How to identify Western white pine (Pinus monticola)

How to identify Western white pine (Pinus monticola)

Western white pine, also known as Mountain white pine, California mountain pine

Western white pine is characterized by its towering stature which can reach up to 100 feet (30 meters) tall. Its conical crown is complemented by horizontal branches and a pyramidal shape. The bark of western white pine transforms from gray and smooth to furrowed with age, displaying rectangular plates. This tree is noted for its five fascicles of stiff, blue-green needles, each measuring approximately 1.6 to 4 inches (4 to 10 cm) in length and 0.04 inches (1 mm) in width, with distinctive stomatal bands. The yellow pollen cones are modest in size, about 0.4 to 0.6 inches (1 to 1.5 cm) long. Seed cones, taking two years to mature, are tannish-brown to yellowish, spanning 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 cm) in length. Within, the reddish-brown seeds measure 0.2 to 0.28 inches (5 to 7 mm) with an accompanying wing of 0.8 to 1 inch (2 to 2.5 cm).

Lifespan: Perennial

Plant Type: Tree

Leaf Type: Evergreen

Quickly Identify Western white pine

Towering height, reaching up to 100 feet (30 meters), with a conical crown.

Distinctive five fascicles of stiff, blue-green needles, each 1.6 to 4 inches (4 to 10 cm) long.

Seed cones taking two years to mature, tannish-brown to yellowish, spanning 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 cm) in length.

Fruit as sizable, cylindrical cones, 5 to 12 inches (12.7 to 30.5 cm) long, with reddish-brown seeds.

Needles shed in the first year, medium-sized, straight, pliable, blue-green, with 4 to 5 white stomatal lines.

Detailed Traits of Western white pine

Leaf Features

The leaves of western white pine are medium-sized needles that appear in bundles of five. They are straight, pliable, and blue-green in color, measuring 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) in length. Each needle boasts 4 to 5 white stomatal lines on the inner surface. The margins are fine to sparsely serrate, and the bundle sheath, if existent, measures approximately 18 mm (0.7 inches) long. These needles are shed in the first year, making them distinctive for identification.

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Flower Features

The flowers of western white pine, an evergreen, exhibit distinct characteristics. Male cones are small, yellow, and cluster at the tips of branches, measuring about 0.6 to 1.6 inches (1.5 to 4 cm) long at pollination, growing to 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) by the season's end. Female cones are larger, rounded, and range from yellowish-green to bright pink, appearing on stalks at upper branch tips. They appear in mid-June, with pollen dispersed by late June to early July.

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Stem Features

The stem of western white pine is slender and red-brown, becoming purple-brown to gray with age. It is slightly glandular and smooth, with buds that are rust-colored, ellipsoid, 0.16 to 0.2 inches (4 to 5 mm) long, and slightly resinous.

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Fruit Features

The fruit of western white pine is a sizable, cylindrical cone measuring 5 to 12 inches (12.7 to 30.5 cm) in length, borne either solitarily or in clusters of 2 to 5. These short-stalked cones take two years to mature, typically ripening during August and September. The warm season may cause them to exude sticky, white resin. Their coloration varies from yellow, light brown to reddish or dark brown. Inside, the seeds are reddish-brown, each 0.2 to 0.28 inches (5 to 7 mm) in size, and attached to a wing that ranges from 0.8 to 1 inch (20 to 25 mm) long, facilitating dispersion by the wind.

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Western white pine and Their Similar Plants

Eastern white pine vs. Western white pine: What's The Difference?

Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) is a long-lived evergreen tree native to mixed forests of temperate zones in eastern North America. It is considered one of the tallest trees in its native area. Eastern white pine has a straight-grained lightweight wood, highly valued in construction.

Scots pine vs. Western white pine: What's The Difference?

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) is a native Eurasian pine plant that grows on nutrient-poor, dry, rocky soils. Given the name, it should come as no surprise that scots pine is the national tree of Scotland. It is also important within the forestry industry due to its use for wood pulp and timber.

Mugo pine vs. Western white pine: What's The Difference?

Mugo pine (Pinus mugo) is a pine tree species native to Europe. These relatively small pine trees are popular in landscaping due to their convenient size. Mugo pine gives off an aromatic pine smell.

Loblolly pine vs. Western white pine: What's The Difference?

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) is the second-most common tree in the United States after the red maple. The loblolly pine has the largest sequenced genome with 22 billion base pairs. Its genome is 7 times larger than the human genome.

Italian stone pine vs. Western white pine: What's The Difference?

Italian stone pine (italian stone pine) is an evergreen tree whose rounded, umbrella-like canopy provides plenty of shade. It thrives in full sun and is drought-tolerant. Its pine cones produce the popular and delicious pine nuts, a valuable food crop that can be harvested, dried and eaten.

Ponderosa pine vs. Western white pine: What's The Difference?

The ponderosa pine tree is one of the most common pine trees. It grows straight and tall, up to 76 m, with a deep root that makes it resistant to wind and drought. These trees can live for hundreds of years and are often used for their wood.

Austrian pine vs. Western white pine: What's The Difference?

Austrian pine (Pinus nigra) is an evergreen conifer that is native to Mediterranean Europe but has become naturalized in other countries, where it is planted for ornamental purposes and as a windbreak. The trees can grow up to 55 m tall and are very long-lived, with some specimens surviving up to 500 years.

Lodgepole pine vs. Western white pine: What's The Difference?

Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) is indigenous to western North America. It’s a species known for its longevity—botanists have found trees that are older than 600 years. It was a favorite source of timber for Native Americans. The primary way they used it (as its name suggests) was to build lodgepoles.

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Key Facts About Western white pine

Attributes of Western white pine

Lifespan

Perennial

Plant Type

Tree

Plant Height

30 m to 70 m

Spread

8 m

Leaf Color

Green

Blue

White

Leaf type

Evergreen

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Scientific Classification of Western white pine

Phylum

Class

Order

Family

Genus

Species

Western white pine (Pinus monticola)

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Distribution Map of Western white pine

Western white pine is a conifer native to western North America's mountainous regions. This species has been introduced and cultivated in parts of the Southern Hemisphere, notably in New Zealand. Western white pine has successfully adapted outside its natural range, being appreciated in various locales for its timber and ornamental qualities.

Native

Cultivated

Invasive

Potentially invasive

Exotic

No species reported

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A Comprehensive Guide to Western white pine How to Grow and Care for Western white pine