Maine State Tree

Eastern White Pine

(Pinaceae Pinus strobus)

Adopted on July 21, 1945.

Correct Errors on September 12, 1959

The Eastern White Pine, Pinaceae Pinus strobus, is considered to be the largest conifer in the northeastern United States. The white pine was initially adopted as the official tree of the State of Maine, by Senate Resolve presented by Senator Clough of Penobscot in 1945.

In Maine, Resolves are defined as having "the force of law but do not amend statutes."

Therefore in "AN ACT to Correct Errors and Inconsistencies in the Public Laws," the white pine was given a promotion of sorts and elevated to a position in the Maine Revised Statutes by the Ninety-ninth Legislature. Legislative Document No. 1171 was presented by Senator Weeks of Cumberland. The effective date of this approved bill was September 12, 1959.

Description of the Maine State Tree

Eastern white pine also called northern white pine, is one of the most valuable trees in eastern North America. Before the arrival of white men, virgin stands contained an estimated 3.4 billion m³ (600 billion fbm) of lumber. By the late 1800's most of those vast stands had been logged. Because it is among the more rapid growing northern forest conifers, it is an excellent tree for reforestation projects, landscaping, and Christmas trees and has the distinction of having been one of the more widely planted American trees.

Leaves (needles) are soft, flexible and bluish-green to silver green in color and are regularly arranged in bundles of five. Needles are 2 1/2-5 inches long and are usually shed at the end of the second growing season. Flowers (strobili) occur on the tree. Cones are 4-8 inches in length, usually slightly curved. Cone scales are thin and never have prickles. Cones also have a fragrant gummy resin.

Identification

Leaf: Evergreen, 3 to 5 inches long, with five blue-green, slender needles per fascicle. A fascicle sheath is not present. Needles appear blue because of 3 or more lines of stomata.

Flower: Monoecious; males cylindrical, yellow, in clusters near branch tips; females light green, tinged in red, at ends of branches.

Fruit: Cones are 4 to 7 inches long, cylindrical, with thin, rounded cone scales, very resinous. Cones are borne on a long stalk. Maturing August to September.

Twig: Slender, gray-green to orange-brown in color.

Bark: On young trees; thin, smooth and gray-green in color. Later becoming thick, reddish-brown to gray-brown with prominent ridges and furrows.

Form: A large tree with a very straight stem. The crown is conical when young, later developing wispy, horizontal branches.

Senate Resolve No. 381

Legislative Document No. 381 follows.

Chapter 8

RESOLVE, Designating the White Pine Tree as the State Official Tree.

White pine tree, state official tree. Resolved: That the white pine tree be, and hereby is, designated the official tree of the state of Maine.

Effective July 21, 1945

Legislative Document No. 1171

 Legislative Document No. 1171 presented by Senator Weeks of Cumberland.

Section 26-A. State tree. The official tree of the State shall be the white pine tree. (Resolves 1945, c. 8)
Effective September 12, 1959

Statute

Maine Revised Statutes, Title 1, Chapter 9, Subchapter 1.

Title 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS
Chapter 9: SEAL, MOTTO, EMBLEMS AND FLAGS
Subchapter 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS

§208. State tree.

The official tree of the State shall be the white pine tree.

Taxonomic Hierarchy of the Eastern White Pine