Pinus strobus 'Contorta'
Contorted Eastern White Pine

Family:

Pinaceae (Pine Family) 75

Genus:

Pinus (Pine) 28

Plant Type:

Tree 583

Growth Forms:

Upright 578

Hardiness:

USDA Zone 3 236

Deciduous / Evergreen:

Evergreen 263

Foliage Notes:

Green (Soft bluish-green foliage, finer than most pines and slightly twisted)

Fruit Notes:

Brown (Cone)

Ultimate Height:

15-40 feet

Ultimate Spread:

10-30 feet

Light Requirements:

Soil Notes:

Widely adaptable to different soils, but prefers fertile, moist, well-drained soils

Range:

Found growing at Seneca Park in Rochester, NY in 1932

Diagnostic Characteristics:

Needles (2-4" long) in fascicles of 5, with waxy lines on the two inner surfaces. Needles are soft, slender, and finely toothed. Needles, branchlets, and branches are slightly twisted. Resinous buds are 0.25" long and sharp pointed. Cones are 3-8" long by 1.5" wide. Stems are slender with tufts of short hairs below insertion of fascicles.

Purdue Plant Doctor

Parts and Problems of Mugo Pine

Special Characteristics:

Notable Texture 282

Slow Growth Rate 272

Specimen 630

Additional Information

'Contorta' has a loose, irregular, upright form and twisted needles, branchlets, and branches. The Eastern White Pine is among the best pines for resistance to moth borers. Transplants easily with a bit of shade tolerance. Somewhat less adapted to severe exposures and very dry soils than Pinus resinosa or Pinus nigra. Very sensitive to air pollution and road salt. Susceptible to White Pine Blister Rust. Decaying needles acidify soil beneath (to about pH 4.5), which suppresses growth of other plant species.