Eastern White Pine
Last updated by Larix813 on 3/16/2019 11:34:14 PM
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus
The great king of the north woods: the Eastern White Pine. Long desired for its lumber, a necessity for species such as eagles, and beloved by nature enthusiasts for its tall, graceful sillhouette. The White Pine dominates forests wherever it grows. It grows tall as a late sucessional species, replacing Aspen and Jack Pine as they die off. It is a familiar site to many who have traveled the BWCA. White Pine doesn't grow as tall here as in places with richer, deeper soils, but can still exceed 100 ft in heigh in the BWCA and nearly 5 ft in diamter at chest height. White Pine can, in theory, live over 300 years in optimal conditions. These sizes and ages are rare in the BWCA as fire, wind, disease, lightning, or, in the past, logging kill most all trees before they reach that size. White Pine can survive ground fires and keep on growing, such as the monster growing on the portage from Munro to Mac in the Quetico. There are still a few giants around that have survived everything nature had to throw and are still standing, but these are excedingly difficult to find. My favorite White Pine grow on Daniels Lake, the portage from Hassel to Saca, Dead Mans Portage on Saganagons, Thunder Point, and the Munro Lake area. It is a much beloved species that can be found throughout the BWCA.
For more information, check out the USDA profile of the species here.
History
Permanent Link
