Pinus × sondereggeri

Pinus × sondereggeri is the only named southern pine hybrid. Its common names include Sonderegger pine and bastard pine. It is a naturally occurring cross between loblolly pine (P. taeda) and longleaf pine (P. palustris). It was originally described by H. H. Chapman (1922), who named it after its discoverer, V. H. Sonderegger, a state forester of Louisiana. This pine usually occurs singly or in small groups where both loblolly and longleaf pines overlap in range. Because both parental trees usually produce cones at the same time of year, no phenological barrier exists, thus the two freely cross. Tree characteristics are normally intermediate between loblolly and longleaf. Sonderegger pine is not resistant to fusiform rust like its parent, longleaf pine. Because this hybrid pine possesses heavy limbs and long-needled foliage like the longleaf pine, one may confuse Sonderegger pine with longleaf pine. However, the striped brown bud of Sonderegger pine is a distinguishing characteris......read more on Wikipedia.