Alabama originally chose Southern Pine as its state tree, but in 1997, it changed to the longleaf pine, a native species that grows in warm climates and produces useful materials. The longleaf pine has long needles and can take up to 300 years to reach its full height of 150 feet. It has evolved to withstand forest fires, but may face competition from other plants due to fire prevention measures.
In 1949, the US state of Alabama chose Southern Pine to represent the region. This is a generic name for many different pine species, however, in 1997, the government selected the longleaf pine, Pinus palustris Miller, to become the state tree of Alabama. Native to the area, this tree likes to grow in warm climates. The longleaf pine, recognizable by its very long needles, looks like grass for the first few years of its life.
Many types of evergreen pine trees grow in the Alabama region. Traditionally, the standard term for many of these species, such as loblolly pine, was southern pine. This is why, in 1997, the Alabama state tree changed to a specific species, called the longleaf pine. Because this tree grows all over the country from Texas to Virginia, the state of Carolina also has longleaf pine as its state tree.
Traditionally, the Alabama state tree was found throughout much of the country in forests. Because the wood was so useful as a building material and as lumber for shipbuilding, most of the longleaf forests disappeared. In addition to lumber, longleaf produces tar, rosin, and turpentine from the resin within the tree. Alabama state tree likes to grow in warm areas and prefers soils that are not rich in organic matter, such as sandy soil.
When the longleaf pine is young, it stays low to the ground. The tree develops many very long needles, which can reach 18 inches (about 46 cm) in length. These needles can make the young plant look like grass. This tree can spend up to five years in the short stage before growing into an adult tree. When it grows, it can reach a height of 150 feet (about 46 m), but this can take up to 300 years. Their cones are also quite large compared to many other Alabama pines and can be up to 10 inches (about 25 cm) long.
The longleaf pine has evolved to deal with normal forest fires and the long green needles that protrude from the young, short tree protect the inside of the tree from the intensity of the fires. The seeds inside the pine cones also grow better after the ground has suffered a fire. Because many state governments now control and prevent forest fires, other trees and plants may compete with the longleaf pine for space and nutrients and impede the growth of the longleaf.
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