The Dawes Arboretum

Common name: Virginia pine, scrub pine

Family: Pinaceae (pine family)

Distribution: e. United States

IUCN Red list: Least concern

Hardiness: USDA Zone 4

Life form: Evergreen tree

Comments: Virginia pine grows 30-60 feet tall, but can grow taller under optimum conditions. The twisted yellow-green needles are short and in fascicles (i.e., bundles) of two. This tree prefers well-drained loam or clay, but will also grow on very poor, sandy soil, where it remains small and stunted. The indigenous Cherokee nation used this tree medicinally and in cultural rituals. They used it to treat symptoms like diarrhea, stiffness of the body, colds, and fevers. They also used the bark for various infusions, oils, and for tar.