Click on the images help you identify a red pine.
Form
Height 60 to 80 feet, sometimes reaching 100 feet, with a trunk diameter of 30 to 40 inches. Straight trunk. Branches on mature trees form an open, rounded, picturesque head.
Bark
Divides into large, reddish-brown plates as the tree matures, giving it its characteristic appearance and common name, red pine.
Leaf
Needlelike, occurring in clusters of two; dark green; 4 to 6 inches long; breaks cleanly when bent.
Fruit (seed)
Cones about 2 inches long, light brown fading to gray. Thin, slightly concave cone scales without spines or prickles, free from resin. Cones ripen about mid-September of their second season but remain on branchlets until the following spring or summer. Seeds small, about 1/8 inch long, dark or mottled brown, winged, and widely scattered by wind.
Range
Found in many parts of northern and northeastern Minnesota. Popular for forest planting because of its resistance to disease and insects. Thrives on sandy loam or dry, rocky ridges; shade intolerant.
Wood uses
Pale red with thin, nearly white sapwood; medium-heavy, hard, coarser grained, and harder than white pine. Used in construction of bridges, buildings, and pilings.