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Loblolly Pine

Pinus taeda

Found in forests and woodlands; maritime forests and thickets; floodplain and bottomland forests; pine flatwoods; roadsides, fields and disturbed ground; tree plantations and managed pine. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

75
Strong

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

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Height
60–90 feet
Spread
20–40 feet
Light
Full sun
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 30 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Evergreen
Bloom
March to April
Fruiting season
October to November

Recorded in 64 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 6

Pine flatwoods

Wet Pine Flatwoods, Shaken Creek Preserve - typical shrub layer
Wet pine flatwoods with a shrub layer. Shown: Shaken Creek Preserve, Pender and Onslow Counties, North Carolina, a neighboring state.Wet Pine Flatwoods, Shaken Creek Preserve - typical shrub layer, Robert Thornhill, undated. CC BY 4.0. Source record.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

Maritime forests and thickets

Salt-pruned forests and shrub thickets behind coastal dunes.

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

Tree plantations and managed pine

Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 220 animals.

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

175CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Pinus

  • Eacles imperialisImperial Moth
  • Acleris varianaEastern Blackheaded Budworm
  • Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
  • Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Anatrachyntis badiaFlorida Pink Scavanger Caterpillar
  • Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
  • Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
  • Aplectoides conditaX
  • Archips cerasivoranaCherry Tent Caterpillar, Cherry Worm, Ugly Nest Caterpillar
  • Argyrotaenia pinatubanaPine Tube Moth
Show all 175
  • Argyrotaenia tabulanaLodgepole Needletier
  • Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
  • Battaristis vittellaOrange Striped-Back Moth
  • Callophrys niphonPine Elfin
  • Callosamia prometheaPromethea Silkmoth, Promethea Moth
  • Calosima dianellaEastern Pine Catkin Borer Moth
  • Campaea perlataPale Beauty, Fringed Looper
  • Caripeta angustiorataBrown Pine Looper Moth
  • Caripeta aretariaSouthern Pine Looper Moth
  • Caripeta divisataGray Spruce Looper Moth
  • Celypha nr.Celypha Moth
  • Choristoneura conflictanaLarge Aspen Tortrix
  • Choristoneura fumiferanaSpruce Budworm Moth
  • Choristoneura pinusJack Pine Budworm
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Citheronia sepulcralisPine-Devil Moth
  • Cladara limitariaMottled Gray Carpet, Yellow-Lined Conifer Looper, Yellow-Lined Forest Looper, Black-Angled Wave
  • Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
  • Corticivora parvaBronze-Banded Corticivora
  • Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
  • Cydia ingensLongleaf Pine Seedworm Moth
  • Cydia toreutaEastern Pine Seedworm
  • Dasychira mantoRusty Tussock Moth, Manto Tussock Moth
  • Dasychira plagiataNorthern Conifer Tussock Moth
  • Dasychira vagansVariable Tussock Moth
  • Decantha boreasellaReticulated Decantha Moth
  • Dichomeris setosellaHairy Dichomeris
  • Dioryctria abietivorellaEvergreen Coneworm Moth, Fir Coneworm
  • Dioryctria amatellaSouthern Pine Coneworm
  • Dioryctria clarioralisBlister Coneworm
  • Dioryctria disclusaWebbing Coneworm
  • Dioryctria merkeliLoblolly Pineconeworm
  • Dioryctria taedivorellaLesser Loblolly Pineconeworm Moth
  • Dioryctria yatesiMountain Pineconeworm Moth
  • Dioryctria zimmermaniZimmerman Pine Moth
  • Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
  • Elaphria versicolorVariegated Midget
  • Elasmopalpus lignosellaLesser Cornstalk Borer
  • Epinotia radicanaRed-Striped Needleworm Moth
  • Epirrita autumnataThe Autumnal Moth, November Moth
  • Euchlaena madusariaScrub Euchlaena
  • Euchlaena tigrinariaMotted Euchlaena
  • Eucopina cocanaShortleaf Pine Cone Borer
  • Eucopina gloriolaPine Shoot Borer, White-Pine Shoot Borer, Eastern Pine Shoot Borer
  • Eucopina monitoranaRed Pinecone Borer
  • Eucopina tocullionanaWhite Pine Cone Borer
  • Eufidonia convergariaPine Powder Moth
  • Eufidonia notatariaPowder Moth
  • Eupithecia misturataInsignificant Pug
  • Eupithecia palpataSmall Pine Looper, Palpata Pug
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Exoteleia pinifoliellaPine Needle Miner
  • Feralia comstockiComstock's Sallow
  • Feralia jocosaJocose Sallow, The Joker
  • Feralia majorMajor Sallow, Pine Sallow
  • Givira annaAnna Carpenterworm Moth
  • Hesperumia sulphurariaSulphur Moth
  • Hydriomena divisariaBlack-Dashed Hydriomena, Transverse-Banded Looper
  • Hydriomena renunciataRenounced Hydriomena
  • Hydriomena transfigurataTransfigured Hydriomena
  • Hypagyrtis estherEsther Moth
  • Hypagyrtis piniataPine Measuringworm Moth, Pine Variant
  • Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Hypoprepia miniataScarlet-Winged Lichen Moth
  • Hypsopygia intermedialisRed-Shawled Moth
  • Iridopsis vellivolataLarge Purplish Gray
  • Laetilia coccidivoraScale-Feeding Snout
  • Lambdina fervidariaCurve-Lined Looper Moth
  • Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
  • Lambdina pellucidariaYellow-Headed Looper, Eastern Pine Looper
  • Lapara bombycoidesNorthern Pine Sphinx
  • Lapara coniferarumSouthern Pine Sphinx
  • Lithophane baileyiBailey's Pinion
  • Lithophane innominataNameless Pinion
  • Lithophane lepidaPine Pinion
  • Macaria bicolorataBicolored Angle
  • Macaria bisignataRed-Headed Inchworm
  • Macaria distribuariaSouthern Chocolate Angle
  • Macaria granitataGranite Moth
  • Macaria minorataMinor Angle
  • Macaria ulsterataBirch Angle, Peacock Moth
  • Macaria pinistrobataWhite Pine Angle
  • Macaria signariaPale-Marked Angle, Spruce-Fir Looper, Dusky Peacock
  • Macaria transitariaBlurry Chocolate Angle
  • Melanocinclis lineigeraLined Melanocinclis
  • Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
  • Metanema inatomariaPale Metanema
  • Moodna ostrinellaDarker Moodna
  • Moodna pallidostrinellaPaler Moodna
  • Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
  • Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
  • Nepytia canosariaFalse Hemlock Looper Moth, Evergreen Span Worm
  • Nepytia semiclusariaPine Conelet Looper
  • Oiketicus abbotiiAbbot's Bagworm Moth
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
  • Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
  • Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
  • Panthea acronyctoidesBlack Zigzag, Tufted Spruce Caterpillar
  • Panthea furcillaEastern Panthea, Tufted Pine Panthea
  • Paralobesia palliolanaSpruce Mlcromoth
  • Patalene olyzonariaJuniper Geometer
  • Pero morrisonariaMorrison's Pero
  • Platynota flavedanaBlack-Shaded Platynota
  • Platynota idaeusalisTufted Apple-Bud Moth
  • Platynota stultanaOmnivorous Leafroller
  • Pococera melanogrammosBlack-Letter Pococera
  • Pococera robustellaPine Webworm
  • Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
  • Protoboarmia porcelariaPorcelain Gray, Dashedlined Looper
  • Retinia comstockianaPitch Twig Moth
  • Retinia gemistrigulanaGray Retinia
  • Retinia houseriMinute Pitch-Blister Moth
  • Retinia virginianaWenzel's Pitch-Blister Moth
  • Rhyacionia adanaPine Shoot Moth, Adana Pine Tip Moth
  • Rhyacionia busckanaRed Pine Tip Moth, Red Pine Shoot Borer
  • Rhyacionia frustranaNantucket Pine Tip Moth
  • Rhyacionia rigidanaPitch-Pine Tip Moth
  • Satronia tantillaSouthern Pine Catkinworm
  • Sicya maculariaSharp-Lined Yellow
  • Spaelotis clandestinaClandestine Dart, W-Marked Cutworm
  • Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
  • Sparganothis tristriataThree-Streaked Sparganothis
  • Sparganothis unifascianaOne-Lined Sparganothis
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Strymon melinusGray Hairstreak
  • Synanthedon piniPitch Mass Borer
  • Synanthedon scitulaDogwood Borer, Pecan Borer
  • Syndemis afflictanaFall Dead-Leaf Roller, Gray Leafroller, Black-and-Grey Banded Leafroller
  • Syngrapha aliasSpruce Looper, Hooked Silver Y
  • Syngrapha rectangulaSalt-and-Pepper Looper Moth
  • Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Tolype laricisLarch Tolype, Larch Lappet Moth
  • Tolype notialisSmall Tolype
  • Trichodezia albovittataWhite-Striped Black
  • Virbia aurantiacaOrange Virbia, Orange Holomelina
  • Xestia badicollisWhite Pine Cutworm, Northern Variable Dart, White Pine Dart, Northern Pine Dart
  • Xestia elimataSouthern Variable Dart, Southern Pine Dart
  • Xestia praeviaEarly Conifer Dart, Praevia Dart
  • Xylotype capaxBroad Sallow, Barrens Xylotype
  • Zale bethuneiBethune's Zale
  • Zale buchholziBuchholz's Zale
  • Zale confusaConfused Zale
  • Zale curemaBlack-Eyed Zale, Northeastern Pine Zale
  • Zale duplicataPine False Looper, Banded Zale
  • Zale helataBrown-Spotted Zale
  • Zale metataFawn Virginia Pine Zale
  • Zale metatoidesWashed-Out Zale
  • Zale obliquaOblique Zale
  • Zale squamularisGray-Banded Zale
  • Zale submedianaGray Spring Zale
  • Zanclognatha dentataToothed Zanclognatha, Toothed Fan-Foot
  • Zanclognatha marthaPine Barrens Zanclognatha, Pine Barrens Fan-Foot
  • Zanclognatha protumnusalisConifer Zanclognatha, Complex Fan-Foot
  • Zelleria haimbachiPine Needle Sheathminer
  • Asaphocrita aphidiella
  • Corticivora clarki
  • Dahlica walshella
  • Dioryctria taedae
  • Olethreutes coruscana
  • Rhyacionia aktita
  • Xenotemna pallorana
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
1BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Pinus

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
15BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Pinus

  • Alectoris chukarChukar
  • Anthus rubescensAmerican Pipit
  • Aythya collarisRing-necked Duck
  • Coccothraustes vespertinusEvening Grosbeak
  • Conuropsis carolinensisCarolina Parakeet
  • Dendragapus obscurusDusky Grouse
  • Falcipennis canadensisSpruce Grouse
  • Gymnorhinus cyanocephalusPinyon Jay
  • Loxia curvirostraRed Crossbill
  • Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Show all 15
  • Nucifraga columbianaClark's Nutcracker
  • Patagioenas fasciataBand-tailed Pigeon
  • Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
  • Rhynchopsitta pachyrhynchaThick-billed Parrot
  • Setophaga pinusPine Warbler
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

1AntsRecorded seed interactions
  • Pogonomyrmex badius

Pogonomyrmex badius: Seed predation.

No records yet · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Pinaceae
Hardiness
Zones 6a–9b
Soil pH
Acidic
Flower color
Yellow, purple or red
Growth rate
Rapid
Growth habit
Single stem
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
October
Fruit ends
November

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Conservation status

Virginia rankS5
Global rankG5
VA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources