The White Pine (pinus Strobus)

Distinguishing characters: The tree can be told at close range by the

number of needles to each cluster, Fig. 2. There are *five* needles

to each cluster of the white pine. They are bluish green, slender,

and about four inches in length.

At a distance the tree may be told by the *right angles* which the

branches form with the main trunk, Fig. 3. No other pine shows this

character.

Form and size: A tall tree, the stateliest of the evergreens.

Range: Eastern North America.

Soil and location: Prefers a deep, sandy soil, but will grow in almost

any soil.

Enemies: Sucking insects forming white downy patches on the bark and

twigs, the _white pine weevil_, a boring insect, and the _white pine

blister rust_, a fungus, are among its principal enemies.

Value for planting: Aside from its value as an ornamental tree, the

white pine is an excellent tree to plant on abandoned farms and for

woodlands and windbreaks throughout the New England States, New

York, Pennsylvania, and the Lake States.

Commercial value: The wood is easily worked, light, durable, and will

not warp. It is used for naval construction, lumber, shingles,

laths, interior finish, wooden ware, etc.

Other characters: The _fruit_ is a cone, four to six inches long.

Comparisons: The tree is apt to be confused with the _Bhotan pine_

(_Pinus excelsa_), which is commonly grown as an ornamental tree.

The Bhotan pine, however, has needles much longer and more drooping

in appearance.

Tree Studies

How To Identify Trees
Group I The Pines
The White Pine (pinus Strobus)
The Pitch Pine (pinus Rigida)
The Scotch Pine (pinus Sylvestris)
Group Ii The Spruce And Hemlock
The Norway Spruce (picea Excelsa)
Hemlock (tsuga Canadensis)
Group Iii The Red Cedar And Arbor-vitae
Red Cedar (juniperus Virginiana)
Arbor-vitae; Northern White Cedar (thuja Occidentalis)
Group Iv The Larch And Cypress
The European Larch (larix Europaea)
Bald Cypress (taxodium Distichum)
Group V The Horsechestnut, Ash And Maple
The Horsechestnut
The White Ash (fraxinus Americana)
Sugar Maple (acer Saccharum)
Silver Maple (acer Saccharinum)
Red Maple (acer Rubrum)
Norway Maple (acer Platanoides)
Box Elder (acer Negundo)
Group Vi Trees Told By Their Form: Elm, Poplar, Gingko And Willow
American Elm (ulmus Americana)
Lombardy Or Italian Poplar (populus Nigra, Var Italica)
Gingko Or Maidenhair Tree (gingko Biloba)
Weeping Willow (salix Babylonica)
Group Vii Trees Told By Their Bark Or Trunk: Sycamore, Birch, Beech,
Blue Beech, Ironwood, And Hackberry
The Sycamore Or Plane Tree (platanus Occidentalis)
Gray Or White Birch (betula Populifolia)
American Beech (fagus Americana)
Blue Beech Or Hornbeam (carpinus Caroliniana)
Hackberry (celtis Occidentalis)
Group Viii The Oaks And Chestnut
White Oak (quercus Alba)
Black Oak (quercus Velutina)
Red Oak (quercus Rubra)
Pin Oak (quercus Palustris)
Chestnut (castanea Dentata)
Group Ix The Hickories, Walnut And Butternut
Shagbark Hickory (hicoria Ovata)
Mockernut Hickory (hicoria Alba)
Black Walnut (juglans Nigra)
Group X Tulip Tree, Sweet Gum, Linden, Magnolia, Locust, Catalpa,
Dogwood, Mulberry And Osage Orange
Tulip Tree (liriodendron Tulipifera)
Sweet Gum (liquidambar Styraciflua)
American Linden (tilia Americana)
The Magnolias