The 2022 Southeast Longleaf Pine Cone Crop Report (pdf) prepared by Drs. John Willis and Dale Brockway of the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station predicts that the regional cone crop for 2022 will be “fair” with an average of 41 cones per tree. The 2022 results were highly spatially variable, with some areas reporting a “bumper” crop and other areas reporting a “failed” crop in the upcoming fall. The Cone Crop Report is based on cone count observations from 11 participating sites in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Cone counts provide an indication of the potential for longleaf pine natural regeneration in the fall. Forest managers and private landowners can use the report to plan for activities in the summer and early fall that may increase bare ground and facilitate longleaf seed germination.