Landowner Fact Sheets

western white pine Pinus monticola

Western white pine is an important timber species found on a wide variety of sites throughout the western U.S. and Canada. Western white pine wood is light, straight-grained, and nonresinous which makes is desirable for many purposes. Needles are 2 to 4 inches long, and occur in bundles of 5.

range map Click to see more images. wood grain

Light
Clearcut and seed-tree methods will provide the greatest western white pine regeneration.

Water
Grows best on moist, well-drained soils at mid-elevations, both in pure and mixed stands.

Growth

Size
Tall, straight, evergreen conifer growing to 180 feet tall and 4 feet in diameter with an open crown, long up-raised branches near the top (horizontal lower down); bole commonly free of branches for half its length.

Timber Value
Western white pine is used for moldings, trim, sashes, frames, doors, interior paneling, construction lumber, carving, matchwood, toothpicks.

Wildlife Value
Western white pine seeds are an important food for red squirrels and deer mice.
Attracts deer mice, red squirrels, elk, deer, blue grouse

Insects and Diseases

Fun Facts
Attacked by white pine blister rust. Best stands occur in northern Idaho. Western white pine has excellent wood properties and is used for a variety of products.

Latin Meaning
Pinus: Latin name for pine from Greek "pitus" / monticola: growing on mountains

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Landowner Factsheets © 2004 Virginia Tech Forestry Department, all rights reserved. Text, images, and programming by: Dr. Jeff Kirwan, Dr. John R. Seiler, John A. Peterson, Edward C. Jensen, Guy Phillips, or Andrew S. Meeks.