This Timeline displays the various stages in the life of a Long Leaf Pine Tree.

SomGuye's Long Leaf Timeline

Year 1 Spring

Year 1 Summer

Year 1 Spring

Year 1 Spring

Year 8

Year 1 Fall

Year 15

Year 35-50

These seeds helicopter down from the tops of the trees so that they may be dispersed far from the parent trees. The actual seed is the black part in the left of the picture.  It is about the size of a BB.

This tree is around 25 feet tall. It does not produce any cones yet but will in about ten years when it has reached 50 feet tall.  Again the trunk is tiny and the roots are deep.  The trunk is about 5-6 inches thick at the base and it is a miracle that it can stand at all.  There is an old saying that what you see of a tree above the ground is duplicated below ground.

This tree is about 80 feet tall and is producing cones, not to mention adding to the pollen accumulating on my car.  It has reached maturity long ago and will continue to grow provided it is not killed by lightning or cut down. (This one won't be cut down, it's in my yard).  You can see far up the trunk the remains of old dead branches sticking out the sides.  Looking out my windows is like looking at a forest of telephone poles. There are no branches visible on the nearby trees.

This tree is around 8 feet tall and lucky for it, is growing in a cleared area with no compitition.  The root structure on this tree is huge, it goes at least 10 feet down into the ground to support it during periods of high wind.  The trunk is not very thick, only about 2 inches, like a thick dowelrod.

In the next few years the trees will remain short and bushy.  In this time they are working on building a root system to support their future mass growth.  They will grow extremely tall and spindely in the next 10 years as they race up to reach the canopy for the light from the sun.

The small tree in the front of the picture has successfully found a habitable spot and has begun it's long journey of growth toward maturity.  It is only 5 inches tall and has many threats: drowning, trampling, drought, and fire to name a few.

Hopefully the seeds escape the ravenous squirrels and find a place to safely land that will support their growth.  These tiny trees are only 2 inches tall and a few weeks old.

Pinecones on the adult trees release around 50 seeds per cone.

The cycle begins again.  More trees for future generations.  I hope this species is never wiped out.

This tree is now around 10 inches tall and has the winter to survive.  The winter in the Florida panhandle and be cold, it often will frost, possibly killing young trees.  If it survives this winter, it will likely grow much larger in the next few years.