical Characteristics of Loblolly Pine Tree This conifer typically grows about 100 to 130 feet tall and has a typical diameter of less than 10 feet. However, in specific environments, it can exceed 150 feet tall and more than 20 feet around. The needles fall off every two years, most during the late fall or winter months. On average, they will grow about two feet per year. The Loblolly Pine Tree Is Highly Versatile If you want something that will soak up a significant amount of water, acquiring this product may be in your best interest. Alternatively, you can use smaller versions of these as landscaping tools to add color to your garden or create a natural border that will make your garden pop. As these tend to grow relatively quickly, you can use them as a privacy shield to keep your neighbors from prying into your business. As with other conifers, the needles on this natural resource will create a strong and favorable aroma throughout the year. The pinecones also tend to create their own aroma, which can help make your home more relaxing and comfortable. You may also be able to use the needles or cones to create cleaning products that offer a natural scent. Improve the Air Quality With Loblolly Pine Tree From TN Nursery In addition to their fragrant aroma, Loblolly Pine Tree can take excess carbon dioxide out of the air. Interacting with higher carbon dioxide levels can help protect the tree during cooler weather. Therefore, you benefit from better outdoor air while helping yours survive for many years.

Shortleaf Pine

Shortleaf Pine is a medium-sized evergreen tree native to the southeastern United States. It is valued for its straight, slender trunk and is an important timber species. It offers significant advantages when integrated into landscaping projects, offering many benefits beyond its potential herbal uses. This native North American tree brings aesthetic and practical value to outdoor spaces, making it a favored choice for various landscaping designs. The shortleaf pine is botanically known as Pinus Echinata. It's native to the southern United States and can be found in 22 states. Gardeners have a variety of names for this tree, including spruce, rosemary, southern yellow, and two-leaf. The tree gets its primary common name from its short leaves ranging from three to five inches. Long-leaf evergreen leaves, by contrast, can reach lengths of up to 18 inches. Gardeners love this tree because of its aesthetically pleasing appearance and ability to draw wildlife. Identifying Characteristics of the Shortleaf Pine The tree averages between 80 and 100 feet. However, it's been known to reach heights of up to 130 feet with widths of up to 30 feet. Its bright green leaves are needle-like. It produces short cones that average up to two and a half inches in length. Homeowners prefer this conifer because it remains green all year. Landscaping With Shortleaf Pine Due to its height and spread, the Pinus Echinata does well in large yards. Gardeners love it because it adds color in the winter. From February to March, the tree develops yellow blooms. Homeowners can plant this evergreen as a focal point or along the edges of their property for privacy purposes. What to Plant Around Shortleaf Pine The tree can be planted around other trees, including the scarlet oak, sourwood, black gum, and sweet gum. Great shrubs around this evergreen tree include the azalea, Oregan grape, creeping junipers, false cypress, and barberry. Great perennials to plant around this tall evergreen include foxglove, asters, bleeding hearts, and catmint. Shortleaf Pine is known for attracting various birds and bees. Birds nest in the branches, and bees love the blooming flowers in the early spring. Additionally, this evergreen's branches may provide cover for other small animals. Gardeners and landscapers revere the tree because of its green foliage and ability to provide natural privacy.

Pitch Pine Tree

The Pitch pine tree is a rugged, evergreen native to eastern North America, characterized by its long, dark green needles, rough bark, and the production of resin-rich "pitch" that has various commercial uses. The Pitch Pine Tree is also known as Pinus rigida. The latter term means that it is stiff (rigid) and has needles, which are thin, long, and sharp leaves. Those needles are stiff as well. They can live for 200 years and have been used to make things like paper, lumber, pulp, and turpentine, while their high levels of resin, which preserve them from decay, have resulted in them being used in the building of ships in the past years. Locations Of The Pitch Pine Tree They are predominantly located in an area that covers much of the Northeast United States and stretches down to around the Tennessee-North Carolina border—i.e., an area focused on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Small parts of Georgia and South Carolina are included as well. North of the border, this type of greenery is found in limited numbers in Ontario and Quebec.  Size Of The Pitch Pine Tree This type is on the smaller side. It usually grows to around 20-100 feet in height and extends by about a foot per year for the first 60 years of its life, assuming that the conditions are optimal. Its needles are usually about 2-5 inches long, while its cones tend to be 2 inches long. One way they stand out is through their irregular shape. For example, they tend to possess twisted branches and do not effectively engage in self-pruning, which is the shedding of damaged or shaded branches. However, this type's trunk is usually mostly straight with a gentle curve. Pitch Pine Trees Can Take Lots Of Heat Pitch Pine trees can regenerate at a high level, utilizing their basal roots, which dig far into the soil if necessary. This helps them survive fire damage, and their thick barks help protect their trunks against that threat. In addition, their cones are sealed with resin, which requires heat, such as from a fire, to open. So, in the worst-case scenario, those cones would open, and their seeds would be spread, resulting in a new generation being grown in the area.