White Pine
Pinus strobus (PINACEAE)
Planting and Growing White Pine Trees
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow white pine trees in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Foliage, cones, and seeds or nuts of white pine trees
- Growing conditions for white pine
- When to plant white pine
- How to plant white pine
- How to prune white pine
- Watering, fertilizing, and care of white pine
- Landscape uses of white pine
- Pest and disease control for white pine
Growing White Pine Trees
Many cultivars of fast-growing, conical to rounded, coniferous, evergreen trees, to 120 ft. (37 m) tall, with smooth, blue or gray green, round, slender needles, to 6 in. (15 cm) long, borne in basal, 5-needle clusters.
Common cultivars include Pinus strobus ‘Brevifolia’, ‘Fastigata’, ‘Nana’, and ‘Pendula’.
White Pine Planting and Care Guide
Catkins, Cones, and Seeds
Male cones resemble feathery catkins, to 3 in. (75 mm) long; female cones are globular and pointed, to 6 in. (15 cm) long, with woody scales and winged seed.
Best Climates
U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zones 3–9.
Soil Type and Fertility
Damp to dry, well-drained soil. Fertility: Average–low. 6.0–7.0 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Full sun. Space 15 ft. (4.5 m) apart.
Proper Care
Easy. Allow soil surface to dry between waterings until established. Avoid fertilizing. Prune to shape in spring, removing half of new growth “candles.” Propagate by cuttings, seed.
About This Species
Good choice for accents, shrub borders, containers, screens in woodland gardens and lawns. Susceptible to pine and pine-bark aphid, various beetles and moths, scale and blister rust.
Other Common Species of Pine
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- Pinus albicaulis, white-bark pine
- Pinus attenuata, knob-cone pine
- Pinus balfouriana, foxtail pine
- Pinus banksiana, jack pine
- Pinus bungeana, lace-bark pine
- Pinus canariensis, Canary Island pine
- Pinus cembra, Swiss stone pine
- Pinus cembroides, Mexican piñon pine
- Pinus contorta, shore pine
- Pinus contorta var. murrayana, lodgepole pine
- Pinus coulteri, big-cone pine
- Pinus densiflora, Japanese umbrella pine
- Pinus eduluis, piñon pine
- Pinus eldarica, Afghan pine
- Pinus flexilis, limber pine
- Pinus halepensis, aleppo pine
- Pinus jeffreyi, Jeffrey pine
- Pinus lambertiana, sugar pine
- Pinus monticola, western white pine
- Pinus mugo, mountain pine
- Pinus muricata, Bishop pine
- Pinus nigra, Austrian pine
- Pinus parviflora, Japanese white pine
- Pinus patula, Mexican yellow pine
- Pinus pinea, Italian stone pine
- Pinus pondersosa, ponderosa pine
- Pinus radiata, Monterey pine
- Pinus strobus, white pine
- Pinus sylvestris, Scots pine
- Pinus torreyana, Torrey pine
About Pine Trees
About 90 species of varied, rounded, pyramid-shaped, coniferous trees are included in the Pinus genus. They’re native to the northern hemisphere, from seacoasts to the mountains. They are fast-growing, short-lived trees best used as container plants, temporary fillers, screens, or windbreaks.
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Pines include both low and spreading as well as erect, pyramid-shaped, stately trees, from 10–200 ft. (3–61 m) tall. Because of this variation, choose species and cultivars carefully with their growth habits and mature size in mind.
If kept rootbound in a planter, they will grow slowly and are good for use as bonsai and shape training. They are popular subjects for use in Asian gardens.
Pines require frequent raking of their fallen needles. They are susceptible to numerous pests and diseases, including some that may cause weakening of the tree’s makeup. Keep these factors in mind as you plant pines near structures.
Because the Pinus genus is so varied, consider options beyond the popular pine species at left, consulting your garden center for advice on species that thrive in your region.
Planting and Caring for Pines
Pines are important landscape trees prized for their rapid growth and versatility, from erect, conical elements in a landscape garden to plantings of many other purposes. They can have single or branching trunks with nodding branches that begin low on the tree, and easily are recognized by their bundles of mostly long, soft needles.
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Plant pine trees in well-drained, acidic soil. Since all landscape trees perform best when they are planted in unamended soil, your site should be tested for acid-alkaline balance before planting.
Pines need soils in the 5.0–6.5 pH range. Choose trees with characteristics that match your climate, usda Plant Hardiness Zone, and local conditions. Carefully match the depth of the planting hole to the soil line of your tree when planting.
Backfill the hole with native soil, and water the tree whenever the soil surface becomes dry until it is well established.
To use pines as indoor holiday decorations, plant them in their containers, then unearth them, clean their containers, and bring them indoors. When use is finished, replant the trees in your garden.
Related
Pinus strobus pinaceae genus pine tree species Pinus strobus ‘Brevifolia’ Pinus strobus ‘Fastigata’ Pinus strobus ‘Nana’ Pinus strobus ‘Pendula’ varieties habit conical rounded coniferous evergreen trees trees fast-growing growth smooth round needles needlelike evergreen leaves color blue green gray green basal clusters bark male cones resemble feathery catkins female cones globular pointed woody seed winged cone scales hardiness zone 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 climate soil pH fertility rich moisture exposure full sun recommended spacing care water irrigate irrigation drought tolerant avoid fertilize fertilizer avoid fertilizing pruning prune shape candles new growth maintain maintenance propagate cuttings seed accents shrub borders containers screens woodland gardens lawns turfgrass ornamental open landscape landscaping appearance design needle loss plant planting pest pests disease resistant resistance pine pine-bark aphid beetles moths scale blister rust susceptible cold protection of white pine containers for white pine cultivating white pine diseases of white pine fertilizing white pine grow white pine grow white pine step-by-step growing white pine growing white pine in containers how does white pine grow how is white pine grown how to grow white pine how to plant white pine how to prepare soil for white pine how white pine grows mulching white pine pests of white pine pinching white pine plant white pine planting white pine planting white pine in beds planting white pine in containers protecting white pine from cold pruning white pine spacing white pine steps to grow white pine steps to plant white pine thinning white pine to grow white pine to plant white pine transplanting white pine U.S.D.A. plant hardiness zone for white pine watering white pine weeding white pine when to plant white pine where do white pine grow where to grow white pine white pine annual pruning white pine care white pine cold protection white pine cultivation white pine cuttings white pine disease resistance white pine diseases white pine flowers white pine frost protection white pine fruit white pine growing white pine growing zone white pine grown white pine hardiness zone white pine in containers white pine in garden beds white pine in raised beds white pine irrigation white pine pest resistance white pine pests white pine pine pruning white pine pine soil needs white pine planting white pine propagation white pine seasonal pruning white pine seed white pine seedlings white pine shade needs white pine soil white pine soil fertility white pine soil pH white pine spacing white pine sun requirements white pine temperature white pine thinning white pine transplanting white pine tree care white pine watering white pine zone