Insects, disease and fire can kill or reduce the growth of sand pine. The pines pictured here may have been victims of a fire , as a short distance southwest of here we saw a large area containing burned trunks and dead trees. The bark of a mature sand pine is thin, thus it is susceptible to hot fires. Although fire can kill mature sand pine, fire is needed to release seeds from cones. A prickly pear cactus and bloom.
Prickly pear has fleshy, flattened pads covered with clusters of fine sharp spikes.
In Florida, its flowers generally blossom in all but the winter months. The flowers produce red fruits, which are edible after carefully removing the spikes. Prickly pear is commonly found in sandy clearings, scrubs and pinelands throughout Florida. It is Florida's most widespread and abundant native cactus. Along the Sand Pine Nature Trail , saw palmetto is the most predominant plant growing in the understory of the sand pine scrub .