SOUTHERN YELLOW PINE

What is Southern Pine (or Southern Yellow Pine (SYP)? According to the handbook Utilization of the Southern Pines, published by the USDA Forest Service, Southern Pine is defined as those species whose major range is in the United States south of the Mason-Dixon line and east of the Great Plains. There are 10 species, all “hard” pines – diploxylon (hard needled) members of the genus Pinus.

 

The four principal species – loblolly, shortleaf, longleaf and slash – make up 90% of the Southern Pine timber inventory and are referred to commercially as “Southern Pine” or “Southern Yellow Pine”. “Mixed Southern Pine” includes the minor species of Virginia pine and Pond pine.

Southern Pine has the highest specific gravity of all common structural lumber species, providing superior fastener-holding power and load-bearing capacity.

 

Southern Pine provides great value in a wide variety of applications: from framing a house to building a deck, Southern Pine is a dependable product for any project. They are also used for wooden roller coasters and are most used for utility poles.

 

Southern Pine lumber has been popular since Colonial times and remains the preferred choice for today’s design/build professionals in the United States.