Usually only trees that are to be the final crop are pruned, averaging about 100 trees per acre. Trees can be pruned in three stages with the first pruning at 8 feet, the second at 13 feet, and the last at 17 feet. Pruning should leave half the height of the tree in live crown. These plantations provide cover for deer and other animals during the winter months. Stop 22 - Pitch Pine Pitch pine is an interesting tree.
Fire is responsible for maintaining large stands of pitch pine in the wild.
The cones often remain unopened on the trees until a forest fire, when they will open, shedding their seeds. This pine is important to wildlife. White-tailed deer and rabbits browse the young sprouts and seedlings. Seed crops are important in the diet of the pine warbler, pine grosbeak, and black-capped chickadee. Hybrid poplar trees are started from one-year stem cuttings taken from parent trees, thus the tree is genetically identical to the parent.