Unless you are willing to prune regularly to keep this tree shrub-sized, give it lots of space, as it quickly matures into a very large specimen. Individual trees should be planted at least 20 to 30 feet away from any other trees or shrubs.

Light

This tree does well with at least four hours of direct sunlight each day. The hotter the climate, the more it appreciates some shade.

Soil

Eastern white pine likes an acidic soil that is well-drained. A thick bed of pine needle mulch over the root zone will both cool the soil and lower the pH.

Water

Keep the tree well-watered when young, but once established it does fairly well in dryish soil, provided the soil is kept cool. If given about 1 inch of water weekly, it remains a happy specimen.

Temperature and Humidity

This is a tree that prefers cool, humid weather. In the warmer end of its hardiness range, it sometimes struggles.

Fertilizer

Eastern white pine should be fed in spring with a high-acid fertilizer designed for evergreens. For the amount, follow the fertilizer label instructions.

Varieties of Eastern White Pine

The species form is the type that is most often planted, but there are several good cultivars, especially the dwarf varieties:

‘Nana’ and ‘Compacta’ are two mounded dwarf varieties. ‘Blue Shag’ is a compact form with blue-green needles. ‘Contorta’ is a variety with twisted, curled branches. ‘Fatigiata’ has a tall, columnar form with blue-green needles. ‘Pendula’ is a weeping form of eastern white pine. ‘Aurea’ is a variety with yellow needles.

Pruning

Prune away broken, dead, or diseased branches whenever you see them. When trimming for shape or size, perform the pruning in late fall, winter, or early spring when the tree is dormant.

Propagating Eastern White Pine

This tree is fairly easy to propagate from seeds.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Unfortunately, eastern white pine is susceptible to many pests and diseases. A variety of blight and rust diseases are possible, one of which—white pine blister rust—often kills the trees. Make sure this disease is not common in your area before planting an eastern white pine. White pine weevils can attack this tree, especially when it’s still under 20 feet tall. Symptoms of the pest feeding on the tree include a curled, dead, or dying terminal leader, and shiny resin oozing from the small holes that the weevils chew into the bark in the spring. The leader should be removed promptly to interrupt the pest’s life cycle. The application of pesticides can be difficult with large trees.