Longleaf pine

Longleaf pine trees grow for 100-150 years before they reach full size and they can live as long as 500 years. Their extremely long needles give the young trees the look of a spike with grass growing out of it. At the tops of trees, the long, fanned out needles paint a pretty picture when silhouetted against the sky, even on overcast and dull days.Unfortunately, the longleaf pine forests have dwindled in size as a result of logging and this has contributed to the endangerment of a unique bird – the red-cockaded woodpecker.The woodpeckers peck out their nest cavities in such a way that the tree releases resin around the nest hole and you will see trees that are covered with long thick strands of resin coming down from nests. To help preserve the woodpeckers, wildlife management areas help protect nest holes against other woodpeckers.