Like all pines, the pitch pine has needles in bundles, in this case in bundles of three. It is a medium-sized tree with needles 3 to 5 3⁄4 inches long. These needles are coarse, stiff and many of them are slightly twisted. They are 1⁄18 inch wide or more. The needle sheaths are relatively small - 1⁄8 to 5⁄8 inches long. The seed cones are stout and 1.5-3 inches long. They remain on the tree long after dropping their seeds. The cone scales are tipped with thorns up to 1⁄8 inch long. Pollen cones are smaller and are produced in clusters at the base of new twig growth.

The tree may grow to a height of 50-70 feet and have a trunk diameter of 1-2 feet. The only other eastern trees with needles in bundles of three are the swamp pine, the loblolly pine, and the longleaf pine. The latter two are southern species. The swamp pine has longer needles, no cone thorns, and longer needle sheaths. Only the pitch pine has a native range in Pennsylvania, though it is more common in the New Jersey Pine Barrens and in other Atlantic coastal regions.

The pitch pine is capable of surviving in a variety of soil types, including poor quality sandy or acidic conditions. It is also well adapted to wildfires as it has thick bark and is able to re-sprout shoots if the main trunk is damaged. Burnt trees often have stunted and twisted forms due to this re-sprouting. The pitch pine is not an important timber tree because of its often multiple and crooked trunks. It is also slow-growing for the first 5-10 years, then grows quite rapidly.  In the past, it was a major source of pitch and the resin-rich and decay-resistant wood could be used for shipbuilding, railroad ties and mine timbers.