Beginning with the British colonists, Eastern white pine has proven to be one of the most important and desirable tree species in North America. It is a truly magnificent tree, attaining heights of 80 feet or more at maturity, with a diameter of two to three feet. Thus, white pine is considered to be the largest of all pine species found in the United States. Until about 1890, it was considered the tree of choice for most commercial uses.

In 1761, England claimed all white pines 24 inches in diameter and larger for ship masts for their naval fleet, and required the colonists to obtain licenses to cut any of these trees. The pines were identified by blazing a broad arrow on the trunk. Because of the colonists' general dislike of British rule, this "broad arrow" policy was one more source of friction between the two.

White pine has a broad geographic range, growing from Newfoundland to Manitoba, and through the northern United States to northern and eastern Ohio, and then southward along the Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia and North and South Carolina. It can be found from sea level in its northern range, to 5,000 feet in the Appalachian Mountains. White pine is the state tree of Maine and Michigan.

The leaves (needles) are soft, flexible, and bluish-green to silver-green in color, and are regularly arranged in bundles of five. Needles are 2½ to 5 inches long, and are usually shed at the end of the second growing season. Both male and female flowers (strobili) occur on the same tree. Pollen generated from small, clustered, staminate (male) cones at branch tips fertilizes the pistillate (female) cones, in which the seeds will mature. The pollen of the staminate is yellow, and is produced in such large amounts that it forms a dense dust. Pollination occurs in the spring, and is assisted by wind.

The seed cones are generally 6 to 10 inches in length, and normally are produced in greater numbers as the tree matures. Cone scales are rather thin and never have prickles. Cones also have exudations of a fragrant resin (sap). The seeds inside the cones are winged, like those on a maple tree. These seeds can be readily harvested in the fall, and are relatively easy to germinate indoors if you are interested in starting your own seedlings.

Bark on young trunks and branches is smooth, and tends to be greenish-brown in color. On older trunks, the bark becomes dark gray and shallowly fissured. Limbs tend to persist, particularly on trees grown without severe competition.

White pine is intermediate in shade tolerance, and is commonly associated with Eastern hemlock and various northern hardwoods. It is found on many different sites including dry, rocky ridges and wet sphagnum bogs, but best development is on moist, sandy loam soils. Extensive logging has destroyed most of the original pine forests, but the species is aggressive in reproducing itself and may be found throughout its original range. Due to its desirability and relative ease of nursery production, it has also been a major species for reforestation in the northeastern United States and Canada. Most propagation is by seed, although the species grafts quite easily. Considerable variation in rooting ability has been observed. About 70 cultivars have been developed for commercial use.

Uses of white pine are many, and historically it has been one of the most valuable lumber trees. The wood-soft and light-warps and checks less than many other species and has been adapted to a variety of uses including cabinets, interior and exterior finish, and carving. Another use of white pine is as a Christmas tree. Christmas tree farms are a booming industry, and the relatively short time period required to grow a six foot tree makes white pine the species of choice. Still other uses include folk medicine; for example, colonists used the inner bark as an ingredient in cough remedies, and early Native Americans used the same as a food.

This species of conifer is a great food and shelter source for a variety of wildlife species. In fact, no other conifer provides as much shelter and food. From the needles to the sap, the tree provides for browsers like turkeys and grouse, cavity-nesters such as Northern flicker and owl species, and seed-gatherers like squirrels and the Titmouse. Even the Chickadees, who hang from the cones to pluck the seeds, and sap-loving Yellow-bellied sapsuckers that dine on the extruding ooze (sap), utilize white pines. This tree is deeply rooted in its ecological niche, serving generously both human and wildlife needs.

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