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• Pinus banksiana

Pinus banksiana — Jack pine

Facts

Jack pine is a cold-tolerant species primarily of northern New England, usually found growing on poor soils. Cones of northern populations are serotinous, opening only in the extreme heat of a wildfire. The seedlings thrive best on disturbed soils. The straggly trees have short, tough needles. The wood is primarily used for pulp and occasionally for making pallets and other objects. Jack pine can create cover for blueberry barrens, and the twigs provide food for snowshoe hares and other wildlife.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), bogs

Characteristics

• Buds or leaf scars

  Winter bud shape

  the winter buds are ovoid (egg-shaped)

• Fruits or seeds

  Seed cone base

  the base of the seed cone does not look hollow

  Seed cone bracts

  the bracts are covered by the seed cone scales

  Seed cone form

  the seed cone is longer than wide, with woody scales attached at the base

  Seed cone scales

  the visible portion of the scale of the closed seed cone is thickened at its base

  Seed cone shape

  • the seed cone is lanceoloid (lance-shaped, thickest below the middle and tapering toward the ends)
  • the seed cone is ovoid (egg-shaped)

  Seed cone symmetry

  the seed cone is not symmetrical

  Seed cone umbo position

  the raised portion is at the tip of the seed cone scale

  Seed wings

  the seeds have wing-like projections

• Growth form

  Growth form

  the plant is a tree

• Leaves

  Leaf arrangement

  the needle-like leaves are in clusters or held on short shoots

  Leaf base

  NA

  Leaf clustering

  the needle-like leaves are in bundles or clusters of two

  Leaf cross-section

  the needle-like leaves are rounded, or flattened on one side (can be rolled between the fingers)

  Leaf duration

  the needle-like leaves remain green all winter

  Leaf form

  the leaves are needle-like

  Leaf glands

  there are no glands on the underside of the needle-like leaves

  Leaf stalks

  the needle-like leaves do not have a leaf stalk

  Leaf types

  there are two distinct types of needle-like leaves on the twig

  Leaves overlapping

  the needle-like leaves are separate and do not hide the twig surface

• Place

  Habitat

  • terrestrial
  • wetlands

  New England state

  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont

  Specific habitat

  • bogs
  • man-made or disturbed habitats

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Bark resin blisters

  there are no resin blisters on the bark

  Branchlet thickness

  1–5 mm

  Leaves on shoots

  there are needle-like leaves growing in tight clusters on a short, knob-like shoot

  Twig bloom

  there is no bloom on the twig

  Twig hair type

  the twigs have few or no hairs on them

  Twig hairs

  the twig does not have hairs

Wetland status

Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae