Red Pine is a tree, a long-term addition to the landscape. It's hardy across USDA zones 3 through 5 and shrugs off deer. It roots deep, which helps it reach moisture in a dry spell and open up tight soil as it establishes.
Red Pine — the short answer
Red Pine: grown in zones 3–5, full sun, pH 4.5–6.5.
- USDA zones
- 3–5
- Hardy to zone 3a — Oregon State University Landscape Plants; USDA PLANTS Database (-43 °F, converted).
- Soil pH
- 4.5–6.5
- FAO ECOCROP
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Growable Ground Plant Database
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Score Red Pine on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether red pine actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score red pine against your land's real conditions.
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What Red Pine is
Red Pine grows as a perennial and reaches around 80 feet at maturity. It blooms brown in spring. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Red Pine
Red Pine grows in USDA zones 3 through 5. Red Pine does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.5 to 6.5, on well-drained ground.
USDA Zones
3-5
Rated hardy to zone 3a by Oregon State University Landscape Plants; USDA PLANTS Database lists -43 °F, converted to zone 3a, checked Oct 2026. Ceiling: not verified.
Soil pH
4.5 - 6.5
FAO ECOCROP
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Minimum Growing Temperature
60.8°F
Below this it stops growing rather than dies — a pace limit, not a survival limit.
FAO ECOCROP
Mature Height
80 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Plant it right
Set red pine in full sun with well-drained soil.
Match the soil
Red Pine prefers pH 4.5 to 6.5 (FAO ECOCROP). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Shape it while it is young
Prune red pine only to remove dead, damaged or crossing branches while it is young; it is grown for its form, not a harvest, so little more is needed once it settles in.
Where Red Pine thrives
Red Pine is hardy across USDA zones 3 through 5. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 3–5 spans average winter lows from -40°F to -10°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers 3 outright and splits 30 more down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 3–5·Where Red Pine growsOpen map →
This map is derived from the USDA ARS / PRISM Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) and is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Where Red Pine stands, state by state
Red Pine is rated for zones 3–5 — a cold floor USDA puts at -40 to -30°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 3 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 30 more, and 18 sit outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
Fully inside zones 3–5
3 states
- Minnesota · zones 3a-5a
- North Dakota · zones 3b-4b
- South Dakota · zones 4a-5b
The line runs through
30 states
3 of 30 shown
Red Pine’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
Outside zones 3–5
18 states
- Arkansas · zones 6b-8b
- Connecticut · zones 6a-7b
- Kentucky · zones 6a-7b
3 of 18 shown
Warmer than the zone 5 end of its range. Each link is that state’s own growing hub.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around Red Pine
Growing guides for red pine
Good to know
Red Pine isn't classified as a notable pollinator plant in our data — pair it with high-value bloomers nearby to feed bees.
Your land is one point inside Red Pine's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Red Pine will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether red pine actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
How we know this about Red Pine
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Red Pine in my zone?
Red Pine grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 5 (Rated hardy to zone 3a by Oregon State University Landscape Plants; USDA PLANTS Database lists -43 °F, converted to zone 3a, checked Oct 2026. Ceiling: not verified.). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Red Pine?
Set red pine out in early spring or fall while it's dormant, so the roots establish before the heat of summer. Your local last-frost date — which a Growable Ground report pulls for your exact address — sets the precise window.
How much sun does Red Pine need?
Red Pine needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Red Pine need?
Red Pine prefers soil pH 4.5 to 6.5, on well-drained ground (FAO ECOCROP). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Red Pine attract pollinators?
Red Pine isn't classified as a notable pollinator plant in our data. Pairing it with high-value bloomers nearby keeps bees and butterflies fed.
Keep exploring Red Pine
Red Pine state by state
Every state red pine's zone reaches — 16 link straight to that state's red pine growing page; the rest open the state's full growing guide.