![[Photo: Pinus strobus (eastern white pine).]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuOxilWu2Hq4Sq7n00gMxOjJWA9Gxz5rCc33kDGKCCbOEchbivNkumRVCJbeQ5Qp95TPipkFLnJh2MQeqvp617Fy4EL3_dSOmvEGoFqdqd2i0XgHVTb8p8HD-nVfhvJBNaehp2frw0uk/s1600-h/031.JPG)
Pinus strobus, known in English as "eastern white pine" and in French as pin blanc d'Amerique, is a large evergreen coniferous tree native to eastern North America, and the provincial tree of Ontario. I photographed this beautiful tree at Wheelers' Maple Syrup Camp and Pancake House in McDonald's Corners, eastern Ontario (which has delicious pancakes, made vegan on request (phone ahead), year round!)
![[Photo: cones of Pinus strobus.]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VgURwiPobSKJNsIOfTXDpacOZMeGXv7W9rKqrgljBuHjJiIDBfpjzjbCuT589Dp1ik7FsYXuNnz_eaI1GtpVlTUAOqLs68fmt7wOool9wnvHThCLGNnM8PNpr40y9QQyaAFDUW1v2oo/s1600-h/032.JPG)
The cones of eastern white pine are 10-20 cm long. According to nearctica.com, Pinus strobus is "the only eastern pine with long, stalked cones with pliable cone scales".
![[Photo: Pinus strobus needles.]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUQ9ri0eeX5NAEzb90HDS7bw1DiKV9-9ieXpvEuDQYndywdMantenektXtCTpcf-IveEyYjWEkiOBpviZrj4RVflB1GJ6TwJt6C5jMrRujN1oBWOTXlmk2ytC0_YroZnLmY-1sYxcD_U/s1600-h/033.JPG)
Eastern white pine is the only eastern pine with needles in clusters of five. (I found these needles on the ground; the tree was not harmed for this photo!)
This beautiful native tree is too large for most Torontonians' gardens, alas, which just shows the importance of protecting large wilderness areas to preserve the plants and animals that depend on them.
Here are lists of all the plants mentioned in this blog.
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I was given a 4" white pine seedling a number of years ago, supplied as plant material for a mini potscaping class I took at the ROM. Thinking it would be inappropriate for my sandy/shady city garden, I gave it to my sister to plant at her country place.
ReplyDeleteTo buy herself some time, she popped it into her garden -- the one two doors over from me. The short version of the story is that the pine tree is now nearly 5' tall, still growing in Toronto, and looking pretty good. I'm hoping it will survive as our joint contribution to plant diversity among our local street trees.