Length

• Longleaf pine leaves are already more than a foot tall in the youth stage. Once the tree is full grown, longleaf pine needles are about 9-inches long. Japanese black pine leaves, which are a darker green than the longleaf variety, grow to be between 3- and 5-inches long.
  
  

Growth Patterns

• Pine leaves grow in different formations depending on the tree type. For instance, the leaves of the mugo pine grow in pairs, similar to the Virginia pine. Slash pine needles are seen in paired clusters as well, but also grow in groups of three; the loblolly pine boasts clusters of three needles.
  
  

Color

• Pine tree leaves vary in color, from light or medium green to deeper greens and even blues. The Japanese white pine displays needles that are blue or blue-green in color, while the leaves of the Japanese umbrella pine are a dark green shade. Trees with lighter colored leaves include the white pine, which has light bluish-green needles.