Fire reintroduction increased longleaf pine ( Pinus palustris L.) recruitment and shifted pine demographics in a long-unburned xeric sandhill assemblage

•Of the 5 longleaf life stages outlined, fire affected saplings and trees the least.•Vertical growth of longleaf seedlings was correlated with fire management.•Understory density was predominantly longleaf seedlings, shrubs were sparse.•Burned plants were released earlier from the grass stage compared to unburned.•High longleaf recruitment reflected confluence of fire and masting.