Scientific Name
Pinus glabra
Trade Name
Spruce pine
Family Name
Betulaceae
Common Names
Cedar pine, Pine, Spruce pine, Walter pine
Regions of Distribution
North America
Countries of Distribution [VIEW MAP]
United States
Environmental Profile
| Some long-term concern for the species | ||||||||||||
| May be rare in some parts of its range | ||||||||||||
| Generally widespread, secure, and abundant within most of its range | ||||||||||||
| Data source is Nature Conservancy |
Distribution Overview
The least common of the southeastern United States pines, the species occurs singly or in groups on the low terraces in a mixture with hardwoods and with Loblolly and Shortleaf pines. Its natural growth range is the coastal plains from eastern South Carolina to northern Florida and west to southeastern Lousiana. Spruce pine is often a minor component of mixed swamp forests, and prefers moist lowland soils, particularly along rivers. It grows from sea level to elevations of up to 500 feet (152 m).
Heartwood Color
| White | ||||||||||||
| Ages to dark rich shade of reddish-brown upon exposure |
Sapwood Color
| White | ||||||||||||
| Whitish |
Grain
| Even | ||||||||||||
| Straight |
| Straight |
Texture
| Medium | ||||||||||||
| Fine |
Natural Durability
| Susceptible to insect attack | ||||||||||||
| Non-resistant to termites | ||||||||||||
| Non-durable | ||||||||||||
| Perishable | ||||||||||||
| Non-resistant to marine borers | ||||||||||||
| Moderately durable | ||||||||||||
| Resistant to powder post beetles |
Odor
| No specific smell or taste |
Ease of Drying
| Fairly Easy | ||||||||||||
| Rapidly |
Kiln Drying Rate
| Naturally dries quickly | ||||||||||||
| Rapid | ||||||||||||
| Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast |
Tree Size
| Tree height is 30-40 m | ||||||||||||
| Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm | ||||||||||||
| Bole length is 10-20 m |
Boring
| Fair to good results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly easy to very easy |
Cutting Resistance
| Easy to saw |
Gluing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Mortising
| Poor to Very Poor Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Moulding
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Movement in Service
| Fair to Good Stability – Medium Movement |
Nailing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Very Good to Excellent Results |
Planing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Poor to Very Poor Results |
Resistance to Impregnation
| Permeable sapwood | ||||||||||||
| Permeable heartwood | ||||||||||||
| Moderate resistant to attack by decay causing organisms |
Response to Hand Tools
| Easy to Work |
Sanding
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Turning
| Poor to Very Poor Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
Strength Properties
| Soft wood, with surfaces denting easily | ||||||||||||
| Medium bending strength in the air-dry condition (about 12% moisture content) | ||||||||||||
| Compression strength (parallel to grain) = medium |
Numerical Data
| Item | Green | Dry | English |
| Bending Strength | 5880 | 10192 | psi |
| Crushing Strength | 274 | 715 | psi |
| Hardness | 647 | lbs | |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 2783 | 5537 | psi |
| Shearing Strength | 1460 | psi | |
| Stiffness | 980 | 1205 | 1000 psi |
| Specific Gravity | 0.38 | 0.4 | |
| Item | Green | Dry | Metric |
| Bending Strength | 413 | 716 | kg/cm2 |
| Crushing Strength | 19 | 50 | kg/cm2 |
| Hardness | 293 | kg | |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 195 | 389 | kg/cm2 |
| Shearing Strength | 102 | kg/cm2 | |
| Stiffness | 68 | 84 | 1000 kg/cm2 |
References
Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois and E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Madison, Wisconsin.
Little, E.L. 1980. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees – Eastern Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.
Mirov, N.T. 1967. The Genus PINUS. The Ronald Press Company, New York. LCC Card No. 67-14783.
Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. 1980. Textbook of Wood Technology, 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.
USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook – Wood as an Engineering Material, Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 72, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.
USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin