Pinus taeda

A Loblolly Pine can reach a height of 98–115 feet with a diameter of 1.3 – 4.9 feet. Exceptional specimens may reach 160 feet tall, the largest of the southern pines.

Its needles are in bundles of three, sometimes twisted, and measure 4.7 – 8.7 inches long; an intermediate length for southern pines, shorter than those of the longleaf pine or slash pine, but longer than those of the shortleaf pine and spruce pine.

The word loblolly is a combination of lob, referring to thick heavy bubbling of cooking porridge, and lolly, an old British dialect word for broth, soup, or any other food boiled in a pot. In the southern United States, the word is used to mean “a mudhole; a mire,” a sense derived from an allusion to the consistency of porridge.

With the advent of wildfire suppression, loblolly pine has come to prevalence in some parts of the deep south that were once dominated by longleaf pine and, especially in northern Florida, slash pine.

The Loblolly pine is one of the most widespread and valuable pines of the southeast. In Georgia, it comprises most of the timber harvested in the Piedmont. [1]

The famous “Eisenhower Tree” on the 17th hole of Augusta National Golf Club was a loblolly pine. U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, an Augusta National member, hit the tree so many times that, at a 1956 club meeting, he proposed that it be cut down.  Not wanting to offend the President, the club’s chairman, Clifford Roberts, immediately adjourned the meeting rather than reject the request outright.  In February 2014, an ice storm severely damaged the Eisenhower Tree. The opinion of arborists was that the tree could not be saved and should be removed.

Identification

The Loblolly’s needles are in bundles of three, sometimes twisted, and measure 4.7–8.7 inches long, This is an intermediate length for southern pines; shorter than those of the longleaf pine or slash pine, but longer than those of the shortleaf pine and spruce pine. [3]

Cones are 3 to 6 inches long, in clusters of three to five. [1]

Adapted to Georgia hardiness zones:     7a, 7b, 8a, 8b.     Atlanta is zone 7b   [1]

Champion Loblolly Pine Trees in Atlanta and Georgia

Atlanta Champion Trees – full list
Georgia Champion Trees – full list
Intown Hawk – Condensed Atlanta and Georgia List

References and Additional Information

[1]  UGA Extension: Native Plants for Georgia Part I: Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines (B 987) – Loblolly Pine
[2]  Clemson University : Pine
[3]  Wikipedia:  Pinus taeda
[4]  Wikipedia: Eisenhower Tree