A tree 50 to 70 ft high in this country, rarely twice as high in nature, with somewhat pendulous branches; young shoots deep yellowish brown, not downy; winter-buds resinous, conical, 5⁄8 in. long. Leaves in pairs, semi-terete, 5 to 61⁄2 in. long, falling the fourth year, and leaving the branchlets rough with the remains of the prominences on which each bundle was seated, dark lustrous green, minutely toothed on the margin; densely crowded on the branchlets, so that each year’s crop is continuous with the preceding one; leaf-sheaths 5⁄8 to 7⁄8 in. long, persistent. Cones egg-shaped, 2 to 21⁄4 in. long, 1 to 11⁄4 in. wide before opening; pale shining brown, scarcely stalked; scales unarmed.
Native of eastern N. America from Newfoundland and Nova Scotia south to Pennsylvania, west (in both the USA and Canada) to the region of the Great Lakes and slightly beyond; introduced in 1756 by the Duke of Northumberland. It is a handsome pine as seen in its native country and yields a useful timber. It belongs to the same group as P. sylvestris, P. thunbergii, and P. nigra, but is only likely to be confused with the last-named, which has a denser, more horizontal branching. The distinction given by Rehder is that the leaves of P. resinosa snap when bent, while those of P. nigra do not.