Eastern White Pine Info
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Eastern white pine
The Eastern white pine is a tree for landscapes with ample space. Its fine feathery needles, open canopy, and straight trunk get more picturesque with age. Trees are fast-growing and long-lived.
This species is native to the Chicago region according to Swink and Wilhelm’s Plants of the Chicago Region, with updates made according to current research.
This plant has some cultivated varieties. Go to list of cultivars. Eastern White Pine
Botanical name:
All Common Names:
Family (English):
Family (Botanic):
Tree or Plant Type: Eastern White Pine
- Tree
Foliage:
- Evergreen (foliage year-round)
Native Locale:
- North Eastern Area
- Illinois,
- North America
Planting Site:
- Residential and park
Size Range:
- Large tree (more than 40 feet)
Mature Height:
Mature Width:
Light Exposure:
- Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily),
- Partial sun/shade (4-6 hrs light daily)
Hardiness Zones:
- Zone 3,
- Zone 4,
- Zone 5 (Chicago),
- Zone 6,
- Zone 7
Soil Preference:
- Acid soil,
- Moist, well-drained soil
Acid Soils:
- Prefers
Alkaline Soils:
- Moderately Tolerant
Salt Spray:
- Intolerant
Soil Salt:
- Intolerant
Drought Conditions:
- Intolerant
Poor Drainage:
- Moderately Tolerant
Planting Considerations:
- Intolerant of pollution
Ornamental Interest:
- Edible fruit
Season of Interest:
- Early winter,
- Mid winter,
- Late winter,
- Early spring,
- Mid spring,
- Late spring,
- Early summer,
- Mid summer,
- Late summer,
- Early fall,
- Mid fall,
- Late fall
Flower Color & Fragrance:
- Inconspicuous
Shape or Form:
- Broad,
- Irregular,
- Pyramidal
Growth Rate:
- Moderate,
- Fast
Transplants Well:
- Yes
Wildlife:
- Browsers,
- Game birds,
- Moths,
- Small mammals,
- Songbirds
More Information:
Tree & Plant Care
Prefers moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil in sun, although young trees tolerate light shade.
Avoid planting in open, windy sites.
Very cold tolerant.
Disease, pests, and problems
Susceptible to chlorosis symptoms in high pH soils.
Sensitive to salt and air pollution.
Intolerant of wet or heavy clay soils.
Native geographic location and habitat
C-Value: 9
Native to Eastern U.S., Newfoundland to Georgia
Bark color and texture
Mature bark is dark grayish-brown with broad ridges and deep furrows.
Leaf or needle arrangement, size, shape, texture, and color
Evergreen eedles arranged in clusters of 5; densely crowded near the ends of horizontal branches.
Thin, soft, 3 to 6 inches long, medium green. Needles remain on the tree for two to three years before dropping in the fall.
Flower arrangement, shape, and size
Male pollen cones are in whorled clusters at the tips of branches. Female flowers are yellow and in pairs near male flower cones.
Fruit, cone, nut, and seed descriptions
Long and slender, up tp 8 inches, cylindrical brown cones with obvious white resin tips.
Cones remain on the tree for 2 years.
Cultivars and their differences
“These plants are cultivars of a species that is native to the Chicago Region according to Swink and Wilhelm’s Plants of the Chicago Region, with updates made according to current research. Cultivars are plants produced in cultivation by selective breeding or via vegetative propagation from wild plants identified to have desirable traits.”
Blue Shag Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus ‘Blue Shag’): A dwarf variety growing only 2 to 3 feet high.
Dwarf Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus ‘Nana’ ): A compact or dwarf cultivar, 3-5 feet wide and tall.
Fastigiate Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus ‘Fastigiata’ ): This narrow, upright cultivar grows 30-50 feet tall and 10-20 feet wide.
Weeping Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus ‘Pendula’ ): Typically 15 to 20 feet high and 12 to 15 foot wide. Blue green needles cascade from twisting, weeping branches. This weeping form may require some training to produce a leader that will affect the ultimate height and spread of the plant.
Pinus Strobus
Hardiness Zones
The eastern white pine can be expected to grow in Hardiness Zones 3–8. View Map
Tree Type
This is an evergreen tree, keeping its foliage year-round.
Mature Size
The eastern white pine grows to a height of 50–80′ and a spread of 20–40′ at maturity.
Growth Rate
Sun Preference
Full sun and partial shade are best for this tree, meaning it prefers a minimum of four hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
Soil Preference
The eastern white pine grows in acidic, moist, well-drained and dry soils. While it does best in moist soil, the tree can has been known to tolerate everything from dry, rocky ridges to bogs.
Attributes
This tree:
- Transplants easily.
- Works well for windbreaks.
- Is widely used as a Christmas tree.
- Features long, slender, blue-green needles, sometimes reaching 5″ in length, grown in bundles of 5 that are soft and flexible.
- Produces elongated brown cones that are 3–8″ in length. Each is curved slightly and has smooth scales.
- Grows in an oval, pyramidal shape.
- Is sensitive to air pollution, road salt and soil compaction.
Wildlife Value
Eastern white pine seeds are favored by black bears, rabbits, red squirrels and many birds, especially red crossbills. While potentially damaging to the trees, the bark is eaten by mammals such as beavers, snowshoe hares, porcupines, rabbits and mice. White pines provide nesting sites as well for many birds including woodpeckers, common grackles, mourning doves, chickadees and nuthatches.
Original post located: Arbor Day Foundation
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