Southern Slash Pine
Pinus elliottii var. densa
Southern Slash Pine
Urban Forest Tree Walk
Scientific name:
Pinus elliottii var. densa
Where to find it:
The species elliottii is a large, stately, heavily-branched, long-needled conifer has a rapid growth rate and is capable of reaching 100 feet in height with a three to four-foot-diameter trunk.
The six-inch-long cones appear among the dark green, six to twelve-inch-long needles, and are favored by wildlife. Squirrels are particularly fond of the seeds, as they chew open the cones and litter your sidewalk or driveway with debris. The red-brown bark is deeply furrowed and scaly.
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Slash pine is self-pruning of its lower branches, is somewhat pyramidal when young and forms an open, rounded canopy creating a light, dappled shade beneath. This allows just enough sun to filter through for maintenance of a lawn beneath this tall, evergreen tree or for underplanting's of dogwoods, azaleas, camellias and other plants which thrive in this high, shifting shade.
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Pinus elliottii var. densa , the famous "Dade County Pine" of hardwood fame, extends from the Florida Keys up into central Florida. Leaves are nearly all in bundles of two, with longer needles. The cones are smaller, 5–12 cm (2.0–4.7 in), the wood is denser, and the tree has a thicker taproot. Unlike the typical variety of slash pine, seedlings of P. e. var. densa has a "grass stage" similar to longleaf pine. P. e. var. densa is not frost tolerant, which limits its range to South Florida.
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