pitch pine

Pinus rigida · Pinaceae · all Pinus records · Wikipedia

Is this one for your yard?

Enter your ZIP to see whether this is legal to plant in your state, and whether it survives your winter.

Pitch pine is not fire resistant; assessments classify it as highly flammable and advise keeping it away from structures.

The USDA Forest Service and state Firewise programs place pitch pine in category 4, “Not Firewise,” the least favorable point on their four-part scale. They also note its three- to four-inch needles, borne in pairs, including needles growing directly from branches and the trunk. Ohio State gives it H flammability, an avoid rating one step below the top of its five-band scale. Virginia Tech also gives it H, the most fire-prone rating on its three-part scale.

Laboratory work points the same way. Researchers testing conditioned foliage and twigs at 25 kilowatts per square meter named pitch pine among plants with high effective heat of combustion. That measures heat released during burning, so it supports concern about the fuel after ignition rather than describing how readily the plant first catches fire. A separate calorimeter measurement reported an energy flux of 287.7 kilowatts per square meter for dead wood, but the database provides no threshold that turns that number alone into a planting verdict.

Pitch pine is a roughly 30-foot tree native to the northeastern and southeastern United States. Its preference for full sun and low water does not offset the consistent fire findings. Near a home, the practical conclusion is to choose another tree and keep pitch pine out of the area closest to structures.

Fire-resistant trees instead

Form: tree
Mature height: ~30 ft
Light: Full sun
Water need: low
Rated in: Global; Ohio / Midwest; Virginia / Mid-Atlantic; eastern US +1

On this lot

1. Fire evidence and conditions

Fire evidence: Highly flammable — location does not change the cited classification.
Fire-performance conditions: 2 conditions stated in cited fire-evidence rows.
Fire ecology context
Placement evidence: 2 source placement records; source schemes remain separate.
Evidence regions: Global; Ohio / Midwest; Virginia / Mid-Atlantic; eastern US; north-eastern and mid-Atlantic United States
Maintenance

Typed publication scope: 3 scopes across 3 cited fire sources

Combustion characteristics of north-eastern USA vegetation tested in the cone calorimeter · Official scoped edition
- Northeastern and mid-Atlantic study sites (ME, MD, MA, NY, VA footprint); partial normalized coverage · 2007-08-20
  The authors collected foliage and twigs across study sites in Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia, then conditioned and tested the samples in a cone calorimeter. FireApproved publishes 37 exact source owners only as multi-state laboratory context. The source does not establish that every taxon was sampled in every named state, whole-plant behavior, landscape suitability, or state planting guidance.
Firewise Landscaping (OSU Extension Bulletin 921) · Official scoped edition
- OH; partial normalized coverage · 2006-03-01
  Ohio State University Extension Bulletin 921 is an Ohio publication that describes Ohio fire seasons and landscape conditions and labels nativity to Ohio. FireApproved publishes 352 exact source-owning plant records from its eight rated tables. This historical publication scope does not assert current extension endorsement or that a listed plant suits every Ohio site.
Virginia Firescapes — Firewise Landscaping for Woodland Homes (430-300) · Official scoped edition
- VA; partial normalized coverage · 2009-04-15
  Virginia Cooperative Extension's publication opens with Virginia wildfire conditions, identifies its Virginia Firewise Landscaping Task Force, and labels plants native to Virginia. FireApproved publishes 306 exact source owners. Publication scope does not establish parcel suitability or current endorsement of this archived 2009 list.

2. Why this plant is relevant here

State distribution: Documented in CT, DC, DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV.
Native range: Current cited native range in CT, GA, KY, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV.
Introduced / established: 2 sourced range or established records. This is not an invasive warning.
USDA hardiness: Documented minimum 2b; no upper limit is documented.

3. Legal, ecological, and broader status

Legal-list status
Seed-list status
Reported invasive here
Broader regional context
Federal context

How to read this page

The status above is computed from the cited rows below: independent recommendations can support a fire-resistant result, an avoid row can produce keep-away, and disagreement stays visible as conflict. Placement notes preserve each source’s own scheme rather than translating unlike rules into one scale. This is evidence about a plant, not permission to plant it in every part of the defensible space; Zone 0 remains noncombustible.

Native and introduced range evidence

These are exact U.S. botanical-area records from the cited range source. Native and introduced describe biogeographic relationship, not fire performance or planting approval. Doubtful and extinct rows stay visible but do not count as current presence.

Current native

18

exact source areas

Current introduced

2

exact source areas

Qualified

0

doubtful or extinct source rows

18 native source areas · World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16 v16, as of 2026-06-04

Connecticut (CT)
Georgia (GA)
Kentucky (KY)
Massachusetts (MA)
Maryland (MD)
Maine (ME)
North Carolina (NC)
New Hampshire (NH)
New Jersey (NJ)
New York (NY)
Ohio (OH)
Pennsylvania (PA)
Rhode I. (RI)
South Carolina (SC)
Tennessee (TN)
Virginia (VA)
Vermont (VT)
West Virginia (WV)

2 introduced source areas · World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16 v16, as of 2026-06-04

Illinois (IL)
Minnesota (MN)

The lossless worldwide derivative is retained once in the research corpus; object pages repeat only exact U.S. areas needed by the local lens. The JSON twin carries the same page assertions.

Plant hardiness evidence

These values describe the plant source. Your ZIP zone comes from the separate 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Whole-zone values stay whole-zone, and a single unresolved value is not treated as a tolerance range. Different source boundaries stay separate: overlapping statements are compared independently, while only ranges with no shared zone are called a conflict.

Eastern United States Fire Performance Plant Selector · record pinus-rigida · 2016-wayback · as of 2026-08-26

Source prints 4 · single-value meaning unresolved · whole zone precision · source stated

Source taxon: Pinus rigida · exact match.

Source location: Cold Hardiness Zone field in the recovered selector record.

Not used for comparison: The recovered selector prints one Cold Hardiness Zone value but does not define it as a minimum threshold or a one-zone range.
USDA PLANTS Database — Plant Characteristics · record PIRI · PLANTS Help Document 2022; characteristics cache retrieved 2026-08-23 · as of 2026-08-26

Minimum 2b · no upper limit documented · half zone precision · derived containing band

Exact source measurement: -43°F; mapped only to its containing half-zone.

Source taxon: Pinus rigida · source identifier match.

Source location: PlantCharacteristics record 15556, Temperature, Minimum (°F).

Conditions in the fire evidence

These describe tested or rated plant material. They are not horticultural maintenance instructions.

cured: Combustion characteristics of north-eastern USA vegetation tested in the cone calorimeter evidence row
dead material: FLAMITS: FLAMmability plant traiTS database evidence row (condition method), FLAMITS: FLAMmability plant traiTS database evidence row (condition method), FLAMITS: FLAMmability plant traiTS database evidence row (condition method), FLAMITS: FLAMmability plant traiTS database evidence row (condition method), FLAMITS: FLAMmability plant traiTS database evidence row (condition method)

Where its sources say to plant it

Placement rules below use each source's own distances or named zones, tied to its rating. They are not interchangeable with the directory's current Zone 0 guidance.

Eastern United States Fire Performance Plant Selector: Landscape Zone 3 — 10–30 ft from the structure; thin vegetation, remove debris, and minimize plant massing [Fire Performance Plant Selector landscape zone] (with its avoid rating)
Firewise Landscaping: keep 30 ft from the home (Zone 3) [OSU B921 source-category siting] (with its avoid rating)

The evidence

Grouped by what each source concluded. Primary evidence rated the plant itself (a lab, field program, or original curation); corroboration compiled or republished another source's rating and resolves to its root lineage.

Avoids (4)

Eastern United States Fire Performance Plant Selector — USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area S&PF + state Firewise programs (WV, OH, PA, DE, DC, MD, NJ) · 2016-wayback · original source Primary evidence Keyed curation lineage: ufifas-srs-tree

“NOT Firewise (4)”

Adventitous needles on branches and trunk-3-4 inch needles in bundles of 2.
Firewise Landscaping (OSU Extension Bulletin 921) — Ohio State University Extension (Sydnor, Steward, Kloss / Ohio DNR Division of Forestry) · 2006 · original source Primary evidence Expert-curated lineage: ufifas-srs-tree

“H flammability”

Requires good drainage; disease resistant; irregular growth.
Virginia Firescapes — Firewise Landscaping for Woodland Homes (430-300) — Virginia Cooperative Extension / Virginia Tech (Appleton, Frenzel, Hillegass, Lyons, Steward — Virginia Firewise Landscaping Task Force) · 2009 · original source Primary evidence Expert-curated lineage: ufifas-srs-tree

“H flammability”

Requires good drainage.
Combustion characteristics of north-eastern USA vegetation tested in the cone calorimeter — International Journal of Wildland Fire (Dibble, White, Lebow) · 2007 · original source Primary evidence Lab-tested lineage: usfs-fpl-cone-tree

“high effective heat of combustion (author-named group)” · score 16.47 (AEHOC-MJ-kg) · condition: cured · original source

Conditioned foliage and twigs were tested at 25 kW/m2 in a cone calorimeter.

Listed without a rating (161)

Corroboration (161 rows from 1 source)

FLAMITS: FLAMmability plant traiTS database — Dryad / Global Ecology and Biogeography · Dryad version 9 · original source Corroboration Trait database lineage: meta-aggregator

161 cited rows from this source; its identity, lineage and tier are stated once.
- Primary study Chung2010: Chung, Y. J. (2010). Comparison of combustion properties of native wood species used for fire pots in Korea. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 16, 15-19.
  
  Shared row context: plant part wood; fuel dead; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Chung2010-1; sampling ND.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement.
    - “energy flux (kW/m²): 287.7”
      
      FLAMITS record 1187.
    - “smoke specific extinction area (m²/kg): 189.05”
      
      FLAMITS record 1195.
  - “total smoke release (m²/m²): 200.4”
    
    FLAMITS record 1191; Consumability measurement.
  - “flaming duration (s): 313”
    
    FLAMITS record 1199; Sustainability measurement.
- “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3940.96”
  
  FLAMITS record 2880; Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying yes; device calorimeter; site Dibble2007-1; sampling ND. Primary study Dibble2007: Dibble, A. C., White, R. H., & Lebow, P. K. (2007). Combustion characteristics of north-eastern USA vegetation tested in the cone calorimeter: invasive versus non-invasive plants. International journal of wildland fire, 16, 426-443.
- Primary study Kim1994: Kim, K., Jang, I., & Kim, S. (1994). Moisture content of litter layer and its combustibility by cigarette light in forests. Korean Journal of Ecology (Korea Republic), 17, 1-9.
  
  Shared row context: Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device burning bench; site Kim1994-1; sampling ND.
  - “time to flaming (s): 4.3”
    
    FLAMITS record 5682.
  - “time to flaming (s): 7.49”
    
    FLAMITS record 5690.
- Primary study Lee2009: Lee, H.-P., Lee, S.-Y., & Park, Y.-J. (2009). A study on thermal characteristics and ignitability of dead leaves and living leaves for main species of trees in Youngdong areas. Fire Science and Engineering, 23, 21-32.
  
  Shared row context: plant part leaves; predrying no; device thermal analyzer; site Lee2009-1; sampling april.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; fuel dead.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 700”
      
      FLAMITS record 6263.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3182.12”
      
      FLAMITS record 6264.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; fuel dead.
    - “temperature at flaming (°C): 248”
      
      FLAMITS record 6271.
    - “time to flaming (s): 10.99”
      
      FLAMITS record 6295.
    - “time to flaming (s): 8.81”
      
      FLAMITS record 6296.
    - “time to flaming (s): 8.07”
      
      FLAMITS record 6297.
    - “time to flaming (s): 7.49”
      
      FLAMITS record 6298.
    - “time to flaming (s): 7.82”
      
      FLAMITS record 6299.
    - “time to flaming (s): 7.04”
      
      FLAMITS record 6300.
    - “time to flaming (s): 6.57”
      
      FLAMITS record 6301.
    - “time to flaming (s): 4.84”
      
      FLAMITS record 6302.
    - “time to flaming (s): 4.04”
      
      FLAMITS record 6303.
    - “time to flaming (s): 3.5”
      
      FLAMITS record 6304.
    - “time to flaming (s): 3.32”
      
      FLAMITS record 6305.
    - “time to flaming (s): 2.63”
      
      FLAMITS record 6306.
    - “time to flaming (s): 2.58”
      
      FLAMITS record 6307.
    - “time to flaming (s): 2.19”
      
      FLAMITS record 6308.
    - “time to flaming (s): 2.07”
      
      FLAMITS record 6309.
    - “time to flaming (s): 1.89”
      
      FLAMITS record 6310.
    - “time to flaming (s): 1.65”
      
      FLAMITS record 6311.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; fuel live.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 650”
      
      FLAMITS record 6389.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 1901.29”
      
      FLAMITS record 6390.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; fuel live.
    - “temperature at flaming (°C): 305”
      
      FLAMITS record 6402.
    - “time to flaming (s): 7.29”
      
      FLAMITS record 6440.
    - “time to flaming (s): 6.88”
      
      FLAMITS record 6441.
    - “time to flaming (s): 5.86”
      
      FLAMITS record 6442.
    - “time to flaming (s): 5.13”
      
      FLAMITS record 6443.
    - “time to flaming (s): 5.08”
      
      FLAMITS record 6444.
    - “time to flaming (s): 4.37”
      
      FLAMITS record 6445.
    - “time to flaming (s): 4.31”
      
      FLAMITS record 6446.
    - “time to flaming (s): 4.26”
      
      FLAMITS record 6447.
    - “time to flaming (s): 4.18”
      
      FLAMITS record 6448.
    - “time to flaming (s): 3.94”
      
      FLAMITS record 6449.
    - “time to flaming (s): 3.25”
      
      FLAMITS record 6450.
    - “time to flaming (s): 3.11”
      
      FLAMITS record 6451.
    - “time to flaming (s): 3.03”
      
      FLAMITS record 6452.
    - “time to flaming (s): 2.56”
      
      FLAMITS record 6453.
    - “time to flaming (s): 2.22”
      
      FLAMITS record 6454.
    - “time to flaming (s): 1.93”
      
      FLAMITS record 6455.
    - “time to flaming (s): 1.87”
      
      FLAMITS record 6456.
  - “burnt biomass (%): 97.8”
    
    FLAMITS record 6512; Consumability measurement; fuel dead.
  - “burnt biomass (%): 68.48”
    
    FLAMITS record 6513; Consumability measurement; fuel live.
- Primary study Varner2021: Varner, J. M., Kane, J. M., Kreye, J. K., & Shearman, T. M. (2021). Litter Flammability of 50 Southeastern North American Tree Species: Evidence for Mesophication Gradients Across Multiple Ecosystems. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 4, 727042. Primary-study method: freshly fallen litter was oven-dried at 50–60°C for at least 24 hours to constant mass; each trial used a 15 g dry litter fuelbed, with five to seven trials per species.
  
  Shared row context: plant part litter; fuel all; predrying yes; device burning bench; site Varner2021-1; sampling ND.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement.
    - “flame height (cm): 85.5” · condition: dead material · condition method: Materials and Methods, Laboratory Burning
      
      FLAMITS record 13648.
    - “flame intensity (kW/m): 402” · condition: dead material · condition method: Materials and Methods, Laboratory Burning
      
      FLAMITS record 13652.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement.
    - “flaming duration (s): 89” · condition: dead material · condition method: Materials and Methods, Laboratory Burning
      
      FLAMITS record 13649.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 153” · condition: dead material · condition method: Materials and Methods, Laboratory Burning
      
      FLAMITS record 13650.
  - “burnt biomass (%): 87” · condition: dead material · condition method: Materials and Methods, Laboratory Burning
    
    FLAMITS record 13651; Consumability measurement.
- Primary study Kane2022: Kane, J. M., Gallagher, M. R., Varner, J. M. & Skowronski, N. S. (2022). Evidence of local adaptation in litter flammability of a widespread fire-adaptive pine. Journal of Ecology, 110, 1138 1148.
  
  Shared row context: plant part litter; fuel live; predrying yes; device burning bench; sampling september to october.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; site Kane2022-1.
    - “flame height (cm): 71.66666667”
      
      FLAMITS record 14839.
    - “flame height (cm): 68.22222222”
      
      FLAMITS record 14840.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; site Kane2022-1.
    - “flaming duration (s): 131.4444444”
      
      FLAMITS record 14841.
    - “flaming duration (s): 131.1111111”
      
      FLAMITS record 14842.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 135.5555556”
      
      FLAMITS record 14843.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 141”
      
      FLAMITS record 14844.
  - Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; site Kane2022-1.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 87.74348165”
      
      FLAMITS record 14845.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 85.16034608”
      
      FLAMITS record 14846.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; site Kane2022-2.
    - “flame height (cm): 71.8”
      
      FLAMITS record 14847.
    - “flame height (cm): 66.88888889”
      
      FLAMITS record 14848.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; site Kane2022-2.
    - “flaming duration (s): 127.8”
      
      FLAMITS record 14849.
    - “flaming duration (s): 119.1111111”
      
      FLAMITS record 14850.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 145.8”
      
      FLAMITS record 14851.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 151.3333333”
      
      FLAMITS record 14852.
  - Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; site Kane2022-2.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 88.18176642”
      
      FLAMITS record 14853.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 86.30469073”
      
      FLAMITS record 14854.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; site Kane2022-3.
    - “flame height (cm): 62.1”
      
      FLAMITS record 14855.
    - “flame height (cm): 65.2”
      
      FLAMITS record 14856.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; site Kane2022-3.
    - “flaming duration (s): 122.4”
      
      FLAMITS record 14857.
    - “flaming duration (s): 142.7”
      
      FLAMITS record 14858.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 133.8”
      
      FLAMITS record 14859.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 136.9”
      
      FLAMITS record 14860.
  - Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; site Kane2022-3.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 88.01699119”
      
      FLAMITS record 14861.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 87.35160426”
      
      FLAMITS record 14862.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; site Kane2022-4.
    - “flame height (cm): 71.4”
      
      FLAMITS record 14863.
    - “flame height (cm): 63.1”
      
      FLAMITS record 14864.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; site Kane2022-4.
    - “flaming duration (s): 120”
      
      FLAMITS record 14865.
    - “flaming duration (s): 142.3”
      
      FLAMITS record 14866.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 155.4”
      
      FLAMITS record 14867.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 139.5”
      
      FLAMITS record 14868.
  - Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; site Kane2022-4.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 88.06926314”
      
      FLAMITS record 14869.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 86.27965631”
      
      FLAMITS record 14870.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; site Kane2022-5.
    - “flame height (cm): 74.66666667”
      
      FLAMITS record 14871.
    - “flame height (cm): 61.7”
      
      FLAMITS record 14872.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; site Kane2022-5.
    - “flaming duration (s): 119.3333333”
      
      FLAMITS record 14873.
    - “flaming duration (s): 140.4”
      
      FLAMITS record 14874.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 169.6666667”
      
      FLAMITS record 14875.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 139.7”
      
      FLAMITS record 14876.
  - Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; site Kane2022-5.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 88.89113758”
      
      FLAMITS record 14877.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 86.20275405”
      
      FLAMITS record 14878.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; site Kane2022-6.
    - “flame height (cm): 66.9”
      
      FLAMITS record 14879.
    - “flame height (cm): 64.55555556”
      
      FLAMITS record 14880.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; site Kane2022-6.
    - “flaming duration (s): 132.6”
      
      FLAMITS record 14881.
    - “flaming duration (s): 133.2222222”
      
      FLAMITS record 14882.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 171.1”
      
      FLAMITS record 14883.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 153.3333333”
      
      FLAMITS record 14884.
  - Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; site Kane2022-6.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 87.26723954”
      
      FLAMITS record 14885.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 86.40999613”
      
      FLAMITS record 14886.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; site Kane2022-7.
    - “flame height (cm): 71.11111111”
      
      FLAMITS record 14887.
    - “flame height (cm): 70.3”
      
      FLAMITS record 14888.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; site Kane2022-7.
    - “flaming duration (s): 122.3333333”
      
      FLAMITS record 14889.
    - “flaming duration (s): 128.5”
      
      FLAMITS record 14890.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 205.3333333”
      
      FLAMITS record 14891.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 125”
      
      FLAMITS record 14892.
  - Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; site Kane2022-7.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 88.8992299”
      
      FLAMITS record 14893.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 87.58504846”
      
      FLAMITS record 14894.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; site Kane2022-8.
    - “flame height (cm): 70.5”
      
      FLAMITS record 14895.
    - “flame height (cm): 62.4”
      
      FLAMITS record 14896.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; site Kane2022-8.
    - “flaming duration (s): 118.7”
      
      FLAMITS record 14897.
    - “flaming duration (s): 128.3”
      
      FLAMITS record 14898.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 154.8”
      
      FLAMITS record 14899.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 113.5”
      
      FLAMITS record 14900.
  - Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; site Kane2022-8.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 89.0618652”
      
      FLAMITS record 14901.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 86.0507522”
      
      FLAMITS record 14902.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; site Kane2022-9.
    - “flame height (cm): 62.3”
      
      FLAMITS record 14903.
    - “flame height (cm): 68.3”
      
      FLAMITS record 14904.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; site Kane2022-9.
    - “flaming duration (s): 123.7”
      
      FLAMITS record 14905.
    - “flaming duration (s): 134.8”
      
      FLAMITS record 14906.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 126.9”
      
      FLAMITS record 14907.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 166.8”
      
      FLAMITS record 14908.
  - Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; site Kane2022-9.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 88.19644312”
      
      FLAMITS record 14909.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 88.20969601”
      
      FLAMITS record 14910.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; site Kane2022-10.
    - “flame height (cm): 66”
      
      FLAMITS record 14911.
    - “flame height (cm): 70.9”
      
      FLAMITS record 14912.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; site Kane2022-10.
    - “flaming duration (s): 126.3333333”
      
      FLAMITS record 14913.
    - “flaming duration (s): 122.7”
      
      FLAMITS record 14914.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 149.8888889”
      
      FLAMITS record 14915.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 152”
      
      FLAMITS record 14916.
  - Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; site Kane2022-10.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 88.49972712”
      
      FLAMITS record 14917.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 87.00856978”
      
      FLAMITS record 14918.
- “smouldering duration (s): 242”
  
  FLAMITS record 15762; Sustainability measurement; plant part litter; fuel all; predrying yes; device burning bench; site Varner2022-21; sampling ND. Primary study Varner2022: Varner, J. M., Shearman, T. M., Kane, J. M., Banwell, E., Jules, E., & Stambaugh, M. (2022). Understanding flammability and bark thickness in the genus Pinus using a phylogenetic approach. Scientific Reports, 12, 7384.
- Primary study Thomas2013: Thomas, J., Simeoni, A., Gallacher, M., & Skowronski, N. (2013). An Experimental Study Evaluating the Burning Dynamics of Pitch Pine Needle Beds Using the FPA. Fire Safety Science - Proceedings of the eleventh International Symposium 11th conference. Christchurch, New Zealand.
  
  Shared row context: plant part leaves; device calorimeter; site Thomas2013-1; sampling ND.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; fuel dead; predrying yes.
    - “time to flaming (s): 60.1”
      
      FLAMITS record 17268.
    - “time to flaming (s): 64.1”
      
      FLAMITS record 17269.
    - “time to flaming (s): 120”
      
      FLAMITS record 17270.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; fuel live; predrying no.
    - “time to flaming (s): 213.15”
      
      FLAMITS record 17271.
    - “time to flaming (s): 241.64”
      
      FLAMITS record 17272.
    - “time to flaming (s): 255.89”
      
      FLAMITS record 17273.
    - “time to flaming (s): 49.86”
      
      FLAMITS record 17274.
    - “time to flaming (s): 63.01”
      
      FLAMITS record 17275.
    - “time to flaming (s): 53.15”
      
      FLAMITS record 17276.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; fuel dead; predrying yes.
    - “maximum energy release rate (kW): 3.91”
      
      FLAMITS record 17277.
    - “maximum energy release rate (kW): 7.75”
      
      FLAMITS record 17278.
    - “maximum energy release rate (kW): 14.27”
      
      FLAMITS record 17279.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; fuel live; predrying no.
    - “maximum energy release rate (kW): 2.84”
      
      FLAMITS record 17280.
    - “maximum energy release rate (kW): 4.26”
      
      FLAMITS record 17281.
    - “maximum energy release rate (kW): 5.57”
      
      FLAMITS record 17282.
    - “maximum energy release rate (kW): 2.3”
      
      FLAMITS record 17283.
    - “maximum energy release rate (kW): 2.71”
      
      FLAMITS record 17284.
    - “maximum energy release rate (kW): 4.08”
      
      FLAMITS record 17285.
- Primary study Kreye2023: Kreye, J. K., Kane, J. M., & Varner, J. M. (2023). Multivariate roles of litter traits on moisture and flammability of temperate northeastern North American tree species. Fire Ecology, 19, 1-12.
  
  Shared row context: plant part litter; fuel live; predrying no; device burning bench; site Kreye2023-1; sampling ND.
  - “flame height (cm): 60”
    
    FLAMITS record 18744; Combustibility measurement.
  - “time to flaming (s): 104”
    
    FLAMITS record 18745; Ignitability measurement.
  - “smouldering duration (s): 172”
    
    FLAMITS record 18746; Sustainability measurement.
  - “burnt biomass (%): 85”
    
    FLAMITS record 18747; Consumability measurement.
- Primary study Chung2008: Chung, Y. J., & Spearpoint, M. (2008). Combustion properties of native Korean wood species. International Journal on Engineering Performance-Based Fire Codes, 9, 11825.
  
  Shared row context: plant part wood; fuel dead; predrying yes; device calorimeter; site Chung2008-1; sampling ND.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement.
    - “energy flux (kW/m²): 150.7”
      
      FLAMITS record 19209.
    - “smoke specific extinction area (m²/kg): 51.55”
      
      FLAMITS record 19217.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 2928.25”
      
      FLAMITS record 19221.
  - “flaming duration (s): 313”
    
    FLAMITS record 19213; Sustainability measurement.

Fire-resistant trees instead

northern red oak
Quercus rubra

American basswood
Tilia americana

red maple
Acer rubrum

black cherry
Prunus serotina

white oak
Quercus alba

American beech
Fagus grandifolia

Fire-resistant trees listed above

Guides that discuss this plant

Last verified 2026-08-23. JSON (CC BY 4.0)

Profiles: USDA PLANTS · GBIF · iNaturalist · Wikidata · Wikipedia · ITIS

Pinus rigida (Pitch pine). FireApproved. https://fireapproved.com/plants/pinus-rigida/. Last verified 2026-08-23.

1. Fire evidence and conditions

2. Why this plant is relevant here

3. Legal, ecological, and broader status

Native and introduced range evidence

18

2

0

Plant hardiness evidence

Conditions in the fire evidence

Where its sources say to plant it

The evidence

Avoids (4)

Related plants

Fire-resistant trees instead

Guides that discuss this plant