jack pine

References

jack pine

tree

Also known as: Pinus banksiana

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Last updated

June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

The jack pine (Pinus banksiana) is a slender pine tree native to northern North America. It is characterized by having two stout needles in each fascicle. The wood from this tree is primarily used for pulpwood.1

In the taiga biome, the jack pine is a relatively small, short-lived tree that appears early in the succession of forest growth. It is found in the eastern and central parts of the taiga, east of the Rocky Mountains. The jack pine is also host to the jack-pine sawfly, a larva that can seriously defoliate pine trees.23

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conservation
Fire control
…shrubs below living branches of jack pines (Pinus banksiana) that are between 5 and 20 years old. The region’s natural wildfires originally maintained a sufficient area of young jack pines. As elsewhere, modern practices suppressed fires, and the habitat declined. The birds are also susceptible to cowbirds, which are parasitic…
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…shrubs below living branches of jack pines (Pinus banksiana) that are between 5 and 20 years old. The region’s natural wildfires originally maintained a sufficient area of young jack pines. As elsewhere, modern practices suppressed fires, and the habitat declined. The birds are also susceptible to cowbirds, which are parasitic…
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community ecology
Ecological niches
It nests only among young jack pines (Pinus banksiana) that are 2 to 4 metres (6.5 to 13 feet) tall and grow in homogenous stands. These trees are exposed to periodic fires, necessary for germination of the jack pine seeds. These fires also continuously provide extensive new regions of young…
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It nests only among young jack pines (Pinus banksiana) that are 2 to 4 metres (6.5 to 13 feet) tall and grow in homogenous stands. These trees are exposed to periodic fires, necessary for germination of the jack pine seeds. These fires also continuously provide extensive new regions of young…
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secondary succession
For example, the jack pine (Pinus banksiana), a tree species common in the northeastern U.S. and Canada, requires heat from a wildfire to open its cones (strobili) before seeds can be spread for new growth.
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For example, the jack pine (Pinus banksiana), a tree species common in the northeastern U.S. and Canada, requires heat from a wildfire to open its cones (strobili) before seeds can be spread for new growth.
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