Form: This tree can reach 60-100 ft in height and 2-3 ft. in dbh. It has an ovid shaped crown when growing in the open and a relatively straight bole.

Needles:
             

Arrangement: 2-3 per fascicle and clustered at end of the twig

Length: 6-9"

Other: slightly shiny

 

Bark: The bark is dark and scaly when young becoming orange-brown and plate-like with thin papery layers and deep fissures.

Cones: It has a stalked reddish-brown cone.

Distinguishing characteristics: Look for the orange tint in the fissures, the shorter needle, and the smaller egg-shaped cone to distinguish slash from longleaf pine.

Range: It occurs north as far as Virginia and west to Texas, but is most prominent in along the coast in northern Florida.

Silvics: Slash pine is intolerant to shade. It grows well on hallow sands with high water table.

Ecological and cultural importance: It is quite susceptible to fire damage. The seeds are eaten by a variety of bird species and deer sometimes browse young seedlings.