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Western White Pine is usually very regular in crowded forest conditions, conical,
90-180 ft., with all branches short. If in an open area, the tree tends to be
shorter and very irregularly branched, with very long branches extending far
beyond the others. The branches are relatively thick and the mature bark varies
from 1 1/2 inches thick. The mature bark may be cinnamon-tan and broken into
somewhat irregular squarish plates with thin tightly attached scales, or it
may be dark gray and grooved. Young trees and branches are smooth and silver-grey.
The needles are blue-green and slender giving the tree a soft appearance from
a distance because of their abundance and thinness. The cones are light weight,
6-12 inches, with a rounded tip, thin scales, a long stalk, and hang in clusters
at the branch ends. The seeds are small with tiny black spots and thin wings.
These trees live for about 500 years and are found from 2,000 to 10,000 feet
in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and southern British Columbia.
This species is threatened by logging and is susceptible to pine blister rust.
To sprout the seeds, plant the seeds in a deep container with soil mix kept
moist.
(Photo: Brother Alfred Brousseau, St. Mary's College)
