Anticipating Good Longleaf Pine Cone Crops: The Key to Successful Natural Regeneration

Abstract

Unlike other southern pines, or most intolerant pioneer species, longleaf pine is a poor seed producer. Cone crops are highly variable from year to-year, and also from place to place in the same year. Crops large enough to assure adequate regeneration are few and far between, especially in the longleaf pine belt of the southern Coastal Plains. Not only is this species a poor seed producer, but the large, heavy seeds have a limited dispersal range. Seedlings, once established, are very poor competitors and may remain in the stem less grass stage for years.

Citation

Boyer, William D. 1997. Anticipating Good Longleaf Pine Cone Crops: The Key to Successful Natural Regeneration. Tree Farmer, Sept/Oct 1997