What’s your pine?
Count the needles in several intact bundles. We’ll give you a shortlist to investigate, not a final identification.
True pines usually have needles in bundles, with a sheath around the base. If needles attach one at a time, you may be looking at a different kind of conifer.
Explore all 8 species in the guide.
Ponderosa pine
Pinus ponderosa · Western North America
Look for long needles, commonly in bundles of two or three, and orange-brown plates on mature bark. Its cones have prickly scale tips. Needle counts vary across its range, so compare cones, bark, and location as well.
5 needles per bundleEastern white pine
Pinus strobus · Eastern North America
Count five slender, flexible needles in each bundle. Narrow, elongated cones and whorled branching provide additional clues. Five needles alone do not prove the species; other white pines share that trait.
3 needles per bundleLoblolly pine
Pinus taeda · Southeastern United States
Find three long needles per bundle, clustered toward twig tips. The seed cones have sharp points on their scales. Older trees often have long, bare lower trunks beneath an oval crown.
5 needles per bundleBristlecone pine
Pinus longaeva · Great Basin mountains
Short needles grow in bundles of five and remain crowded along branches, making a bottlebrush effect. Developing cones can be deep purple; mature cone scales carry the bristles that give the tree its name.
2 needles per bundleRed pine
Pinus resinosa · Northeastern North America
Look for needles in pairs, roughly 5–7 inches long, and relatively small, rounded-oval cones. Mature bark is reddish brown and scaly. Check several healthy needle bundles before making an identification.
2 needles per bundleLodgepole pine
Pinus contorta · Western North America
Needles occur in pairs. Combine that clue with cones, bark, and local range. In Yellowstone, lodgepole is the only native pine with two-needle bundles, but that shortcut does not hold everywhere.
2 needles per bundlePinyon pine
Pinus edulis · Southwestern United States
Pinus edulis normally has two short needles per bundle. Pinyon is a group name too: singleleaf pinyon is a different species. Identify the botanical name before comparing growing requirements.
2 needles per bundleScots pine
Pinus sylvestris · Europe and Asia
Look for paired, twisted needles and orange upper bark on established trees. Use cones and regional context to separate it from other two-needle pines.
Make the next observation
Needle count only narrows the options. Compare needle length, the cone, bark on a mature trunk, and your geographic location. Some pines vary in needle count. This tool covers eight profiles, not all pine species, so an absent match does not rule out a pine.
Use a regional field guide or local extension service to confirm the identification. Do not use this shortlist to decide whether a plant is safe to eat. Read our complete identification guide.