Western White Pine - (Pinus monticola)
Like other white pines, Western White Pine features soft needles in whirled bundles of five. Needles have 4-5 thin white lines on the back, which gives the tree a silvered look. New growth emerges as bronzed “candles”, before fanning out into extended needles. Cones are resinous with rounded scales. Growing up to 2 feet per year in its early years, this tree can reach 100 feet or taller and maintains an elongated pyramidal shape. The bark, needles, and especially the seeds of the white pine are prized by wildlife for food and utility. In warm weather, cones and bark can seep fragrant sap, causing tackiness on lower branches and surfaces beneath the tree. Plants can be encouraged to grow more densely by trimming or pinching the candling growth in spring.
*Full Sun to Part Sun.
*Requires well-draining soil, tolerant of rocky conditions.
*90-150 feet tall
*Fire Friendly in extended range, 30-100+ft
*Sold Bare Root
*Sold as a bundle of 10
*Susceptible to white pine blister rust
Image Attribution:
1. Richard Sniezko, US Forest Service Dorena Genetic Resource Center, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
2. Richard Sniezko, US Forest Service Dorena Genetic Resource Center, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
3. Chris Schnepf, University of Idaho, USA, CC BY 3.0 US <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/deed.en>, via Wikimedia Commons