The Eastern White Pine is a large conifer that grows in the northeastern U.S. and follows the Appalachians south.

Pines are very important to wildlife. Their nutritious and oily seeds feed many mammals and birds such as the bobwhite quail, wild turkey, chickadee, nuthatch, chipmunk, white tail deer, and gray fox. Bald eagles also build nests in living eastern white pines.

It is the only native 5-needle pine in Kentucky. Historically, this tree was one of the most valuable timber trees of northeastern America, and was heavily logged in the late 1880s. It has versatile wood that is smooth, straight-grained, relatively free of knots, soft, and easily worked. It is light but strong for its weight, and free of warping. Historically the wood was used for ship masts, covered bridges, general house construction, window sashes, interior finish work, carved ornaments, and gilded frames.

Eastern white pine is also used extensively for stabilizing strip-mine spoils, especially in northern Appalachian coal fields.

Images courtesy of:
Steven Katovich
Robert Videki
University of Georgia
Virginia Tech
Ohio State University