Endemic to the southern Appalachians, Table Mountain Pine is fairly common on dry, rocky ridges in the Mountains and upper Piedmont of North Carolina.

Hanging Rock, Stokes Co., NC 5/27/12.

Tending towards being short and squat, the tree's form is usually rounded with many arching branches. Not the best form for lumber, but it is ornamental.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/3/06.

Pilot Mountain, Surry Co., NC 6/14/09.

The prickles on the cones are very stout. Cones are attached directly to the branches.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/27/09.

Like the more common and widespread Virginia Pine, the leaves are short and come two in a fascicle, but the large, stout, ovoid female cones are quite different from the smaller cones of Virginia Pine.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/3/06.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/3/06.

Cones are usually clustered.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/3/06.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/3/06.

Immature cones.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/3/06.

The bark on branches is reddish-brown and flaky.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/3/06.

The bark on trunks is dark gray-brown and scaly.

Alleghany Co., NC 5/29/05.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/3/06.