pines are native to the Great Lakes area and much of Canada.
They will grow is dry soils and are usually found in sunny
locations growing with other jack pines. They tend to grow
quickly during their first 10 years of life but then slow down.
They are usually fairly small trees, reaching a height of only
about 40-60 feet. Jack pines almost always have straight trunks.
Their branches spread out unevenly, making the crown look
ragged. pines have short needles about 3/4-1-1/2 inches long.
They are sharp, pointy, and stiff. They grow in bundles of two,
but each needle usually points in the opposite direction. The
bark is scaly and has a dark reddish-brown color. Jack pines
form small cones that tend to curve as they grow. They are
usually about 1-1/2 inches long and are green or purplish when
they are full-grown and point toward the end of the branch. As
lower branches on the tree die from being shaded, the cones have
a tendency to hang on for several years. At this stage they are
dried out and turn a light brown