From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pinus strobus, commonly denominated theeastern white pine,northern white pine,white pine,Weymouth pine(British), andsoft pine[1]is a largepinenative to easternNorth America. It occurs fromNewfoundland, Canada west through theGreat Lakes regionto southeasternManitobaandMinnesota, United States, and south along theAppalachian Mountainsand upperPiedmontto northernmostGeorgiaand perhaps very rarely in some of the higher elevations in northeasternAlabama.[2]
TheNative AmericanHaudenosauneedenominated it the "Tree of Peace". It is known as the "Weymouth pine" in the United Kingdom,[3]after CaptainGeorge Weymouthof theBritish Royal Navy, who brought its seeds to England fromMainein 1605.[4]
Pinus strobusis found in thenearctictemperate broadleaf and mixed forestsbiomeof eastern North America. It prefers well-drained or sandy soils and humid climates, but can also grow in boggy areas and rocky highlands. In mixed forests, this dominant tree towers over many others, including some of the large broadleaf hardwoods. It provides food and shelter for numerous forest birds, such as thered crossbill, and small mammals such assquirrels.
Eastern white pine forests originally covered much of north-central and north-eastern North America. Only one percent of theold-growth forestsremain after the extensive logging operations of the 18th century to early 20th century.
Old growth forests, or virgin stands, are protected inGreat Smoky Mountains National Park. Other protected areas with known virgin forests, as confirmed by the Eastern Native Tree Society, includeAlgonquin Provincial Park,Quetico Provincial Park, and Algoma Highlands inOntario, Canada;Estivant Pines,Huron Mountains,Porcupine MountainsState Park, andSylvania WildernessArea in theUpper PeninsulaofMichigan, United States;Hartwick Pines State Parkin theLower PeninsulaofMichigan;Menominee Indian ReservationinWisconsin; Lost 40 Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) andBoundary Waters Canoe Area WildernessinMinnesota;White Pines State Park,Illinois;Cook Forest State Park,Hearts Content Scenic Area, andAnders Run Natural AreainPennsylvania; and theLinville Gorge WildernessinNorth Carolina, United States.
Smallgrovesor individual specimens of old growth eastern white pines are found across the range of the species in the USA, including in Ordway Pines,Maine; Ice Glen,Massachusetts; andAdirondack Park,New York. Many sites with conspicuously large specimens represent advancedold fieldecological succession. The tall stands inMohawk Trail State ForestandWilliam Cullen Bryant HomesteadinMassachusettsare examples.
As anintroduced species,Pinus strobusis nownaturalizingin theOuter Western Carpathianssubdivision of theCarpathian MountainsinCzech Republicand southern Poland. It has spread from specimens planted asornamental trees.
Like most members of thewhite pine group,PinussubgenusStrobus, theleaves("needles") are in fascicles (bundles) of 5, or rarely 3 or 4, with adeciduoussheath. They are flexible, bluish-green, finelyserrated, 5–13cm (2–5in) long, and persist for 18 months, i.e., from the spring of one season until autumn of the next, when theyabscise.
Theseed conesare slender, 8–16cm (31⁄4–61⁄4in) long (rarely longer than that) and 4–5cm (11⁄2–2in) broad when open, and have scales with a rounded apex and slightly reflexed tip. Theseedsare 4–5mm (5⁄32–3⁄16in) long, with a slender 15–20mm (5⁄8–3⁄4in) wing, and are dispersed by wind. Cone production peaks every 3 to 5years.
The branches are spaced about every 18 inches on the trunk with 5-6 branches appearing like spokes on a wagon wheel.
While eastern white pine is self-fertile, seeds produced this way tend to result in weak, stunted, and malformed seedlings.
Mature trees are often 200–250 years old, and some live to over 400 years. A tree growing nearSyracuse, New Yorkwas dated to 458 years old in the late 1980s and trees inMichiganandWisconsinwere dated to approximately 500 years old.
