Editing Pinus strobus (section)

== Contemporary uses ==

=== Lumber ===
[[File:PinusStrobusBoard.jpg|thumb|Board of ''Pinus strobus'']]

=== Timber framing ===
Eastern white pine has often been used for timber frames, and is available in large sizes. Eastern white pine timbers are not particularly strong, so timbers increase in size to handle loads applied. This species accepts stains better than most, but it has little rot resistance, so should be used only in dry conditions.<ref name=":0" />

=== Characteristics ===
Freshly cut eastern white pine is yellowish white or a pale straw color, but pine wood which has aged many years tends to darken to a deep, rich, golden tan. Occasionally, one can find light brown pine boards with unusual yellowish-golden or reddish-brown hues. This is the famous "pumpkin pine". Slow growing pines in old-growth forests are thought to accumulate colored products in the heartwood, but genetic factors and soil conditions may also play a role in rich color development.<ref name=nizalowski />

This wood is also favored by patternmakers for its easy working.<ref name=":0" />

=== Ecology ===
Cottontail, snowshoe rabbits, porcupines, can eat the bark. Red squirrels can eat the cones by extracting the seeds. Seeds are eaten by crossbills, pine siskin, and white tailed deer.<ref name=":0" />

=== Foods and medicines ===
Eastern white pine needles exceed the amount of [[vitamin C]] of lemons and oranges<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Durzan |first=Don J |date=2009-02-02 |title=Arginine, scurvy and Cartier's "tree of life" |journal=Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine |volume=5 |pages=5 |doi=10.1186/1746-4269-5-5 |issn=1746-4269 |pmc=2647905 |pmid=19187550 |doi-access=free }}</ref> and make an excellent [[herbal tea]]. The [[Vascular cambium|cambium]] is edible. It is also a source of [[resveratrol]]. [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]] noted in the 18th century that cattle and pigs fed pine [[bark bread]] grew well, but he personally did not like the taste.

Pine tar is produced by slowly burning pine roots, branches, or small trunks in a partially smothered flame. Pine tar mixed with beer can be used to remove [[tapeworm]]s (flat worms) or [[nematode]]s (round worms). Pine tar mixed with sulfur is useful to treat dandruff, and marketed in present-day products. Pine tar can also be processed to make [[turpentine]].<ref>Erichsen-Brown, C. 1979. Medicinal and Other Uses of North American Plants. Dover Publications, NY.</ref>

; Native American traditional uses
The name "Adirondack", an [[Iroquois]] word that means tree-eater, referred to their neighbors (more commonly known as the [[Algonquian peoples|Algonquians]]) who collected the inner bark of ''P. strobus'', ''[[Picea rubens]]'', and others during times of winter starvation. The white, soft inner bark (cambial layer) was carefully separated from the hard, dark brown bark and dried. When pounded, this product can be used as flour or added to stretch other starchy products.<ref name=umich>{{cite web |url=http://herb.umd.umich.edu/herb/search.pl?searchstring=Pinus+strobus |title=Pinus strobus |website=Native American Ethnobotany, University of Michigan – Dearborn) |access-date=2013-01-13 |archive-date=2013-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130525055404/http://herb.umd.umich.edu/herb/search.pl?searchstring=Pinus+strobus |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Fernald |first1=M. |first2=A. |last2=Kinsey |first3=R. |last3=Rollins |date=1943 |title=Edible Wild Plants |publisher=Harper & Row |location=New York}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

The young staminate cones were stewed by the [[Ojibwe]] Indians with meat, and were said to be sweet and not pitchy. In addition, the seeds are sweet and nutritious, but not as tasty as those of some of the western nut pines.<ref name=umich />

[[Pine resin]] (sap) has been used by various tribes to waterproof baskets, pails, and boats. The Ojibwe also used pine resin to successfully treat infections and even gangrenous wounds,<ref name=umich /> because pine resin apparently has a number of quite efficient antimicrobials. Generally, a wet pulp from the inner bark, or pine tar mixed with beeswax or butter was applied to wounds and used as a salve to prevent infection.

=== Cultivation ===
''P. strobus'' is cultivated by [[plant nursery|plant nurseries]] as an [[ornamental tree]], for planting in gardens and parks.<ref>{{NPIN |PIST |access-date=2013-01-13}}</ref> The species is low-maintenance and rapid-growing as a specimen tree. With regular shearing, it can also be trained as a [[hedge]]. Some cultivars are used in [[bonsai]].
<ref name=mbg>{{cite web |url=http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/plant-finder/plant-details/kc/e710/pinus-strobus.aspx |website=Missouri Botanical Garden Kemper Center for Home Gardening |title=''Pinus strobus'' (eastern white pine) |access-date=2013-01-13 |archive-date=2013-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130304010953/http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/plant-finder/plant-details/kc/e710/pinus-strobus.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Cultivars ====
[[Cultivar]]s have been selected for small to dwarf mature forms, and foliage color characteristics.<ref name=mbg /> They include:
*''P. strobus'' Nana group – {{cvt|3|ft|cm|order=flip}} tall by {{cvt|4|ft|m|order=flip}} wide [http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/plant-finder/plant-details/kc/a700/pinus-strobus-nana-group.aspx MBG: ''Pinus strobus'' (Nana Group)]
**''P. strobus'' 'Macopin' – {{cvt|1|to|3|ft|cm|order=flip}} tall & wide. [http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/plant-finder/plant-details/kc/a690/pinus-strobus-macopin.aspx MBG:''Pinus strobus'' 'Macopin']
**''P. strobus'' 'Paul Waxman' – {{cvt|2|to|5|ft|cm|order=flip}} tall & wide. [http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/plant-finder/plant-details/kc/b257/pinus-strobus-paul-waxman.aspx MBG: ''Pinus strobus'' 'Paul Waxman']<gallery>
File:Pinus strobus 'Pendula' at the Morris Arboretum.jpg|Pinus strobus 'Pendula'
File:Pinus Strobus 'Pigmaea'.jpg|Pinus Strobus 'Pigmaea'
File:Pinus Strobus 'Diggy'.jpg|Pinus Strobus 'Diggy'
</gallery>

==== Christmas trees ====
Smaller specimens are popular as live [[Christmas trees]]. Eastern white pines are noted for holding their needles well, even long after being harvested. They also are well suited for people with allergies, as they give little to no aroma. A standard {{convert|6|ft|m|adj=on|order=flip|sp=us}} tree takes around 6 to 8 years to grow in ideal conditions. Sheared varieties are usually desired because of their stereotypical Christmas tree conical shape, as naturally grown ones can be sparse, or grow bushy in texture.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.christmastree.org/trees/e_wht_pn.cfm |title=Christmas tree.org |access-date=2010-11-29 |archive-date=2010-11-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120115917/http://christmastree.org/trees/e_wht_pn.cfm |url-status=live }}</ref> The branches of the eastern white pine are also widely used in making holiday wreaths and garlands because of their soft, feathery needles.

=== Water filtration ===
White pine xylem has been used as a filter to clean certain bacteria from contaminated water.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MIT engineers make filters from tree branches to purify drinking water |url=https://news.mit.edu/2021/filters-sapwood-purify-water-0325 |access-date=2021-10-26 |website=MIT News {{!}} Massachusetts Institute of Technology |date=25 March 2021 |language=en |archive-date=2021-10-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026231012/https://news.mit.edu/2021/filters-sapwood-purify-water-0325 |url-status=live }}</ref> Hemacytometer tests revealed that at least 99.9% of bacteria tested were rejected after being passed through white pine xylem.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Boutilier |first1=Michael S. H. |last2=Lee |first2=Jongho |last3=Chambers |first3=Valerie |last4=Venkatesh |first4=Varsha |last5=Karnik |first5=Rohit |date=2014-02-26 |title=Water Filtration Using Plant Xylem |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=e89934 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0089934 |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=3935949 |pmid=24587134 |bibcode=2014PLoSO...989934B |doi-access=free}}</ref>