Pinus Monticola Tree Information


Images of Pinus Monticola:



Pinus Monticola grows in the following 8 states and provinces:

Alberta, British Columbia, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington


Information about Pinus Monticola:


More information about Pinus Monticola may be found here.

The Pinus Monticola is commonly known as the Idaho White Pine, Mountain White Pine, Silver Pine as well as Western White Pine.

The currently accepted scientific name of western white pine is Pinus monticola Dougl. ex D. Don (Pinaceae) . There are two recognized varieties: P. m. var. minima Lemmon and P. m. var monticola . There are no subspecies or forms. Western white pine hybridizes with Balkan pine (P. peuce), blue pine (P. griffithii), eastern white pine (P. strobus), southwestern white pine (P. strobiformis), and limber pine (P. flexilis) .

Western white pine occurs in the Pacific Northwest. The northern boundary of its range is at Quesnel Lake, British Columbia, latitude 52 deg. 30 min. N., and the southern boundary is at Tulare County, California, latitude 35 deg. 51 min. N. The western boundary is marked by the Pacific Coast, and the eastern boundary is at Glacier National Park, Montana. Western white pine reaches its greatest size and best stand and commercial development in northern Idaho and adjacent parts of Montana, Washington, and British Columbia .

Western white pine is a seral species that is present in a number of habitat types, associations, and communities throughout its range. In northern Idaho and eastern Washington, it may dominate early successional stages of the western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)/queencup beadlily (Clintonia uniflora) and western redcedar (Thuga plicata)/queencup beadlily habitat types . It is also a major seral species in the western hemlock/queencup beadlily habitat type in western Monatana and is a major constituent of the western hemlock zone in the Puget Sound area of Washington . A western white pine riparian dominance type has been described for northwestern Montana . Associated species are those associated with the Aralia phase of the subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa)/queencup beadlily habitat type . Western white pine is moderately abundant, usually growing in small groups and often interspersed with other species, in the subalpine forest zone on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada .

Some of the information provided here is attributed to:Griffith, Randy Scott. 1992. Pinus monticola. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). , available at the USDA Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) website