Longleaf pine is an evergreen conifer that got its common name for having the longest leaves of the eastern pine species. The needlelike leaves, which come in bundles of three, can grow up to 18 inches (46 centimeters) long. Mature trees stand 80 to 100 feet (24 to 30 meters) tall. The single trunk, which is covered in thick, scaly bark, reaches up to three feet (0.9 meters) in diameter. The trees naturally prune their lower branches and grow almost perfectly straight
