Montane Longleaf Pine WoodlandsMontane Longeaf Woodlands are rare, special habitats that are dominated or co-dominated by longleaf pine. They are called "montane" in contrast to the longleaf woodlands of the Coastal Plain. Dry-site oaks are also often common. The shrub layer is typically sparse, but the ground layer can be fairly dense and diverse in well-developed stands. These woodlands grow on steep, south-facing, very dry slopes that experienced fire fairly frequently, and often have acidic soils. Fire is required to maintain these stands, and longleaf pine is superbly adapted to fire in all of its life stages (ad shown in a photos to the right). What's special: Montane longleaf stands are rare and fascinating communities. As with other woodlands, the combination of trees and a well developed ground cover provides a diversity of plant and animal life. These stands can be habitat for the rare red-cockaded woodpecker. |
Landscapes
Indicator and Representative Species: The presence of longleaf pine is required. Dry-site oaks that are fire tolerant, such as rock chestnut oak, blackjack or post oak may be present, as well as shortleaf and loblolly pine. Related communities: closely related to Pine-Oak Woodlands, which lack the longleaf pine dominance. Without regular fire, the community will gradually succeed to an Oak-Pine-Hickory Forest. |
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Plants Click on a plant name to see images and more information. Trees Scarlet oak Quercus coccinea Southern red oak Quercus falcata Blackjack oak Quercus marilandica Rock chestnut oak Quercus montana Post oak Quercus stellata Black oak Quercus velutina Shortleaf pine Pinus echinata Longleaf pine Pinus palustris Loblolly pine Pinus taeda Shrubs New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus Winged sumac Rhus copallinum Dewberry (common) Rubus flagellaris Blackberry (eastern) Rubus pensilvanicus Horse sugar Symplocos tinctoria Sparkleberry Vaccinium arboreum Hillside blueberry Vaccinium pallidum Deerberry Vaccinium stamineum Vines Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia Poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans Muscadine Vitis rotundifolia Ground Layer Forbs (forbs of dry woodlands) Gerardia (purple) Agalinis purpurea Gerardia (slender) Agalinis tenuifolia Pussytoes Antennaria plantaginifolia Hemp dogbane Apocynum cannabinum Clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis Butterfly weed Asclepias tuberosa White milkweed Asclepias variegata Thick-pod white wild indigo Baptisia alba Creamy wild indigo Baptisia bracteata Wild indigo Baptisia tinctoria Spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum Partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata Maryland golden-aster Chrysopsis mariana Butterfly pea Clitoria mariana Tread-softly Cnidoscolus stimulosus Erect dayflower Commelina erecta Lobed coreopsis Coreopsis auriculata Large-flowered coreopsis Coreopsis grandiflora Woodland coreopsis Coreopsis major Elephant's-foot (leafy) Elephantopus carolinianus Elephant's-foot (common) Elephantopus tomentosus Robin's plantain Erigeron pulchellus Hyssopleaf boneset Eupatorium hyssopifolium Late flowering boneset Eupatorium serotinum Sessile-leaf boneset Eupatorium sessilifolium Flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata Appalachian sunflower Helianthus atrorubens Spreading sunflower Helianthus divaricatus Hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus Longleaf sunflower Helianthus longifolius Small-headed sunflower Helianthus microcephalus Roughleaf sunflower Helianthus strumosus Veiny hawkweed Hieracium venosum Quaker ladies Houstonia caerulea Spotted St. John's-Wort Hypericum punctatum Yellow stargrass Hypoxis hirsutus Dwarf iris Iris verna Hairy lespedeza Lespedeza hirta Downy trailing lespedeza Lespedeza procumbens Smooth trailing lespedeza Lespedeza repens Blazing star (dense) Liatris spicata Blazing star (scaly) Liatris squarrosa Carolina lily Lilium michauxii Downy lobelia Lobelia puberula Sensitive briar Mimosa microphylla Appalachian bergamot Monarda fistulosa Bee-balm (spotted) Monarda punctata False garlic Nothoscordum bivalve Wild quinine Parthenium integrifolium Lousewort Pedicularis canadensis Pokeweed Phytolacca americana Silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia Rabbit tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta Fire pink Silene virginica Rosinweed Silphium compositum Blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium Horse nettle Solanum carolinense Forest goldenrod Solidago arguta Slender goldenrod Solidago erecta Eastern gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralus Licorice goldenrod/Fragrant goldenrod Solidago odora Pencil-flower Stylosanthes biflora Eastern silvery aster Symphyotrichum concolor Calico aster Symphyotrichum laterifolum Clasping aster Symphyotrichum patens Frost aster Symphyotrichum pilosum Virginia goat's-rue Tephrosia virginiana Spiderwort (hairy) Tradescantia hirsuticaulis Blue curls Trichostema dichotomum Bird's-foot violet Viola pedata Grasses and Sedges Splitbeard bluestem Andropogon ternarius Oval leaf sedge Carex cephalophora Black-edged sedge Carex micromarginata Silky oat-grass Danthonia sericea Poverty oat-grass Danthonia spicata Bigtop lovegrass Eragrostis hirsuta Purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis Eastern beard grass Gymnopogon ambiguus Pink muhly grass/hairgrass Muhlenbergia capillaris Eastern needlegrass Piptochaetium avenaceum Little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium Yellow Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans Purpletop/Greasy grass Tridens flavus Gamma grass Tripsacum dactyloides Ferns Bracken fern Pteridium latiusculum |
Representative Trees in order of scientific name.
Representative Shrubs in order by scientific nameRepresentative Ground Layer in order by scientific nameBirds of Woodlands |
