Shortleaf Pine

Pinus echinata

Found in forests and woodlands; glades, barrens and outcrops on mafic or serpentine rock; roadsides, fields and disturbed ground. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

Strong

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

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Height: 80–100 feet
Spread: 20–40 feet
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
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?

Pinus echinata — seedling photograph — FUchesco · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Leaves: Evergreen
Bloom: Spring
Fruiting season: September to October

Recorded in 8 West 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 3

Forests and woodlands

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

Glades, barrens and outcrops on mafic or serpentine rock

Open, thin-soil openings, outcrops and cliffs on dark, magnesium- or iron-rich rock such as serpentine, diabase or gabbro.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

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

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 124 animals.

American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Birds. 3 shared habitats
American Goldfinch
Carduelis tristis
Birds. 3 shared habitats
American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
Birds. 3 shared habitats
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Belted Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Black-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus erythropthalmus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Dendroica caerulescens
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Blue Grosbeak
Passerina caerulea
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Brown Creeper
Certhia americana
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Brown Thrasher
Toxostoma rufum
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerina
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Common Nighthawk
Chordeiles minor
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Cooper's Hawk
Accipiter cooperii
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Downy Woodpecker
Picoides pubescens
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Eastern Towhee
Pipilo erythrophthalmus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Eastern Wood-pewee
Contopus virens
Birds. 3 shared habitats
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Birds. 3 shared habitats

All wildlife of West Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

134CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Pinus

Eacles imperialisImperial Moth
Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
Aplectoides conditaX
Archips cerasivoranaCherry Tent Caterpillar, Cherry Worm, Ugly Nest Caterpillar
Argyrotaenia pinatubanaPine Tube Moth
Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
Battaristis vittellaOrange Striped-Back Moth

Show all 134

Callophrys niphonPine Elfin
Callosamia prometheaPromethea Silkmoth, Promethea 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
Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
Dasychira vagansVariable Tussock Moth
Decantha boreasellaReticulated Decantha Moth
Dichomeris setosellaHairy Dichomeris
Dioryctria disclusaWebbing Coneworm
Dioryctria merkeliLoblolly Pineconeworm
Dioryctria zimmermaniZimmerman Pine Moth
Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
Elaphria versicolorVariegated Midget
Epirrita autumnataThe Autumnal Moth, November Moth
Euchlaena madusariaScrub Euchlaena
Euchlaena tigrinariaMotted Euchlaena
Eucopina cocanaShortleaf Pine Cone Borer
Eucopina monitoranaRed Pinecone Borer
Eucopina tocullionanaWhite Pine Cone Borer
Eufidonia notatariaPowder Moth
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
Hesperumia sulphurariaSulphur Moth
Hydriomena divisariaBlack-Dashed Hydriomena, Transverse-Banded Looper
Hydriomena renunciataRenounced Hydriomena
Hydriomena transfigurataTransfigured Hydriomena
Hypagyrtis estherEsther Moth
Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Hypoprepia miniataScarlet-Winged Lichen Moth
Hypsopygia intermedialisRed-Shawled Moth
Iridopsis vellivolataLarge Purplish Gray
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
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
Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
Metanema inatomariaPale Metanema
Moodna ostrinellaDarker Moodna
Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
Nepytia canosariaFalse Hemlock Looper Moth, Evergreen Span Worm
Nepytia semiclusariaPine Conelet Looper
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
Pococera robustellaPine Webworm
Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
Protoboarmia porcelariaPorcelain Gray, Dashedlined Looper
Retinia comstockianaPitch Twig Moth
Retinia gemistrigulanaGray Retinia
Retinia virginianaWenzel's Pitch-Blister Moth
Rhyacionia busckanaRed Pine Tip Moth, Red Pine Shoot Borer
Rhyacionia frustranaNantucket Pine Tip Moth
Rhyacionia rigidanaPitch-Pine Tip Moth
Sicya maculariaSharp-Lined Yellow
Spaelotis clandestinaClandestine Dart, W-Marked Cutworm
Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
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
Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm 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
Zale bethuneiBethune's Zale
Zale confusaConfused 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
Homosetia marginimaculella
Olethreutes coruscana
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

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

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Pinaceae
Hardiness: Zones 6a–9b
Flower color: Yellow
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth habit: Single stem
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: September
Fruit ends: October

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

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Spring” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition, USDA PLANTS differ)
Flower color · “Yellow” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “September” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Growth habit · “Single stem” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 6a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “80–100 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Leaves · “Evergreen” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain differ)
Soil · “Good drainage; Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain differ)
Spread · “20–40 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Conservation status

West Virginia rank	S4
Global rank	G5
WV status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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How to check your spot

Shortleaf Pine

At a glance

Natural habitats

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Pinus