tree ID 4/26 Solved Pine bark

[Tom]

Anybody want to make a stab at this? I'll drop hints later if you need them.

[RMay]

pine bark

[Tom]

DanG! .....and I thought I was being so smart. :D

[RMay]

Tom is it a lobloly or shortleaf we have both native here ;D

[Bro. Noble]

RMay,

I'm impressed.  We have Shortleaf,  but I would have sworn that was something that I'd never seen.

Whitepe took a picture of a bush for the ID forum,  Wish he would post it cause I know what it is :D

Tom,
frustrate us with some more ID's,  I love em.

Noble

[Tom]

That's the bark of an old Long Leaf.  It is the thickness of the bark and its grass stage  that protect it from forest fire and allows it to survive when so many of the other species are killed.

 Back before all the forest fires were put out by well-meaning citizens, this quality was what generated so many acres of Long Leaf Pine in the South.

It's not just the cutting down of the Long Leaf that can be blamed for the lack of Long Leaf forests.  It's also the lack of fire and the need for a fast growing timber tree to support human needs.