Japanese white pine | The Morton Arboretum

Family (English) Pine
Family (botanic) Pinaceae
Planting site Residential and parks
Tree or plant type Tree
Foliage Evergreen (foliage year-round)
Native locale Non-native
Size range Medium tree (25-40 feet), Large tree (more than 40 feet)
Mature height 25-50 feet
Mature width 25-50 feet
Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily)
Hardiness zones Zone 4, Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7
Soil preference Moist, well-drained soil
Tolerances Alkaline soil, clay soil, Occasional drought, Road salt
Season of interest early winter, midwinter, late winter, early spring, mid spring, late spring, early summer, midsummer, late summer, early fall, mid fall, late fall
Flower color and fragrance Inconspicuous
Shape or form Broad, Pyramidal
Growth rate Slow
Transplants well Yes
Planting considerations May be difficult to find in nurseries
Has cultivars Yes

Native geographic location and habitat:

Japanese white pine is native to Japan.

Bark color and texture:

Bark is smooth and gray-green when young, gray and scaly when older.

Leaf or needle arrangement, size, shape, and texture:

Needles are fine textured, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long, bluish-green in color and grow in bundles of five. They are stiff and twisted and appear in brush-like tufts on strong horizontal branches.

Flower arrangement, shape, and size:

Monoecious, small, yellow-green flowers in clusters in May.

Fruit, cone, nut, and seed descriptions:

The 2 to 4 inch long cylindrical cones are thick, leathery, and located near the terminal ends of the branches. Cones are abundant, even on young trees, and persist for years on the tree.

Plant care:

Japanese white pine is a slow grower that does best in full sun. It is relatively tolerant of most soils as long as they are well-drained. It is somewhat tolerant of salt.

List of pests, diseases, and tolerances:

Japanese white pine can suffer from insects and disease when stressed. Susceptible to a number of diseases including diplodia tip blight, needle casts, and pine wilt. Susceptible to a number of pests including pine sawflies, pine needle scale, and Zimmerman pine moth.