Pinaceae - Pine Family
"A Year With the Trees" - Tree Number 72
Eastern White Pine Tree
Pinus strobus
The White Pine Tree is a tree in the The Healing Trees Project. This project, and I quote from the website, www.livingmemorialsproject.net "invokes the resonating power of trees to bring people together and create lasting, living memorials to the victims of terrorism, their families, communities, and the nation. The purpose of the project is to encourage us all to consider trees in new and creative ways, invite them into our communities, and appreciate their contributions to the enrichment of our lives. "
The White Pine tree demonstrates "resilience through challenging climatic circumstances, Pines remind us of our own ability to weather climatic shifts and to continue to work to secure the well-being of future generations, through difficult times. The Trees of Resilience are highly valued as medicinals by the Native Americans, Chinese and European cultures, bringing qualities of clarity and peace."
The White Pine is the most beautiful to me in the Summer. So alive and full. There are pine cones growing on the tree now.
Many small mammals and birds depend on the White Pine tree for food feeding on the seeds, bark and needles. Bears and deer depend on the White Pine for shelter. Eagles use the tallest top branches for perches to view the land and sky for miles. White Pines can live for up to 400 plus years and grow to a height of over 100 feet.
Native Americans ate the inner bark of White Pine as one of their main winter foods. During the first winter in the "New World", many colonists died of scurvy, lack of vitamin C. Native Americans offered them pine needle tea. Pine needles manufacture large amounts of vitamins A and C. A cupful of strong pine needle tea has more vitamin C than the average lemon.
Put a handful of needles in hot water and steep for about 10 minutes. Strain, and enjoy. No need to buy vitamin C tablets, just drink your pine tree tea. yummm.
This Pine Tree has needles that grow in groups of five. The cones are long, 4-8 inches. They are slender, open, and thornless. The Branches grow circularly around the trunk at distinct intervals. The lower limbs will fall off and this is called "self grooming".
This tree grows at elevations up to 5,000 feet. This is a fast-growing tree and can live 400 years or more. The White Pine is the state tree of Maine. In the 1700' and 1800's many sailing ships used the trunks of the White Pine for their sailing masts.
One famous White Pine was a pine tree in Wisconsin named the General MacArthur. This tree was 140 feet high with a circumference of 17 feet. The tree was over 400 years old when it burned to the ground after being struck by lightening.
This White Pine Tree lives at the Asheville Botanical Gardens. www.ashevillebotanicalgardens.org
My favorite Eastern White Pine lives at the Botanical Gardens of Asheville.
For the love of the trees,
Becky
"A Year With the Trees" - Tree Number 72
Eastern White Pine Tree
Pinus strobus
Spring
The male cones will be obvious during the spring. Pollen blows off of these male cones with the slightest breeze or touch of the limb. You can be covered in pollen in no time and so can your car and house. In fact, anything near a white pine tree at this time of year can be yellow in no time flat. | ||
| The Colors of the White Pine in April |
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| The White Pine - Pinus strobus L. |
The White Pine Tree is a tree in the The Healing Trees Project. This project, and I quote from the website, www.livingmemorialsproject.net "invokes the resonating power of trees to bring people together and create lasting, living memorials to the victims of terrorism, their families, communities, and the nation. The purpose of the project is to encourage us all to consider trees in new and creative ways, invite them into our communities, and appreciate their contributions to the enrichment of our lives. "
The White Pine tree demonstrates "resilience through challenging climatic circumstances, Pines remind us of our own ability to weather climatic shifts and to continue to work to secure the well-being of future generations, through difficult times. The Trees of Resilience are highly valued as medicinals by the Native Americans, Chinese and European cultures, bringing qualities of clarity and peace."
Summer
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| The White Pine Tree |
The White Pine is the most beautiful to me in the Summer. So alive and full. There are pine cones growing on the tree now.
Many small mammals and birds depend on the White Pine tree for food feeding on the seeds, bark and needles. Bears and deer depend on the White Pine for shelter. Eagles use the tallest top branches for perches to view the land and sky for miles. White Pines can live for up to 400 plus years and grow to a height of over 100 feet.
Native Americans ate the inner bark of White Pine as one of their main winter foods. During the first winter in the "New World", many colonists died of scurvy, lack of vitamin C. Native Americans offered them pine needle tea. Pine needles manufacture large amounts of vitamins A and C. A cupful of strong pine needle tea has more vitamin C than the average lemon.
Put a handful of needles in hot water and steep for about 10 minutes. Strain, and enjoy. No need to buy vitamin C tablets, just drink your pine tree tea. yummm.
Fall
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| White Pine Tree |
Winter
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| The White Pine Tree |
This tree grows at elevations up to 5,000 feet. This is a fast-growing tree and can live 400 years or more. The White Pine is the state tree of Maine. In the 1700' and 1800's many sailing ships used the trunks of the White Pine for their sailing masts.
One famous White Pine was a pine tree in Wisconsin named the General MacArthur. This tree was 140 feet high with a circumference of 17 feet. The tree was over 400 years old when it burned to the ground after being struck by lightening.
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| Reflection, Resilience, Clarity, Peace |
The Champion Eastern White Pine Trees
The Champion Eastern White Pine tree is in Massachusetts. It is 171 feet tall and has a girth of 12 feet. You can read more at http://www.americanforests.org/blog/saheda-profile-great-new-england-white-pine/
My favorite Eastern White Pine Tree
My favorite Eastern White Pine lives at the Botanical Gardens of Asheville.
For the love of the trees,
Becky
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| from my journal |
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