Loblolly Pine

Sun. Evergreen. (Not recommended for Bexar County.) The absence of pines in the San Antonio area is a lesson in different soil types and how they occur. Loblolly is one of the most drought-tolerant of native pines (these are the pines seen at Bastrop State Park.) But they’re often a sign of sandier, acidic lowland soil with an above-average capacity to retain moisture and organic content. Isolated pockets of wild pines do occur around La Vernia and beyond, but local soil alkalinity in Bexar County is mostly unfavorable to even the hardiest of native pines.

In Old British English, the name Loblolly translates roughly to “Bubbling Porridge” and provides a clue to the species’ preferred soil texture.