#Pine White Tree

Pennsylvania is home to many old‑growth stands of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), remnants of the forests that once blanketed the Northeast before European settlement. So magnificent and ecologically valuable, the hemlock was named our state tree (and for good reason). These majestic trees are a year‑round foundation of Pennsylvania’s forests!🌲 #pennsylvanianature #landtrust #landconservation #nativespecies #invasivespecies

Scots Pine is the most widespread tree in the world, with a native range that stretches across Eurasia. It was brought to North America by early settlers. So, does it belong here? And what does it mean for a tree to “belong” anyway? It’s okay to appreciate any tree, native or non-native. But when choosing new trees to plant, native trees are the best choice for supporting local ecosystems.

It's pretty easy once you know! A super useful mnemonic to help you identify your conifers! I definitely didn't accidentally mix up cypress with cedar at the end there! I'm clearly saying cypress! #nature #trees #tree #wildlife #plantidentification

Why I was wrong about white cedar! (And what it has to do with deer, cliffs, and old-growth) Northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) AKA arborvitae is an enigmatic tree species, and one that I encounter relatively infrequently. When I see white cedar it’s always a joy, but also almost always a head-scratcher — it seems to pop up in these weird and unexpected places. And for years I formed an understanding of white cedar as kind of a “fussy” or “picky” or “particular” tree species. Until I went to Big Reed! Big Reed is the largest old-growth forest in New England, ~5,000 acres of old-growth in northern Maine (you can find a series of videos I made in Big Reed if you go back to my feed from September and October of 2024). One of the things that stuck me in Big Reed was seeing white cedar growing on all these different sites, and all these different ecological contexts that I’d never seen it in before. Big Reed is north of the range of white-tailed deer, a species that LOVES browsing cedar, and (after a very extensive literature review and discussing a lot of other foresters and ecologists and biologists) it hit me — my understanding of white cedar is really a function of deer overpopulation. White-tailed deer overpopulation is a VERY serious ecological problem, a novel condition caused by the confluence of predator extirpation, decreasing winter severity, habitat fragmentation and modification and more. Where deer are overpopulated they can almost single-handedly dictate the tree species that survive (the ones they don’t like to eat) and the ones the don’t (the ones they prefer to eat). Cedar is one of the latter species, and its modern-day distribution is highly-influenced by deer overpopulation — essentially, even in areas that are perfect cedar habitat, if there’s too many white-tailed deer, it won’t be there. I’m out of characters, but if you want to learn another aspect of the amazingness of white cedar, check out the book The Last Stand by Peter Kelley and Douglas Larson, about the vertical old-growth cedar forests of the Niagara Escarpment in Ontario. #tree #trees #nature

Finding a tree that is over 470 years old is quite impressive, and Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve is home to the world’s oldest known Long Leaf Pine. Read about these stately trees at inevertakethemanywhere.com #inevertakethemanywhere #northcarolina #longleafpine #weymouthwoods #pinuspalustris

I told you yesterday how I’m kind of a pine needle hoarder. Sounds a little ridiculous, but if I could describe my relationship with my pine trees in a sentence, it would be “Needles, needles everywhere—but none that I can reach.” 😝

Wisconsin has plenty of beautiful native evergreens, but a few trees in our yards and parks actually come from far away. Here are a few non‑native conifers you may have seen. We suggest choosing one of Wisconsin’s native conifers, seen in a video on our profile! (White pines, red pine, balsam fir, hemlock!) Native trees help local wildlife and provide a strong, healthy habitats!

Your next forest walk will never be the same after learning these pine cone secrets. From predicting weather to following perfect mathematical spirals, these aren’t just tree droppings — they’re nature’s hidden masterpieces. Save this for your next outdoor adventure. #pineconesecretsrevealed #forestwalkfinds #naturehiddenfacts #outdoorexplorationguide #wildernessknowledgeshare

REPOST @nysdec:  Do you know your cones?  In New York State, you can find several native and non-native tree species that grow cones (AKA “conifers”) and we’ve included an example of just a selection of some of them here. But there are a lot of mis-cone-ceptions about conifers! Check out the facts below and file them away to impress your pals on your next woods walk:  🌲 Not all cones are pinecones. Pinecones only come from pine trees, but there are also spruces, firs, hemlocks, and other trees that grow cones. 🌲 And not all conifers are evergreens. In New York, we have the tamarack—a tree with cones that drops all its needles each year.  🌲 Some cones, like those of the jack pine, are “serotinus.” This means they have a resin coating and require wildfire to release their seeds. 🌲 A cone holds seeds, but it is not a fruit. Conifers are gymnosperms, a group of seed-producing plants that don’t make fruit. The word gymnosperm comes from Greek roots and means “naked seed.”

Ever notice how some trees are always the first to grow in a meadow or recently developed site? There’s a reason for that 🌲 Link in bio to order field guides! #treeidentification #learningnature #outdoors #treebark #riverbirchdesigns

White Oak, Quercus alba, the Elvis of trees, is one of the best native plants for biodiversity. It is a Keystone Plant because it feeds more than 500 species of butterfly and moth caterpillars. Those caterpillars make great bird food and are the No. 1 food birds depend on to feed their babies. The bark on White Oak, as I mentioned, pulls away from the trunk on one side, making the tree one of the few plants able to provide roosting habitat for bats while it’s still alive. White Oak also makes a great canopy and shade tree—the quintessential old tree with twisted, gnarly roots silhouetted in a grassy field! For more on White Oak, click the link in our linktree bio. #nativegarden #newengland #trees #birds #biodiversity

White Pine!! Pinus strobus.. Let's learn all about white pines! Leave your questions in the comments! #ontariocanada #naturalenvironment #outside #whitepine #naturalrecipes