by Marilee Henry
Since ancient times during the cold winter season many cultures have revered evergreens as a sign of hope for the renewal of life and the return of spring. In that tradition this month let's celebrate shore pine, one of our beautiful native conifers; may its vibrant emerald foliage and fragrant resinous scent vanquish any wintertime blahs!
Of the 4 native pine species in Washington, Pinus contorta is the only one with 2 needles per bundle ("fascicle"), distinguishing it from our two pines with 5 needles, western white and white bark pines, and Ponderosa pine with 3 per bundle.
Pinus contorta comes in 2 varieties in our state. Shore pine (Pinus contorta var. contorta) grows on the west side of Washington in habitats varying from rocky coastal bluffs and sand dunes, to swamps and bogs, on up to subalpine areas. It can be identified by its bundles of 2 short (2 to 2.5 inch) twisted dark-green needles, small (1.5 to 3 inch) egg-shaped cones with prickles on the backs of each scale, and in mature trees, a thick, corky, dark gray bark with deep fissures in a checkered pattern. (See photos here.) Shore pine ranges from Alaska to northern California, mostly in coastal zones.
The second variety, lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia), is found mostly east of the Cascade crest in drier more fire-prone habitats. It is similar to shore pine, but its foliage tends to be more yellow-green, and its bark is usually thinner, more scaly, and colored gray with reddish brown hues. (Compare characteristics here.) Shapes of the two varieties are typically different, with shore pines having broader rounded crowns and twisted trunks (hence the name "contorta") compared to straight trunks and conical crowns characteristic of lodgepole. But because of their close genetics, particularly where their ranges overlap north of the Puget Trough, some of these distinctions get blurred and it may be hard to tell them apart.
Both shore and lodgepole pines begin producing cones at between 5 to 10 years of age. Those of shore pine may stay on their branches for several years before releasing their seeds into typically poor-quality coastal soils where competition is not severe. However, the similar-looking cones of lodgepole pine may remain on their branches for 10 years or more because they usually contain a tough resin requiring a wildfire to melt. The sudden release of seeds after a fire event into a nutrient-rich ash layer now devoid of other competing tree species can result in large swaths of dense same-age lodgepole pine stands found in eastern Washington. Where shore pine occurs in drier habitats away from coastal zones, it may develop more resinous cones that require high heat for seed release.
If it sounds confusing, just assume that a 2-needle pine west of the Cascade crest is most likely to be shore pine; east of the crest it is lodgepole pine.
Pine trees are second only to oaks in North America for their importance to wildlife, and in the Pacific Northwest they have become more valuable since oak habitats are now so rare. The genus Pinus is host to over 200 species of moth and butterfly larvae in our general region, with shore pine assumed to host at least 50 of those. Its nutritious oily seeds are eaten by numerous species, such as woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, jays, grosbeaks, and other birds; also chipmunks, squirrels, and other small mammals. Porcupines and small rodents eat the bark and wood. Elk and deer browse the foliage. The needles, a critical winter food for porcupines, are also used by birds to build nests, while the dense pine foliage provides shelter and nesting sites for numerous species, including hummingbirds.
The pitch provided waterproofing for indigenous people's canoes, baskets, and fish nets, and was made into a glue to affix arrowheads onto shafts. Roots were made into ropes while the gum was a medicinal agent for cuts, rheumatism, and tuberculosis. Broken bones could be splinted with sheets of shore pine bark.
For the urban landscaper, shore pine's adaptability to a wide range of soil conditions together with its varied forms provide endless possibilities for the garden! In fertile soils and moderate wind regimes, it typically grows to about 50 feet in height with a spread of 30 feet and a somewhat rounded crown. But in coastal and in subalpine areas, this tree often assumes intriguing wind-sculpted shapes. Its tolerance for salt spray and nutrient-poor soils such as sand dunes makes it a valuable tree for beach properties. Sites with saturated soils such as bogs or swamps, which few other tree species can tolerate, will produce stunted, bushy shore pines. Under intentional conditions of dwarfing or shaping, this species can be molded into dramatic focal points in rock gardens, patio containers, or even as bonsai. They can be planted as drifts for privacy screens, hedgerows or windbreaks. They can be grown in a raingarden, or as a key component of a pollinator garden, or used as bank stabilizers and erosion controls.
What can't you do with a shore pine? Don't plant it in shade; it needs full sun.
Shore pine can be propagated by seed. Gather cones in August or September; store them in a cool dry place until their seeds are released. Plant seeds outside in winter where nature will give them the cold stratification needed for germination. Shore pine bare root plants are available to order online now from the King Conservation District's native plant sale, or from the Snohomish Conservation District in January.
I will be planting my shore pine in a container to use as a living Christmas tree next year!
Remember, "You are nature's best hope!" - Doug Tallamy, author of "Nature's Best Hope" and "Bringing Nature Home".
Marilee Henry
Kirkland Community Wildlife Habitat Team Member, Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS) Native Plant Steward, Green Kirkland Steward, Finn Hill Neighborhood Alliance Contributor
King Conservation District (KCD) plant sale information
On-line bare root pre-ordering through February 7, 2025. Pick up February 26 - 28, 2025 or March 1, 2025
https://kingcd.org/programs/better-backyards/native-bareroot-plant-sale/
Snohomish Conservation District plant sale information
Online bare root pre-orders begin in January 2, 2025
https://www.theplantsale.org/