Plant Encyclopedia

Other Names:  Eastern White Pine

Description:

A highly attractive narrowly columnar tree with silky smooth long needles which give a fuzzy appearance from a distance; can windburn in exposed locations, best grown in some shelter, but needs full sun; one of the best pine trees for smaller landscapes

Ornamental Features

Columnar White Pine is primarily valued in the landscape for its rigidly columnar form. It has rich green evergreen foliage. The needles remain green throughout the winter. The furrowed gray bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Columnar White Pine is an evergreen tree with a strong central leader and a narrowly upright and columnar growth habit. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This tree will require occasional maintenance and upkeep. When pruning is necessary, it is recommended to only trim back the new growth of the current season, other than to remove any dieback. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Insects
• Disease

Columnar White Pine is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Vertical Accent

Planting & Growing

Columnar White Pine will grow to be about 25 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 8 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live to a ripe old age of 100 years or more; think of this as a heritage tree for future generations!

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. This is a selection of a native North American species.