EASTERN WHITE PINE (Pinus strobus)

HEIGHT/WIDTH AT MATURITY : 40-100 FEET TALL, UP TO 40 INCH DIAMETER, SILHOUETTE IS OVAL, IRREGULAR WITH HORIZONTAL BRANCHES SPACED IN ANNUAL WHORLS ALONG THE MAIN TRUNK.
SOIL/SUN REQUIREMENTS : REQUIRES WELL DRAINED SOIL; SOMEWHAT SHADE TOLERANT.  NOT TOLERANT TO SALT SPRAY OR POLLUTION.
BARK : GREYISH GREEN, SMOOTH BECOMING GREYISH-BROWN AND DEEPLY FURROWED WITH SCALY RIDGES WITH AGE.
FALL COLOR : INNERMOST SET OF NEEDLES WILL TURN BROWN AND FALL IN AUTUMN EACH YEAR.  PINES TYPICALLY RETAIN 2 OR 3 SEASONS’ WORTH OF NEEDLE GROWTH.
FRUIT : SEED CONE.

Pinus strobus is my “favorite” evergreen tree.  Really, it’s far too difficult to choose just one, but I find myself going back to the simple majesty of the white pine time and time again. The graceful silhouette of two white pine is featured in the NE Majestic Tree Care logo.  This is taken from an actual photo and was inspired by a similar photo I have on my desk, taken some years ago in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.  Long, soft needles in bunches of five, the beautiful asymmetry of a time-weathered specimen:  these things project a sense of harmony and a stalwart character in the face of any challenge.  This is how the white pine inspires me; this is why I’m recommending it to you.

Eastern white pine is the largest coniferous tree in Minnesota.  This Minnesota native was used in building ship masts because the spar grows straight and tall.  White pine is still an important timber species for the logging industry today. In the urban setting, Eastern white pine will look best when provided adequate space in which to grow. And they grow quickly!  This if often one of the baby trees give away items for celebrations such as Arbor Day.  If your first grader brings one home, think to the future and place it wisely in its permanent spot.
White pine is available commercially.  There’s a weeping cultivar ‘Fastigata’ which is quite popular in rock gardens.  A visit to the Lake Harriet Peace Garden shows great weeping specimens.

A word of warning:  white pine is fairly notorious for having weakly attached branches which commonly break in storms.  Some may not like the cascade of needles which will drop each autumn; however, it’s the tree’s way of self-mulching thus squashing out competition from weeds or other seedlings.  Go ahead, plant an EASTERN WHITE PINE this weekend!

Sources	Featured Tree Archive
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/treeselector/index_tree.cfm?id=83 http://www.fw.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/pstrobus.htm http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/p/pinstr/pinstr1.html	Ironwood Bur Oak