Culture
Easily grown in acidic, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Prefers fertile soils and cool, humid climates. Intolerant of compacted, clayey soils, alkaline conditions, and many air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and ozone.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Pinus strobus, commonly called Eastern white pine, is a rapid-growing, long-lived, needled evergreen tree that is native to the northeastern United States and Canada (State tree of Maine and Michigan). Although pyramidal in its early years, it matures to a broad oval habit with an irregular crown. Typically grows 50-80' in cultivation, but will grow to 100' tall in the wild, with records existing to over 200'. Landscape size and shape can be controlled through pruning, however, to the extent that white pine may be sheared and grown as a hedge. Bluish green needles (to 5" long) are soft to the touch and appear in bundles of five. Cylindrical, brown cones ( 4-8" long) are usually not produced until 5-10 years. An important timber tree (perhaps more so in the 18th and 19th centuries than now) which was and is valued for its lightweight, straight-grained wood (orange heartwood and white sapwood).
Genus name comes from the Latin name for pines.
Specific epithet in Greek means cone but here it may refer to an incense-bearing or gum-yielding tree.
Nana Group is used by many nurseries as a catchall term for describing a group of compact, shrubby, mounded, irregularly branched, spreading, dwarf forms of eastern white pine. These plants are very slow growing, often reaching only 2' tall after 10 years. They eventually mature to 3' tall by 4' wide, but less frequently may reach 4-7' in height and 6-10' in width. Silvery blue green needles are soft to the touch. Do not produce cones in early years.
Problems
Generally low-maintenance dwarf pines. Some susceptibility to white pine blister rust which is a bark disease that is usually fatal. Species of Ribes (e.g., currants or gooseberries) are the alternate host for white pine blister rust and may be considered as candidates for elimination in areas where white pines are under attack. White pine blister rust is not considered to be a problem in Missouri however. Also susceptible to aphids, spider mites, scale, bark beetles and white pine weevil.
Uses
These dwarf Eastern white pines are effective in rock gardens, as part of a foundation planting or in a shrub border foreground. Good specimen plants.