Associate Professor with Auburn University, Becky Barlow, introduces the loblolly pine which is valued for timber because it is a fast-growing pine species that gains height and width before other trees within the stand can compete. Loblolly is most easily recognized by its needle structure. The needles are in groups of three and run along the length of the branches. Its bark is thinner and flakes off easily, in part due to its failure to adapt to fire. Loblolly pine is best suited for low-lying, marshy regions. It consumes nutrients and water quickly and will not flourish on higher ground with rocky soil. If loblolly is planted on higher ground, there is a good chance that it will eventually produce an abundance of pine cones as a last effort to establish new seedlings before the tree dies. While loblolly pine needles are frequently raked for straw, it is the longleaf pine needle that is the most highly prized for pine straw yard cover.