Plant Family: Pinaceae
Growth Form: Large tree, up to 35 meters tall, with spreading horizontal branches; there are still a few old growth giants remaining, reaching heights of 45 meters and more!
Leaves: The thin, flexible needles are from 8 – 13 cm long and in bundles of five.
Bark: Smooth on young trees, furrowed, with large, prominent ridges on older trees, unlike the scaly bark typical of most pines.
Cones: Cylindrical, 10 to 20 cm long, often slightly curved, hanging down from the branch ends.
Habitat: Prefers well-drained fertile soil but will tolerate drier sandy and stony habitats. In mixed forests of pine and hardwood, White Pine stands out as the very tallest of trees.
Range: Common throughout New England, ranging east to the Maritimes, west to the Great Lakes, and south in the mountains to northern Georgia.
Key Feature: White Pine is the only pine in New England with five needles in each fascicle.
Comments: White Pine is the largest and most common New England conifer and has long been of commercial importance as a timber source. The seeds are favored by small mammals, and the trees provide habitat for many forest denizens, from nesting Bald Eagles, to cavity-dwelling birds and mammals. White Pine is the state tree of Maine and Michigan, and the provincial tree of Ontario.
