A Complete Guide to Pine Tree Identification

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Learn how to tell the difference between pines, spruces, firs, and more
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There are many qualities that make pine trees well-known, such as their fresh smell. However, they can be difficult to identify from trees that look similar, such as firs or spruces. We spoke with registered professional biologist Michael Simpson, PhD, to get expert insight on how to identify pine trees. We’ve compiled a handy guide to pine tree identification based on a tree’s needles, cones, and other distinguishing features. Plus, learn how to tell different species of pine apart and how to differentiate pines from other evergreen or conifer trees.

How to Identify Pine Trees

  1. Pine trees have clusters of long, soft needles in bunches of two, three, or five.
  2. Their pine cones are stiff, reddish-brown in color, and have scales that come to a point.
  3. Pine trees have thin foliage and a loose overall shape.
  4. They're typically found in mountainous regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
Section 1 of 3:

Characteristics of Pine Trees

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  1. Pines have somewhat soft, bendy needles, so you can quickly eliminate trees that have regular leaves on their branches. [1] Pine needles grow in clusters, stemming from one single origin point. The clusters of pine needles will either be in twos, threes, or fives. [2]
    • If you touch the needles and they feel bendy, this is an indication that it’s a pine tree. [3]
    • The base of the needle cluster will be wrapped in a papery sheath (also known as a fascicle). [4]
    • If you see clusters of 2, this is a red pine, while clusters of 3 are yellow pines, and clusters of 5 are white pines. [5]
  2. Mature pine cones are reddish-brown, or possibly black. [6] They’re hard and wood-like when you touch them, as opposed to other conifers’ cones which are much thinner and paper-like. Pine cones hang towards the ground, while fir cones stand upright.
    • Young pine cones might appear to be growing upward, but as they mature, they’ll begin to droop and point downward.
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  3. Pine cones can sometimes be identified by the unique points on certain species’ scales. Look at the end of each scale and see if the middle of the scale comes to a point. If it does, this is likely a pine cone. [7]
  4. While coniferous trees have a triangle-like structure, pine trees tend to have a less well-defined shape, notes Simpson. [10] Pine trees shed their oldest needles after roughly 3 years, which can leave them with less foliage. They may also lose their lower branches as they age, while most spruces and firs retain a triangular Christmas-tree shape in maturity. [11]
  5. Pine trees live and grow primarily in the Northern Hemisphere, and they like having access to the sunlight. While not every pine tree grows on a mountain, pines are abundant in mountainous areas. [12] They tend to grow in sandy soil, and don’t like swampy land that doesn’t drain easily. [13]
    • Pines are able to thrive in colder weather and at a higher altitude, making them perfect mountain trees.
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Section 2 of 3:

Types of Pine Trees

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  1. The white pine is the state tree of Maine. White pine trees have clusters of five needles that are bluish-green or silver-green in color. [14] Eastern white pine cones have a sticky resin with a noticeable scent. [15]
    • White pine needles usually grow to be 2 1 ⁄ 2 to 5 inches (6.4 to 12.7 cm) long.
    • Unlike some pines’ cones, the scales of white pine cones never have prickles.
  2. Ponderosa pine trees are native to Western North America. They have clusters of two or three needles that grow between 5 to 11 inches (13 to 28 cm) long. Their bark smells like vanilla. They tend to have tall, bare trunks when mature. Their cones are prickly, so be careful when you grab one.
    • Mature ponderosa pines have either an orange, brown, or reddish-brown bark color.
  3. Lodgepole pine trees are native to California. These trees have clusters of two needles that grow 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm) long. Mature trees have dark bark that’s reddish-brown or close to black. Their unopened cones cling to the branches, staying for years. [16]
  4. Pitch pine trees, an Eastern variety, have clusters of three needles that are usually 3 to 5 inches (7.6 to 12.7 cm) long. The needles are dark yellow-green and may grow out of the trunk of the tree. They tend to be thick and sharp, unlike the soft needles of some other pine varieties. [17]
    • Pitch pine bark is either reddish-brown or gray, and features scales.
  5. Jeffrey pine trees have clusters of three needles, growing from 7 to 11 inches (18 to 28 cm) long. They’re found throughout Western North America. While Jeffrey pine cones have prickles, they curve inward, giving the tree the nickname “gentle Jeffrey” because it won’t poke you like a ponderosa pine cone might. [18]
  6. Sugar pine trees are the largest of all pine trees, growing between 130 to 200 feet (40 to 61 m) tall. They have clusters of five needles and cones that can grow to over 20 inches (51 cm). These impressive trees are found along the West coast of North America. [19]
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Section 3 of 3:

Identifying Other Evergreen & Conifer Trees

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  1. Fir trees are easily distinguished from pines because their needles grow individually, Simpson says. [20] To distinguish a fir tree from a spruce tree, feel its needles. While spruce needles can be rolled between your fingers, fir needles are flatter and can’t be rolled. [21] Another thing to look for is the direction the cones grow in—fir cones are fragile and grow upright like thin candles.
  2. Like fir trees, spruce trees have individual needles that don’t grow in clusters. “Spruce trees have shorter needles [than pine trees] that appear to grow directly from each branch, and they’re spaced close together, like bristles on a hairbrush,” Simpson explains. [22] Spruce cones resemble pine cones, but have less rigid scales and feel less woody to the touch.
    • If you can break a scale off the cone, it’s probably a spruce.
  3. True cedars have needles that are flat and scale-like, with a kind of scalloped edge on each side. [23] This is the easiest way to tell them apart from pines, which have long, thin, smooth needles. Cedar cones grow upright and resemble rose buds. Cedar has a distinctive smell that’s pungent and featured in many fragrances.
  4. Hemlock trees have flat needles that are small and blunted, growing parallel from one another along the twig in pairs. Their cones are noted for their small size. [24] Additionally, hemlock needles are attached to the twig via a small stem, while fir needles appear stuck directly into the twig. [25]
  5. Larches are deciduous conifers, not evergreens. This means their needles turn yellow and fall off in autumn. [26] Other ways to tell larches apart from other conifers are that their needles feel soft and fuzzy to the touch, and they’re a vibrant green color in spring and summer that stands out from a pine or spruce’s dark green. [27]
  6. Juniper needles have a distinctive look that sets them apart from other trees. Their needles are either scale-like or awl-shaped. [28] The scaly needles resemble the woven pattern of a shoelace, but spikier. The awl-shaped needles resemble a lavender flower. Their cones are blue and berry-like—another standout feature. [29]
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do you tell the difference between a spruce and a pine tree?
    Michael Simpson, PhD
    Registered Professional Biologist
    Dr. Michael Simpson (Mike) is a Registered Professional Biologist in British Columbia, Canada. He has over 20 years of experience in ecology research and professional practice in Britain and North America, with an emphasis on plants and biological diversity. Mike also specializes in science communication and providing education and technical support for ecology projects. Mike received a BSc with honors in Ecology and an MA in Society, Science, and Nature from The University of Lancaster in England as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta. He has worked in British, North American, and South American ecosystems, and with First Nations communities, non-profits, government, academia, and industry.
    Michael Simpson, PhD
    Registered Professional Biologist
    Expert Answer
    Start by comparing the needles. Pines tend to have longer needles than spruces and these grow in pairs or clusters. Spruce trees needles appear to grow directly from each branch and are spaced close together, like bristles on a hairbrush.
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  • Question
    What shape does the tree grow in?
    SuperMeggie
    Community Answer
    This depends on which pine tree you are talking about. All pines have needles with scratchy bark on the trunk, but each tree shape is different. Some grow tall and straight like a needle, others like round baubles and others like triangles. Search for image examples of pine trees for a good idea of the wide variety.
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  • Question
    Why does a pine tree not have cones?
    Lia 💖
    Community Answer
    Under certain conditions that put stress on a tree, it will not produce cones in a stressful year. That stress can be caused by temperature fluctuations or drought conditions or lots of other things.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/DTGKYAt7wB0?t=33
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/DTGKYAt7wB0?t=40
      3. ↑ https://gardenerspath.com/plants/landscape-trees/identifying-conifers/
      4. ↑ https://www.wenatcheenaturalist.com/conifers/native-conifers-washington-state/
      5. ↑ https://bplant.org/compare/153-156
      6. ↑ https://gardenerspath.com/plants/landscape-trees/identifying-conifers/
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/DTGKYAt7wB0?t=99
      8. ↑ Michael Simpson, PhD. Registered Professional Biologist. Expert Interview. 14 July 2021.
      9. ↑ Michael Simpson, PhD. Registered Professional Biologist. Expert Interview. 14 July 2021.
      1. ↑ Michael Simpson, PhD. Registered Professional Biologist. Expert Interview. 14 July 2021.
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/DTGKYAt7wB0?t=108
      3. ↑ https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/biome/seedpine.php
      4. ↑ https://sciencing.com/habitats-pine-trees-5467793.html
      5. ↑ https://www.nps.gov/articles/conifer-id-acadia.htm
      6. ↑ https://www.maine.gov/sos/kids/about/symbols/tree
      7. ↑ https://www.wenatcheenaturalist.com/conifers/native-conifers-washington-state/
      8. ↑ https://www.nps.gov/articles/conifer-id-acadia.htm
      9. ↑ https://tahoetrailguide.com/jeffrey-pine-pinus-jeffreyi/
      10. ↑ https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/sugar-pine.htm
      11. ↑ Michael Simpson, PhD. Registered Professional Biologist. Expert Interview. 14 July 2021.
      12. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/pine_spruce_or_fir_getting_to_know_michigan_evergreen_trees
      13. ↑ Michael Simpson, PhD. Registered Professional Biologist. Expert Interview. 14 July 2021.
      14. ↑ https://nwconifers.com/nwlo/wredcedar.htm
      15. ↑ https://footpathsblog.com/2022/03/06/identifying-evergreen-conifers/
      16. ↑ https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/forest_health/invasive_threats/hemlock_id.htm
      17. ↑ https://research.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/news/featured/why-do-larches-turn-yellow
      18. ↑ https://parks.wa.gov/about/news-center/field-guide-blog/beloved-and-baffling-larch-tree
      19. ↑ https://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/Gardennotes/172.pdf
      20. ↑ https://footpathsblog.com/2022/03/06/identifying-evergreen-conifers/

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