White Pine (Pinus strobus)

Many people think that the graceful White pine is the most beautiful of all Christmas tree varieties, even though its soft needles make it difficult to decorate. The White pine is the largest tree that grows in Eastern Canada and can be seen in the north, towering above the boreal forest. In the wild it can reach diameters of 1.5 metres and heights of 45 metres. Because of its size and strength the White pine was once used to make the masts of sailing ships. Today it is valued by carpenters because its smooth, white wood contains few knotholes and it doesn't twist or shrink.

Characteristics

The needles are five to twelve centimeters long, are soft and flexible and appear in bunches of five. The bark is smooth to the touch and is greyish-green near the tips of the branch, becoming rougher and a darker grey-brown closer to the trunk. The cones mature in the fall and drop from the tree during the winter. Usually eight to twenty centimeters long, and three centimeters in diameter, the cones contain 50 to 80 scales arranged in five spiral rows.