longleaf pine

noun

long·​leaf pine ˈlȯŋ-ˌlēf- 

: a tall timber pine (Pinus palustris) of the southeastern U.S. with long needles in bundles of three and long cones

also : its tough coarse-grained reddish-orange wood consisting mostly of heartwood and used especially for flooring and joinery

Examples of longleaf pine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The new donation will be used to revitalize 1.6 million acres of vital U.S. landscapes - the northern great plains grasslands and longleaf pine forests of the Southeast. —Gillian Telling, People.com, 22 Oct. 2024

Walters discovered that the loss of the longleaf pine and similar tree species in the U.S. Southeast was harming the birds' breeding areas. —Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024

For a longer walk, opt for the two-mile loop called the Pine Ridge Trail to see interesting sights like sandhill ecosystems where longleaf pine trees rise. —Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2024

In the second half of the 19th century, the turpentine and lumber industries laid waste to one third of Moore County’s longleaf pines, leaving only tree stumps in their wake. —Craig Gill / Made By History, TIME, 13 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

longleaf pine

noun

long·​leaf pine ˌlȯŋ-ˌlēf- 

: a tall pine of the southeastern U.S. that has long needles in clusters of three and long cones and is a major timber tree

also : its tough coarse-grained reddish orange wood