White Pine Tree  Pinus strobus

 Zone 3-8  H 100'

A White Pine is a majestic evergreen when planted as a specimen tree or as a group. White Pine needles are long and soft in groups of 5. The needles of the white pine last for two years, the older needles falling off in the fall of the second year. The needle color is bluish-green, length of 3-4 inches. The Korean pine is also a 5 needle pine but has coarser, curved needles and is a much slower growing tree. The flower is1/3" long, yellow and somewhat attractive (see photo below). The cones are erect and spreading the first year, 4-7" long browning and opening the second fall. The cones can be quite messy on occasional years littering the lawn and making life tough for your lawnmower. The white pine seed have a long wing probably for dispersal. Beautiful thin, grey-brown bark matures to dark, maple like bark. The white pine branches are quite brittle and one must take care when climbing the tree to keep your feet near the trunk when standing on a branch. Ice storms can devastate white pine due to the brittleness of the branches. The wood is light, soft, weak, compact, straight grained, easily worked and light brown. There is not much distinction in the grain between spring and summer wood so it is highly prized for woodworking as it is soft grained. White pine was once used for masts on sailing ships. The national champion white pine is located in Marquette Michigan, 201' tall. There are also numerous old growth giants at Hartwick Pines State Park near Grayling, Michigan. Porcupine Mountain State Park has plenty of old growth pines.

White pines love moist soils and have a fast rate of growth. My record for growth is 62" on a white pine growing along Knowles creek. Early growth can be phenomenal slowing as the tree matures. Two to three feet per year on average can be expected in good soils. Young White Pines are fairly tolerant of half-day shade while more mature White Pines prefer a sunny location. Actually a partial shade location offers some protection from the white pine weevil. White Pine does not tolerate salt. They do not grow well on clay or on soil with a pH above 7. White Pine seedlings have little tolerance for drought, soil compaction and heat and should be used only in the cooler climates. White Pine are found most commonly mixed with white cedar or arborvitae and yellow birch in low lying areas in the upper Midwest.

Pests

White pine blister rust, the most serious disease of the white pine, a bark disease caused by a fungus which spends part of it's life cycle on currant or gooseberry can infect a branch or the whole trunk. The only remedy is to cut out the infected area and burn the branches. The white pine weevil is not a fatal bug infecting white pine and to a degree blue spruce but it does reduce the timber value of the tree. The bug lays it's eggs at the base of the leader (top most bud on the tree) and hatches when the average day time high temps reach the 60's. Spraying the leader with Sevin can kill the worm but once burrowed in the tree the only remedy is to cut the leader off. Eastern White Pine is  sensitive to air pollution and salt spray. Do not plant on the south side of the road if salt is used in the winter.

  Trees are best suited for zone 6B and north although they can grow as far south as the mountains of Georgia. The native range is from Newfoundland west to Manitoba south to Georgia. White pine makes a very handsome landscape tree, transplant easily and in my opinion is the most beautiful of the northern evergreens.

Cultivars 

• Compacta- a dwarf, slow growing form.

• Glauca- A deep bluish-green form

• Pendula- A weeping variety with long branching
   

Related species

• Southwestern white pine- Pinus strobiformis-similar, to 100', native from Arizona to Mexico. Grows well in Northern Michigan. Also known as Mexican white pine.

• Western white pine- Pinus monticola- to 220', source American made of wooden matchsticks, needles persist 3-4 years (eastern white pine last 2 years) Native from BC to California.

Buy White Pine seedling trees for landscaping or reforestation.

 

12' White Pine	2-3, 18-30" White Pine transplant	4-5' in bag $50	White pines on the shore of Lake Superior.	White Pine flower

call for prices of large White Pines.

To order White Pine seedlings by PHONE: We're glad to take your order by phone. For your convenience, we have a toll free number  800 568-9179.  Phone orders can be charged to VISA or MasterCard accounts.

To order White Pine seedlings by MAIL: For those who wish to order by mail or prefer to send a check, send orders to: Porcupine Hollow Farm   8593 W. State Rd.  Central Lake, Mi. 49622

To order White Pine seedlings using our secure shopping cart:

Plant Type	Age	Size	Quanity / Price
Pine-white	2-0	4-8"	Choose Quanity/Price 50 @ $2.00 Each 100 @ $1.00 Each 500 @ $0.50 Each 1000 @ $0.30 Each
	3-0	5-12"	Choose Quanity/Price 25 @ $4.00 Each 50 @ $2.50 Each 100 @ $1.50 Each 500 @ $0.60 Each 1000 @ $0.35 Each
	2-1	6-12"	Choose Quanity/Price 10 @ $6.50 Each 25 @ $5.00 Each 50 @ $3.25 Each 100 @ $2.00 Each 500 @ $1.00 Each 1000 @ $0.85 Each
	2-2	12-18"	Choose Quanity/Price 10 @ $7.50 Each 25 @ $6.00 Each 50 @ $4.00 Each 100 @ $2.50 Each 500 @ $1.20 Each 1000 @ $1.00 Each
	2-3	18-30"	Choose Quanity/Price

 

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