White Pine

Attributes:
The ease of transplanting and rapid growth of the White Pine tree make it an ideal candidate for landscape and windscreen applications. Wildlife that eat the seeds range form chickadees and game birds to rabbits and black bears. White Pines are widely used as Christmas trees and are still very important as a lumber source.

Wildlife Value:
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.

History/Lore/Use:
The Eastern White Pine tree has been referred to as "the monarch of the forest." Some that greeted the first settlers reached a height of 250 feet with diameters of 6 feet. They were a bonanza for England in colonial times, as they met a vital military and commercial need for sailing ship masts. Since the colonists were rapidly using up the existing supply of trees close to the ocean that were large enough for masts, the Royal Navy appealed to Parliament. As a result, in 1691 Great Britain imposed the first of the so-called "broad arrow" acts, so named because of the axe mark placed on the reserved trees by the king's men, that reserved these trees for the English government. Growing resentment to the crown's appropriation of the choicest White Pines helped precipitate the Revolutionary War, and the first flag of the revolutionary forces even had a White Pine as its emblem.

Moisture:
Does best in moist soil conditions, but can tolerate dry, rocky ridges to bogs.

Leaves:
The leaves are spiral shaped, flexible, five needles, 2 to 5 inches long.

Flower Color:
Pink; yellow; nondescript.

Bloom Time:
April-May.

Fruit Description:
The fruit is an elongated cone, 6 to 8 inches long, dry, brown.