Pinus taeda
Back in the day, Loblolly pine was famous around these parts. ORNL’s Forestry Program planted these extensively across the Reservation, as did the rest of Southeast. That changed during the 1999-2000 Pine Beetle Outbreak which decimated pine stands of the time. Because there are fewer specimens now, Virginia pine now reigns as King on the Reservation (as far as pines are concerned). The name “loblolly’ has a bit of interesting etymology: in Old English, “lob” meant something along the lines of thick, heavy bubbling (referring to cooking), while “lolly” referred to a soup. Low and behold, the word “loblolly” was eventually born in the American South to refer to a mudhole or mire—coincidentally where Pinus taeda is commonly found.
Family: Pinaceae
Foliage: Evergreen
Mature height range: 60-150 ft.
Light exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Soil preference: Dry
Tolerance: Can tolerate wetter soils and lowlands well, but can suffer from rust diseases and insect damage (notably pine beetles)
Wildlife: Seeds are consumed by birds and mammals, nesting by mammals and birds, and larval host plant for eastern pine elfin (Callophrys niphon)
