December Tree of the Month-Eastern white pine
The noble white pine (Pinus strobus) has a long, rich history in the U.S. David Culross Peattie (A Natural History of Trees) goes as far as to say, “In the three hundred years of its exploitation, white pine, more than any other tree in the country, built this nation literally and figuratively.”
Our revolutionary force’s first flag bore the white pine emblem. Why? When Great Britain first saw the potential of our 150’+ tall virgin white pine forests as masts for the Royal Navy fleets, it became the chief economic factor in the Revolutionary War. Because of the strength-to-weight ratio, the wood of white pine has been used for everything from ship masts to covered bridges to homes.
White pines today typically grow 50-80′ with up to a 40′ spread. The pyramidal shape, when young, opens to a broad, oval habit in maturity. A unique feature of the white pine is the spoke-like growth increments the branches produce yearly, making it easy to guess the age of a white pine by counting the spokes. (See photo below.) Another easy identification trait is that the needle clusters of white pines grow in bundles of five.
Well-drained soil is a must; white pines do not like wet feet. Full sun is preferred.
For those with smaller gardens, the ‘Nana Group’ or ‘Nana’ is a broad term used for some of the shrub-like dwarf forms of white pines that typically grow 3-4′ high and wide. These have a beautiful, soft texture in the landscape without the gigantic size of the full-sized species. Many cultivars of white pine are available for the conifer enthusiast.
What I love about this plant;
-It’s evergreen!
-Fast grower.
-Great for holiday decorating.
-Great winter interest.
-Many dwarf cultivars are available.
-Soft texture in the garden.
-Incredible history.
During seasonal needle drop only the older, inner needles are shed.
What’s not so great;
-Plant professionals get frantic phone calls or emails every fall about some poor, dying white pine when it’s just normal seasonal needle drop. If it’s fall, and your pine has brown needles on the inner portions of the stems, closer to the trunk, and uniformly over the entire tree, that’s probably just seasonal needle drop. If the needles toward the tips of the branches are brown and falling off, then there is a problem. Only the older needles are shed during seasonal needle drop.
-People underestimate the size and the screening ability of white pine. It gets planted under or near power lines way too often as people try to screen their neighbors. With the layered, pagoda-like branching habit, white pines are not the dense evergreen screen most people desire.
-Prone to insect and disease issues like canker and borers.
-The annual needle drop can be messy. Rake them up and use them in the garden beds. (AKA Pine Straw) The needles being too acidic for garden beds is an old wife’s tale. Pine needles have a pH level of around 3.5, but this neutralizes as the needles break down. Pine straw makes an excellent mulch (weeds are usually minimal under a strand of pines!) that suppresses weeds and breaks down into a nutrient-rich layer that doesn’t compact like other mulches.
Comments or questions? Email Garden-Lou at gardenloustl@gmail.com
Words and photos by Jo Batzer
© Jo Batzer, garden-lou.com-2023, All rights reserved.
