Ontario Trees & Shrubs website

Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus

Other common names: Northern White Pine, Weymouth Pine, White Pine

French names: Pin blanc

Family: Pine Family (Pinaceae)

Group: Pines

Distinctive features: Tree; Needles soft, in bundles of 5.

Similar species:
  •   Red Pine (Pinus resinosa) - 2 needles per bundle.

  •   Austrian Pine (Pinus nigra) - 2 (sometimes 3) needles per bundle.


Flowers: Spring

Habitat: Forests, Fields and Open Areas;  Forests, open areas.

Edible: Needles make a nice tea.

Books: Trees in Canada: 44   

Native/Non-native: Native

Status: Common.

See Also:
  •   A Quick Guide to Pine Trees


Photographs: 341 photographs available, of which 9 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

Eastern White Pine has fine needles, five to a bunch. One way to remember this is that there are five letters in the word "white".

They are very soft to the touch, and you're not likely to get pricked by them.

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

Eastern White Pine trees start off very spindly-looking and fragile. Here is a young seedling.

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

Eastern White Pine cones. To the left is an unopened one.

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

Here is an older one that has opened.

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

Eastern White Pine trunk and close-up view of bark.

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

A couple of pictures showing young Eastern White Pine trees. When much older, they acquire a beautiful windswept appearance for which Georgian Bay and Muskoka areas of Ontario are famous.

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

A final picture, showing the form of the branches. Note how they sweep slightly upwards.


Range map for Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)