Wednesday, November 12, 2008

A-Z Photo Challenge : P is for Pinus strobus

Check out Martha's Pretty Pink Pineapple! I have never, ever seen one before. Thanks Martha! She will have a linking list up this weekend that will guide you to all the "P's"
My "P" is a bit predictable...Pinus strobus ..or White Pine. Sometimes called Northern White Pine or Eastern White Pine. I captured this photograph last summer while I was supposed to be watching my grandsons. I kind of felt like that Diane Von What's Her Name as I gazed upwards into the White Pines. Do you suppose her photography session was cut short by "Grandma come push me in the swing..right now!" Probably not.
White Pines are scarce in our area, this stand is in a park in the nearby city of Park Rapids, Minnesota. These trees grow straight and true, that's why they were used for the masts of sailing ships on the east coast in colonial times. I love White Pines, they have a "look " all their own..if in doubt you can check the needle bundle..there should be five needles per bundle, the needles are from 2 to 5 inches long and slender. This stand of White Pines were growing so close together that they had lost all the needles from their lower branches. This often happens..because the tree is "so little".. the planters (God Bless them!) did not even stop to think that all trees need ROOM to grow and need room for some sunshine to grow well. Think about that the next time you plant a tree...how big will it be in fifty years? :)

5 comments:

  1. Trees, actually all plants always mess me up between planting and how big they actually will get. I should do more research before planting, it would save lots of hours of man, er... woman power (hubby isn't a yard kind of guy). Thanks for the lesson, I never knew what a Pinus strobus was! :-)

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  2. i like the way you shot this....and the blue sky above. something about shooting trees straight up appeals to me.

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  3. Great Pictures....I too love pines...oh who am I trying to kid. I too love TREES...all of them. But you already knew that.

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  4. You know more about the pines than I do. :) All I know is the red pine has three needles to a clump and the white has five. :) We have a pine in our yard but I can't reach up to the lowest branch to figure out which kind it is. :(

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  5. Beautiful! and a history lesson too...
    Have a great day!

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I love your comments! I am glad you stopped by! Connie