The western white pine

Conifers · tree portrait

The 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

Pinus monticola

Summary

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.

Not to be confused with the Weymouth pine

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.

Recognising

How to recognise a western white pine

Western white pinePinus monticola

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.

From tree to plank

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.

An introduced disease

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.

Quick answer

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

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The western white pine

The western white pine

The western white pine in brief