Location: South West of Sieg Hall flanking steps.

Historical Background: Both the Western and Eastern white pines  are equally prized for lumber; as ornamentals the Eastern is preferred, since it is less dense, therefore less prone to being blown over in storms. The Western white pine is Idaho’s state tree. Large populations of this tree have been decimated by blister rust, a disease caused by a fungus imported in 1910 with white pine ornamental shrubs from France. Restoration efforts include developing a resistant strain of our native species. All pine seeds are edible, but the seeds of this species are fairly small and mainly used as a seasoning. A tea made from the fresh needles is aromatic and high in vitamins A and C. A candy can be made by boiling the tender new shoots in syrup. The wood is appreciated for decorative uses such as paneling because it has dark knots. The bark is used to weave baskets by Native tribes who also consume the resin and cambium as a source of food. 

Native

Native Range: Western North America

Identifying Features: The Western white pine is, as explicitly stated in its name, a white pine, meaning that it has needles which grow in fascicles of 5. These blueish green  bunches are slender and flexible and grow from 2-4’ (5-10cm) long. They are much softer to the touch than other native pine species of Washington. The tree itself generally grows to a height of 130” (40m), although it has been known to attain heights up to 230” (70m). It has bark which is smooth when young and becomes a scaly dark grey to almost black color with age. White pines have very distinct cones, cylindrical and oblong in shape (not egglike like those of the Ponderosa or Shore pine). They are unarmed and a woody reddish brown when mature.

Identifying Features In Depth:

1. Form: Tall and intensely symmetrical, usually about 130” (40m), long sweeping boughs with needles on the tips of branches.

2. Leaves: Evergreen, 2-4’ in length and a blueish-green color, occurring in fascicles of 5. Often they are described as soft, and are slender and flexible.

3. Bark: Bark is a smooth light color when young, sometimes with resin blisters, but matures to a dark grey scaly surface as the tree matures. Strips of bark removed from the tree are cinnamon colored underneath.

4. Reproductive Bodies: Pollen cones are yellow and up to about a cm long. Seed cones are a light green to purple when young, growing to a length of about 2-6’ and maturing into a woody yellowish brown. Cones are unarmed and often have white patches of pitch.