Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus
Family: | Pinaceae (py-NAY-see-ee) (Info) |
Genus: | Pinus (PY-nus) (Info) |
Species: | strobus (STROH-bus) (Info) |

Category:
Trees
Conifers
Water Requirements:
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Sun to Partial Shade
Foliage:
Grown for foliage
Evergreen
Shiny/Glossy
Foliage Color:
Medium Green
Height:
over 40 ft. (12 m)
Spacing:
30-40 ft. (9-12 m)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 3a: to -39.9 °C (-40 °F)
USDA Zone 3b: to -37.2 °C (-35 °F)
USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F)
USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 °C (-25 °F)
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
Where to Grow:
Danger:
N/A
Bloom Color:
Green
Pale Green
Bloom Characteristics:
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Bloom Size:
Bloom Time:
Mid Spring
Other details:
Soil pH requirements:
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
Patent Information:
Non-patented
Propagation Methods:
From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall
From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse
From seed; stratify if sowing indoors
Seed Collecting:
Bag seedheads to capture ripening seed
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored
Regional
This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Chicago, Illinois
Glenview, Illinois
Lisle, Illinois
Ottawa, Illinois
Macy, Indiana
Michigan City, Indiana
West Lafayette, Indiana
Iowa City, Iowa
Louisville, Kentucky
Mc Dowell, Kentucky
Taylorsville, Kentucky
Loreto, Marche
Laurel, Maryland(2 reports)
Valley Lee, Maryland
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Framingham, Massachusetts
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Roslindale, Massachusetts
Tecumseh, Michigan
Brainerd, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Nisswa, Minnesota
Oxford, Mississippi
Piedmont, Missouri
Lincoln, Nebraska
Frenchtown, New Jersey
Ithaca, New York
Jefferson, New York
Marilla, New York
Willsboro, New York
Raleigh, North Carolina
Dayton, Ohio
Youngstown, Ohio
Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Lansdale, Pennsylvania
Schwenksville, Pennsylvania
Smokerun, Pennsylvania
Tidioute, Pennsylvania
Watsontown, Pennsylvania
Ogden, Utah
Mineral, Virginia
Richlands, Virginia
Janesville, Wisconsin
Mc Farland, Wisconsin
New Berlin, Wisconsin
Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Stevens Point, Wisconsin
show allGardeners' Notes:
Rating | Content |
---|---|
Positive | On Feb 28, 2015, PatYates from Ogden, UT wrote: I've read that this pine is hard if not impossible to grow in Utah due to high PH content in the soil. Mine is thriving however. It was planted in April 2008 at less than a foot tall. I measured it in early spring of '14 and it was 143". By the end of growing season it was 15' even. |
Neutral | On May 15, 2014, Sequoiadendron4 from Lititz, PA (Zone 6b) wrote: A very beautiful tree that provides shelter and food for wildlife and a nice accent for the landscape. The negative for this is that it is very susceptible to limb loss in storms, especially heavy snow. If considering planting, don't plant it near anything you care about, ie. gardens, houses, cars, etc. I grew one for three growing seasons and it grew 44" in that time. We cut it down this spring because of all the damage we saw in the area this winter; it was too close to the house. In the fall they have a heavy drop of needles, which I think makes for great mulch and/or compost. |
Positive | On Mar 12, 2014, coriaceous from ROSLINDALE, MA wrote: A superb, fast-growing evergreen tree. A grove can have the majesty of a cathedral. The blue-green foliage looks and feels soft, and the needles that are shed in the fall make an excellent mulch. |
Positive | On Feb 26, 2008, Malus2006 from Coon Rapids, MN (Zone 4a) wrote: Commonly grown in the Metro area of the Twin Cities and in the rural areas further north to roughly the Candian Border. Most of the trees in the Twin Cities are older as very few new planting takes place. Can be noticed by their irregular top (noticed in old age - younger trees are same shape as other pine species) and mostly horizontal branches even thought near the top the branches are still raised. One of the taller tree species in Minnesota, competing with Cottonwood. |
Positive | On May 2, 2007, tropicsofohio from Hilliard, OH (Zone 6b) wrote: these get HUGE!!!!. most can expect hights of over 100' and may even brake the record of 216'. wonderful bonsai. lives well over 300 years. beautiful. make sure you have lots of room for these. good for screening, fast growth, wonderful specimen. |
Positive | On May 2, 2006, sabres99 from Marilla, NY wrote: This is my favorite tree. My house is surrounded by hundreds of large white pine. The previous owner of my lot planted them about 40 years ago--they now are about 60 feet tall and 18-24 inches dbh. They keep my house sheltered from strong winter winds off Lake Erie in the winter and they keep my house mostly shaded through the summer. |
Positive | On Mar 19, 2006, TBGDN from (Zone 5a) wrote: Being a naturalist at heart, I've always had a deep appreciation of this tree. I am trying to remember the year I planted this Eastern White Pine, and the best I can remember is about 1983-84. I collected it in the 'wild' as a very small sapling about 20-24" in height. A spare five-gallon bucket and shovel are always in the back of the truck whenever I go on plant scouting excursions (aka "rescue missions"). In this case there was a lot of construction work going on, and I saw the need to save this tree with the permission of the property owner. Today, it stands at 40-45' in height, and the base covers a diameter of about 20-25 feet. It is a 'soft' feeling tree with the needles very pliable and easily handled. Robins nest in the middle and upper branches: I'm sure they appreciate its sec... read more |
Positive | On Nov 10, 2005, Breezymeadow from Culpeper, VA (Zone 7a) wrote: I love this tree. |
Neutral | On Nov 9, 2005, juliotamu from Oxford, MS (Zone 7a) wrote: Northern Mississippi may not be the best location for this tree. It is zone 7a here so it does get cold in the winter. I started with about 600 bareroot seedling trees in 1994. There are only about 200 still alive. They seem to be much less drought tolerant than the native short leaf and loblolly, as they start to droop when there is no rain for 2 months and temperatures aproach 100 degrees. I've been cutting off lower branches as high as I can reach by hand without a ladder as they seem to tolerate cutting branches well. I do not water any of them and hope to see how many survive to be 50 years old, There are a few larger trees around town, but they probably get watered. |
Positive | On Nov 11, 2004, lmelling from Ithaca, NY (Zone 5b) wrote: White pine tends to shed its older needles every year. Needle drop occurs mid fall here in central NY State - about the same time as the leaves turn. You will notice that all the white pines will exhibit a "browning" effect as a good portion of the old needles will become yellowed, then reddish brown, and finally drop around November 1. This creates a wonderful mulch that breaks down quickly. It has been our observation that it usually disintegrates well by the span of the next year's drop and enriches the soil surrounding the trees. We tend to leave it to help our shade garden overwinter and have never been let down. |
Positive | On Aug 17, 2004, jaoakley from Toronto, ON (Zone 5b) wrote: This is an excellent tree. The mature form of Eastern White Pine is very beautiful; tall and graceful with wispy, picturesque crowns. I saw one specimen in Northern Ontario more than 100 feet tall. When these trees are young, they have a conical 'Christmas tree' form that is also quite nice. The needles of Eastern White Pine have an excellent soft texture. (like all 5-needled pines) |
Positive | On Jul 9, 2004, Toxicodendron from Piedmont, MO (Zone 6a) wrote: Pinus strobus is very fast-growing and great for screening. However, it is prone to storm damage from both lightning and wind, at least in our area. This pine retains it's lower branches, so it is great for privacy and for placing behind spring blooming shrubs and smaller trees. |
Positive | On Jul 8, 2004, melody from Benton, KY (Zone 7a) wrote: A tall upland tree with few large limbs arranged in horizontal whorls around the tree. |