Although Connecticut is a small state, more than 60% of it is covered with trees. Native trees in Connecticut include all types of trees, and over half of them are in the oak-hickory hardwood category. The next most-common tree is the northern hardwood type, while others include ash, elm, red maple, and of course, pine trees.
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Pine trees are large evergreens that typically get up to 150-feet high and which have needle-like leaves. The needles usually grow in groups of two to five, although some can grow in groups of six or seven.
The trees live anywhere between 100 and 1,000 years, and their seeds are frequently used as both a food source and for medicinal purposes, the latter being a very common use for thousands of years.
The wood of the pine tree is very hard, which makes it great for using in construction projects, furniture, and even flooring. While some pine trees have trunks that are misshapen, most of their trunks enable them to be useful in hundreds of projects. Below are the different types of pine trees in the state of Connecticut.
1. Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus L.)
Most Eastern white pine trees grow to around 180 feet, but some have been known to get as tall as 230 feet. Both of these types are impressive, however, and it means that Eastern white pines are always elegant and regal-looking trees that certainly demand attention. The needles on this pine tree are long and slender, and they produce new growth every summer.
Moreover, the Eastern white pine has wood that is very versatile, as it is used in making furniture, as lumber for various construction projects, in the building of ships and barns, and even in some types of creative artwork.
2. Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida Miller)
Unique because it has an irregular shape and twisted branches, looking like it is misshapen, the pitch pine tree only gets from 20 to nearly 100 feet in height, making it a small- to medium-sized pine tree. Common in the northeastern part of the United States, the needles grow in groups of three, and the tree itself tends to grow very fast in its first few years of life.
Because of its unusual shape and design, pitch pine wood is rarely used in manufacturing or construction projects. It has, however, another use, and that is making things such as railroad ties and ships, so it is still a very valuable type of wood.
The pitch pine is one of the most common types of pine in the US, and is commonly found in states such as Oregon, Texas, Colorado, Michigan, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Illinois.
3. Red Pine (Pinus resinosa Aiton)
Most red pine trees grow from 120 to 140 feet in height, and depending on the exact spot you’re looking at, the tree trunk has bark that comes in several different colors. At the base of the tree, the bark is a grayish-brown color, while it turns a bright orange-red color by the time you are looking at the center of the trunk. It is truly an eye-catching pine tree.
This is a tall, straight, regal-looking tree that stands out among the others. Its needles develop in groups of two and are a yellowish-green color. It is also called a Norway pine tree, even though it is native to North America.
