This largely Appalachian tree has been planted in some other parts of Ky. for "reclamation" of eroded soils or for horticultural interest, especially during the 1930s. Records that are probably from naturalized trees, or perhaps adventive from native populations in nearby counties, are included as uncertain records in the map (open dots). There are rare self-sown trees scattered in hilly parts of the Bluegrass region, but these are probably all dispersed from nearby plantings. The species is a relatively short-lived pine that is a rapid invader of old fields and other disturbed sites. However, its seedlings are much more sensitive to fire that those of echinata and rigida, which are able to resprout from roots after top-kill. P. virginiana has cones with relatively narrow lance-ovoid shape that are similar to those of echinata (FNA 2), except for strong purplish red to brown color on margins of upper scale surfaces (as in rigida); also the terminal prickle is relatively slender (but not downcurved as in rigida). Its leaves are in bundles of 2 (versus 2(3) in echinata or 3(5) in rigida), strongly twisted (versus somewhat twisted as in rigida to not at all in echinata), only 2-8 cm long (versus 5-15 cm), ca. 1-1.5 mm thick (as in rigida but more than echinata), and deep green (as in rigida) to pale yellowish green. The basal bark of mature trees is particularly distinctive (FNA 2): gray-brown with irregular, scaly-plated ridges (versus red-brown with scaly plates in echinata or broad ridges in rigida); twigs are similar to echinata. The state "cochampions" (KDF 2020) are reported from BREA (52 cm dbh, 26 m tall, 11 m wide) and METC (54 cm dbh, 26 m tall, 10 m wide). Other large trees, with dbh of about 50-60 cm are located in front of the lodge at Lake Cumberland State Park in RUSS (pers. obs.).