E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of BC

Pinus monticola Douglas ex D. Don
western white pine
Pinaceae (Pine family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

Map

Distribution of Pinus monticola
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Introduction

This is an evergreen coniferous species of tree that can be 50 m tall or taller.

Species Information

General:
Tree to 50 m tall, sometimes taller; bark thin, grey and smooth when young, developing into small, squarish scales, greyish where flakes exposed, cinnamon brown underneath; young twigs puberulent.

Leaves:
Needles in fives, (3) 5-10 cm long; light blue-green.

Cones:
Seed cones pendant at ends of upper branches, yellow-green to purple when young, turning yellowish-brown, 15-25 cm long when mature; scales thin; pollen cones yellow, clustered.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

USDA Species Characteristics

Flower Colour:
Yellow

Blooming Period:
Mid Spring

Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Summer to Fall

Source: The USDA

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Pinus monticola

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information	Value / Class
Site Information	Avg	Min	Max
Elevation (metres)	877	0	2145
Slope Gradient (%)	25	0	150
Aspect (degrees) [0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]	204	0	360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric]	3	0	8
Modal Nutrient Regime Class	C
# of field plots species was recorded in:	1765
Modal BEC Zone Class	ICH
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in	CDF(2), CWH(350), ESSF(136), ICH(990), IDF(70), MH(49), MS(58), PP(1), SBS(1)
Source: Klinkenberg 2013

Habitat and Range

Moist to dry slopes in the lowland and montane zones; frequent in S BC; E to SW AB and S to CA, NV, ID, and MT.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Status Information

Origin Status	Provincial Status	BC List (Red Blue List)	COSEWIC
Native	S4	Yellow	Not Listed

BC Ministry of Environment: BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer.

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Pinus strobus var. monticola (Douglas ex D. Don) Nutt.

Taxonomic Keys

1. Needles 2 or 3 in a bundle.

2. Needles in bundles of 3, 12-20 cm long..........................Pinus ponderosa
2. Needles generally in bundles of 2, 2-6 cm long.

3. Cones spreading at right angles or reflexed, the scales armed with prickles...............................Pinus controta (2 varieties)
3. Cones directed towards the apex of the shoot, strongly incurved or divergent, the scales unarmed or armed with minute prickles..................Pinus banksiana

1. Needles usually 5 in a bundle.

4. Cones long-stalked, 15-25 cm long, 6-9 cm thick at maturity; cone scales thin and flexible; seeds prominently winged..........................Pinus monticola
4. Cones sessile or subsessile, 5-25 cm long, cone scales thick, woody, and sometimes remaining closed, seeds wingless or wings short and remaining attached to scale.

5. Cones 8-25 cm long, opening at maturity; scales light brown, thinned somewhat toward the tip...............................Pinus flexilis
5. Cones 5-8 cm long, remaining closed and tardily shedding the seeds at maturity; scales purplish, becoming thickened rather than thinnish toward the tip....................................Pinus albicaulis

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia