PinStr_info.html

Pinus strobus (Eastern white pine): Information.
Identifying characteristics: The eastern white pine is a fast-growing, long-lived tree usually 50 to 80 feet tall, but can reach over 200 feet. Young trees have a pyramidal crown, developing a broadly oval shape and eventually becoming picturesquely irregular in old age. The slender, flexible, light to bluish-green needles are 2 to 5 inches long, with white stomatic lines and minutely-toothed margins and are borne in fascicles of 5. They are tufted at the tips of branches and persist for 2 years, with those nearer the inside of the crown often turning yellowish-brown. The sheath is 0.5 inches long and is deciduous. The pendant, cylindrical cones are 4 to 5 inches long and often curved. The apophyses are brown and the umbos are without a prickle. Cones mature in the second year. The ovoid, resinous buds are covered with light brown scales and are abruptly tapered to short, slender tips. Bark on young trees is thin and grayish-green, becoming grayish-brown to nearly black and longitudinally deeply furrowed into broad, scaly plates. Similar species: Ecology: Distribution: This pine is native to northeastern North America from Newfoundland to Manitoba in Canada; and from Minnesota to the Atlantic south of Pennsylvania, along the Appalachians to northern Georgia. It occurs as scattered populations in Mexico and Guatemala. In Iowa, it is native to the extreme northeastern corner, and some locations in central and southeastern parts of the state. Habitat: Although usually found on fertile, moist, well-drained soils of bluffs and wooded slopes, the eastern white pine is also found on dry ridges, and even in wet sphagnum bogs. It does not tolerate highly calcareous soils (becoming chloritic), and is easily damaged in strong winds. This species is moderately shade-tolerant and prefers cool, humid climates. White pine blister rust, which lives alternately on white pines, and currant and gooseberry bushes, affects the bark, often killing trees. Trees may become deformed by the action of pine weevils in the terminal shoots. Uses: Wood: This species is the largest pine in the eastern US, and is used extensively as a commercial source of timber. Wood is soft, light, straight-grained, easily worked and shrinks very little. It is used for doors, window sash, cabinets, interiors, cheap furniture, boxes and crates. It was formerly used for making kitchen matches, bridge beams and shingles. When the British Crown passed a decree reserving the largest, straightest white pines in the colonies for use as ship masts for the Royal navy, this may have contributed to the events leading to the Revolutionary War. Wildlife: An abundant species, the eastern white pine is very important to wildlife. The foliage and seeds are eaten by chickadees, red crossbills and other birds. Rodents eat the seeds; porcupines, beavers and hares consume the bark and twigs; and deer browse the foliage. It provides winter cover for many wildlife species. Horticulture: This is one of our most important native pines used in landscaping. It is an attractive specimen for planting in parks, estates and on campuses. It responds well to pruning and makes an attractive sheared hedge. In Iowa, it is popular for windbreaks, reforestation and wildlife plantings as it transplants well and is fast-growing. 'Fastigiata' is columnar with ascending branches; 'Prostrata' is a rounded dwarf to 8 feet tall; and 'Pendula' develops low, sweeping branches.

Pinus strobus (Eastern white pine): Information.

Identifying characteristics:
The eastern white pine is a fast-growing, long-lived tree usually 50 to 80 feet tall, but can reach over 200 feet. Young trees have a pyramidal crown, developing a broadly oval shape and eventually becoming picturesquely irregular in old age. The slender, flexible, light to bluish-green needles are 2 to 5 inches long, with white stomatic lines and minutely-toothed margins and are borne in fascicles of 5. They are tufted at the tips of branches and persist for 2 years, with those nearer the inside of the crown often turning yellowish-brown. The sheath is 0.5 inches long and is deciduous. The pendant, cylindrical cones are 4 to 5 inches long and often curved. The apophyses are brown and the umbos are without a prickle. Cones mature in the second year. The ovoid, resinous buds are covered with light brown scales and are abruptly tapered to short, slender tips. Bark on young trees is thin and grayish-green, becoming grayish-brown to nearly black and longitudinally deeply furrowed into broad, scaly plates.

Similar species:

Ecology:
Distribution: This pine is native to northeastern North America from Newfoundland to Manitoba in Canada; and from Minnesota to the Atlantic south of Pennsylvania, along the Appalachians to northern Georgia. It occurs as scattered populations in Mexico and Guatemala. In Iowa, it is native to the extreme northeastern corner, and some locations in central and southeastern parts of the state.

Habitat: Although usually found on fertile, moist, well-drained soils of bluffs and wooded slopes, the eastern white pine is also found on dry ridges, and even in wet sphagnum bogs. It does not tolerate highly calcareous soils (becoming chloritic), and is easily damaged in strong winds. This species is moderately shade-tolerant and prefers cool, humid climates. White pine blister rust, which lives alternately on white pines, and currant and gooseberry bushes, affects the bark, often killing trees. Trees may become deformed by the action of pine weevils in the terminal shoots.

Uses:
Wood: This species is the largest pine in the eastern US, and is used extensively as a commercial source of timber. Wood is soft, light, straight-grained, easily worked and shrinks very little. It is used for doors, window sash, cabinets, interiors, cheap furniture, boxes and crates. It was formerly used for making kitchen matches, bridge beams and shingles. When the British Crown passed a decree reserving the largest, straightest white pines in the colonies for use as ship masts for the Royal navy, this may have contributed to the events leading to the Revolutionary War.

Wildlife: An abundant species, the eastern white pine is very important to wildlife. The foliage and seeds are eaten by chickadees, red crossbills and other birds. Rodents eat the seeds; porcupines, beavers and hares consume the bark and twigs; and deer browse the foliage. It provides winter cover for many wildlife species.

Horticulture: This is one of our most important native pines used in landscaping. It is an attractive specimen for planting in parks, estates and on campuses. It responds well to pruning and makes an attractive sheared hedge. In Iowa, it is popular for windbreaks, reforestation and wildlife plantings as it transplants well and is fast-growing. 'Fastigiata' is columnar with ascending branches; 'Prostrata' is a rounded dwarf to 8 feet tall; and 'Pendula' develops low, sweeping branches.