YELLOW PINE
Pinus echinata, Mill.
Form.—From 80-100 feet high, 2-3½ feet in diameter; trunk straight, slightly tapering; crown pyramidal or rounded; limbs not tolerant of shade and in dense stands dropping off early leaving a long, clean trunk.
Leaves.—In clusters of 2 and 3, the leaves in threes more often near the ends of twigs; slender, flexible, 3-5 inches long, blue-green.
Flowers.—April-May; monoecious, pale purple, staminate flowers in clusters at base of new growth; pistillate flowers 2-4 in a whorl near end of new growth, pale rose-colored.
Fruit.—Cones maturing at end of second year; ovoid, 1½-2½ inches long; flat scales, armed with weak, often deciduous prickles; seeds triangular, winged, brown mottled with black.
Bark.—On the trunk broken into large more or less rectangular plates the scales of which readily peel off.
Wood.—Hard, heavy, coarse-grained, yellowish.