pine tree id driving me crazy!!!

[whiting-5]

took a quick road trip down past atlanta yesterday there wher so many kinds of pine trees around. but one really got my attention they were really different of course i did not have camera .so im going to desribe as best as i can maybe some of you ga. boys might know.

about 30 - 50 feet tall
tree was not shaped like christmas tree
the branches were quite longbut very bare.
the ends of the branches had large ball or like watermelon shape type neadles that were quite long like 6 - 10 inches. at the end while rest of branch was bare

i know this is a long shot but thought id try may have to go back down ther.

 

[barkies]

Longleaf Pine growing in the open????

Thats my guess

 

[kamcbrayer]

I got no clue. I live in Atlanta and have traveled throughout Georgia. There's about a dozen different types of pines here in GA. Your description isn't thorough enough for me to make my decision on which one it might be. Next timer take pictures.

 

[Blake22]

Longleaf Pine growing in the open????

Thats my guess

That's what I would guess too. If the needles are 10 inches what else could it be. They are "butt-ugly" out in the open and usually much shorter.

 

[kamcbrayer]

Any chance of it being southern magnolia or Magnolia grandiflora?

They have the watermelon shaped leaf as described, grow near Atlanta and the fruit could be mistaken for pine cones if traveling at 75 mph.

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=56

HA! That's gotta be it