LEAVES: Needles in clusters of 2, 2″-4″ long, light bluish-green, stout and very stiff, twisted and sharp-pointed, tufted at the ends of branches, persisting 2-3 years.
TWIGS: Stout, rather brittle, at first smooth and light orange to purplish, later rather rough and dark brown.
FRUIT: Cones 3″-4″ long, sessile, in whorls of 2-7, oblique at the base, light brown, egg-shaped. Cone scales much thickened and tipped with a strong, curved spine.
BARK: Dark reddish-brown, roughened by shallow fissures into irregular plates which peel off in thin films.
GENERAL: Attains a height of 30′-40′ on dry, rocky and gravelly slopes and ridge tops in the southcentral and southeastern counties. Not usually used for lumber due to its small size, it can display aggressive growth suited to protecting rocky slopes from erosion.
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