The Longleaf Pine trunk has scaly, coarse, light, orange-brown bark with upright branches forming an oval, open crown. The flexible, dark green needles are up to 18" long, and the large, spiny cones are up to 10" long and may persist on the tree for two years. For the first five to seven years, the pine stays in a tufted, grass-like stage after germination, growing slowly while the root system develops. Following the grass stage, it grows at a medium to fast rate. The inch long clusters of new growth are silver white during the winter. The roots are sensitive to disturbance during construction.