When I wrote about longleaf pines before, I mentioned the little grass-stage pine I had transplanted. I thought it had begun its transformation from grass stage to bottlebrush stage. At the time I was being optimistic and maybe a little generous, but now I’m sure: our little pine starting a growth spurt.
This is an overview I shot Monday evening.
The littlest longleaf on our property
This is a closer shot of the tree.
Closer view
The main “trunk” has come close to doubling in height in the last several months. This is very encouraging, because I think it means it has truly survived being transplanted and has a reasonably good chance of growing up.
The little longleaf is currently shadowed by some shortleaf pines, pretty much on all sides. I’m not sure of the most favorable growing conditions, but I plan to thin the overhanging limbs and possibly cut at least one of the shortleaf pines. I want to give it more light without overwhelming it with too much sunlight all at one.
This is such a wonderful project. It will be fun to watch its progress. Lucky little pine, in such good hands!
Green fireworks!
If that little long-leaf bottlebrush were transplanted in my preserve, it would be deer fodder. Virtually no trees get above a few inches tall here without protection. Good luck, and keep documenting!
Oh, no! Do you really think deer would eat longleaf pines? We have quite a few deer around, and a few years ago when we had a pretty severe drought, they ate a lot of our shrubbery. They haven’t done that in a while, but I hate to think of our little longleaf being eaten by deer. Now I’m going to have to think about some kind of fence, just in case.
Mark: I can only report on my experience. Deer will definitely eat young white pine seedlings. I doubt that they’re the deer’s first choice, but every unprotected white pine seedling I’ve ever planted has been eaten in short order.