The western white pine
The Wood Guide · The pine tree
Conifers · tree portraitThe western white pine
A tall pine from western North America, with light, even-textured wood — and a species hit hard by an introduced fungus.
- Pinus monticola
- Needles in fives
- Light, even wood
The western white pine in brief
A tall, slender pine of the mountain forests of the western United States and Canada, known for its light, even-textured wood.
From British Columbia to California and deep into Idaho, where it is the state tree, the western white pine grows into a tall tree with a narrow crown. Its cones are long and slender, often 15 to 25 cm.
Its wood is light in colour and weight, soft and remarkably even. It split and cut so easily that countless matches were made from it in the twentieth century.
In European parks and forests you are more likely to see the Weymouth pine (Pinus strobus), the eastern white pine. Both have needles in fives; the western white pine has longer cones and comes from the west.
- Botanical
- Pinus monticola
- Origin
- western North America
- Height
- usually 30–50 m
- Needles
- in fives, 5–10 cm, blue-green
- Cones
- long and slender, 15–25 cm
- Wood
- light, soft, even
To be fair: in the twentieth century the species was hit hard by white pine blister rust, a fungal disease brought over from Europe around 1910. Large parts of the old stands disappeared; they are now being replanted with resistant trees.
In pictures · How to recognise a western white pine
Schematic drawing.
How to recognise a western white pine
Needles in fives
Five thin, blue-green needles per bundle, with white stripes on the inner side.
Long cones
Slender and slightly curved, 15 to 25 cm long — much longer than those of the Scots pine.
Narrow crown
A straight trunk with a narrow, pointed crown that flattens out on older trees.
Checkered bark
Older trees develop dark grey bark broken into small, rectangular blocks.
The wood of the white pine
Light and soft
Creamy white to light brown, low in weight and easy to work.
Even
Fine, even grain with little difference between growth rings — it moves very little.
Matches and patterns
Historically the wood for matches; also used for foundry patterns, mouldings and interior joinery.
Not for outdoors
Naturally not very durable; it is an indoor wood.
Blister rust needs an alternate host, such as redcurrant and gooseberry. The story of the white pine is a textbook example of how an imported fungus can strike an entire tree species.
Frequently asked questions about the western white pine
What is the western white pine?
Pinus monticola, the western white pine from western North America — a tall pine with needles in fives.
Is this the Weymouth pine?
No. The Weymouth pine (Pinus strobus) is the eastern white pine. Both have five needles per bundle.
What was the wood used for?
For matches, foundry patterns, mouldings and interior joinery, thanks to its light, even wood.
Why did the species become rarer?
Because of blister rust, a fungal disease introduced to North America around 1910.
The western white pine in perspective
A tree that once supplied the West with matches, and is now making a comeback with resistant seedlings.
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Photo via Wikimedia Commons: Pinus monticola — Mat Honan, CC BY 2.0