The long, lush leaves of the Longleaf Pine Tree add an elegant feel to any landscape. Pinus palustris, whose species name means of the marsh, was named the state tree for North Carolina in 1963. The evergreen trees naturally prune their lower branches enabling them to grow almost completely straight. The reddish brown, scaly bark will peel as birds and wildlife search for insects that live inside. The longleaf pine needles are long and dark emerald green. They grow in clusters at the end of branches. Like all pine trees, the longleaf pine cone has both male and female counterparts found on the same tree. Pine cones typically appear in the late fall or winter of the second year. They are the largest fruit of all southern pines and contain seeds that provide food for wildlife such as deer, mice, and squirrels. This Pine tree can reach up to 80 to 100 feet tall and 30-40 feet wide at full size maturity and can live for over 300 years. The longleaf pine growth rate is up to 2-3 feet per year until they become mature trees. They are the perfect pine trees for privacy! Pine tree ecosystems consist of rare plant and animal species in a coniferous forest habitat. These habitats typically occur in places with warm summers and cool winters and are of the most biodiverse in the United States. Bird species such as red cockaded woodpeckers and brown headed nuthatches frequently nest in pine forests. These fast growing trees are a true treasure plentifully found in many southern forests in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.