Jack Pine
Last updated by justincarl on 3/16/2020 8:26:02 PM
Jack Pine
Pinus banksiana
A native tree of Minnesota, they are easily identified by their short needles which are less than 2", and their small (less than 2" long) horned-shaped cones that grow in pairs. The Jack Pine is far and away the least loved of the Pines in the BWCA, for many reasons. It is not a stately tree: often scragly and mishapen. It doesn't look graceful and or grow tall like the Red or White Pine. It grows like a weed and then falls over. Not a whole lot to love. However, the Jack Pine is specially adapted to the BWCA. Some of its cones only open under the extreme heat of a wildfire, which also leaves them as emergency food supplies for squirrels. When a fire removes the overstory, Jack Pine come roaring back in abundance. They tend to die young, making way for other species, but they are a really common species found throughout the BWCA wherever a fire has been.
For more information, check out the USDA profile of the species here.
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