Complete the worksheet! Family: Pine (Pinaceae) Height: 40 - 80' Tree: single straight trunk, dead lower branches fall off soon after dying, broad round crown Needle: clustered needles, 2 per cluster, 4 - 6" long; each needle is straight, brittle, pointed, breaks when bent, dark green Bark: reddish brown, becoming redder higher up, many flat scales or plates Cone: green, turning brown at maturity, 2 - 3" long, containing many small brown nutlets Origin/Age: MN Native; 150-200 years Habitat: dry sandy soils, often in pure stands, sun Range: northeastern two-thirds of the state, frequently in mass plantings. Interesting Facts: The official state tree of Minnesota. Very impressive when seen in large pure stands. Often planted for Christmas trees. Also called Norway Pine because early settlers confused the tree with the Norway Spruce of Northern Europe. Often confused with Austrian Pine, which has needles as long but which bend without breaking cleanly. Common name comes from its reddish bark. The scaly bark peels off the mature tree and lies at its base, resembling scattered jigsaw puzzle pieces. Branches occur in whorls around the trunk. Cones remain on the tree for several years. Heavy seed crops every four to seven years. Needs a fire to expose mineral soils for seeds to germinate. Used in reforestation projects. Explore the tree species of Central Park!