Flower profile

Eastern white pine

Pinus strobus

Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) is a tree in the Pinaceae family, native in the lower 48 states.

★ Official state floral emblem of Maine (1895)Native to Maine

Eastern white pine is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

28states where USDA records it

4,258ME sightings*

89,653U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Maine

🏅

Maine's official state floral emblem since 1895. Visit the Maine page → ^{1 M.R.S. § 211} Maine's official "flower" is the cone and tassel of the eastern white pine, a conifer, so it doesn't make true flowers.

Quick look

Pinus strobus, commonly called the eastern white pine, northern white pine, white pine, Weymouth pine (British), and soft pine is a large pine native to eastern North America.
From Wikipedia's article Pinus strobus, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Pinaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a tree with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 28 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Maine. ^NatureServe
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as red. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late spring. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 150 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 4,258 research-grade sightings of it in Maine, ranking #5 among the 160 flowers on our Maine list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Not enough flowering records on iNaturalist to chart yet.

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Maine: Not listed Not on Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories. NatureServe: S5, secure in Maine. ^{Maine rare plant list}
Rare elsewhere: No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets. For context only: ASPCA lists a related species, Pinus ponderosa (“Blackjack Pine”), as non-toxic to dogs and cats. That doesn't tell us about this species, so keep pets away to be safe. ^ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records Eastern white pine in 28 states plus Washington, D.C.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Maine counties with USDA records: Androscoggin, Cumberland, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo, Washington, York.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Eastern white pine a medium shade tolerance, none drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 4.0 to 6.5 and winter lows down to -33 °F.

Shade tolerance: Medium
Drought tolerance: None
Moisture use: Medium
Soil textures it is adapted to: medium
Soil pH range: 4.0 to 6.5
Minimum temperature tolerated: -33 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 90
Annual precipitation range: 20 to 80 inches
Minimum root depth: 40 inches
Salinity tolerance: Low
Fertility requirement: Low
Growth rate: Rapid
Lifespan: Moderate
Active growth period: Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed: Brown · Summer to Fall
Can be propagated by: bare root, container, cuttings, seed
Commercial availability: Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for PIST. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native; St. Pierre and Miquelon: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Strobus strobus.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 595 counties across 26 states; the most are in Pennsylvania (66), Michigan (62), Wisconsin (61).

More Maine flowers

Roses (genus Rosa)

Rosa

★ NY state flower🌷 Garden flower

🌼 Blooms in ME: June–August

Canadian bunchberry

Cornus canadensis

Native

🌼 Blooms in ME: May–July

Rugosa rose

Rosa rugosa

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in ME: June–September

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile PIST.
iNaturalist, Pinus strobus: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Pinus strobus (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
1 M.R.S. § 211: Maine state floral emblem.
Maine: Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories.
Maine: Maine Do Not Sell invasive plant list (01-001 C.M.R. ch. 273).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Pinus strobus (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
Photo: Richard Littauer via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.