Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

Eastern White Pine, a common coniferous tree in our area, can reach heights well over 100 ft. It is easily distinguished from our other native pines by its light green needles borne in clusters (called fascicles) of 5. These flexible needles are 3 to 5 in. long. The resinous, cylindrical cones are 4 to 8 in. long and require 2 yrs to mature. The smooth gray bark of younger trees becomes furrowed with age. Eastern White Pine is widespread in Eastern Canada and the Northeast US, extending down the Appalachians as far as northern Georgia and South Carolina, and is found throughout the upper Midwest and adjacent Canada. In the 17th and 18th centuries, it was heavily logged by the British for ships' masts. The White Pine Trail above the Arboretum Visitors Center formerly ran through a stand of relatively large, mature examples of this species. Disease and wind damage, however, have eliminated many of these magnificent trees.

Return to Tree List