Search Fact Sheets Virginia Tech Dendrology

southwestern white pine Pinaceae Pinus strobiformis Engelm. Listen to the Latin Print a QR link to this factsheet symbol: PIST3
Leaf: Evergreen needles, 2 to 3 inches long, in fascicles of 5, finely serated near tips, thin bluish-green with white stomatal lines only on inner surfaces, fascicle sheath deciduous.
Flower: Species is monoecious; males cylindrical, pale yellow, in clusters near branch tips; females light green to reddish, near ends of branches.
Fruit: Woody cone, 5 to 9 inches long, yellow-brown, thick scales bend backwards and have a narrow tip, matures in late summer.
Twig: Slender to moderate, green turning to a gray-brown, buds ovate, conical.
Bark: Gray-brown and initially smooth, becoming furrowed with scaly, rounded ridges.
Form: Medium sized straight tree with a conical crown when young, later broader with up-turned branches and a flat top.
 Looks like: limber pine - western white pine - whitebark pine - sugar pine

southwestern white pine leaf image
southwestern white pine fruit image
southwestern white pine twig image
southwestern white pine bark image
southwestern white pine form image
southwestern white pine map image

Additional Range Information: Pinus strobiformis is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDAFS FEIS Silvics - USDA Plants Database
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information