Red Pine State Tree of Minnesota

The state tree of Minnesota is the Red Pine (Pinus resinosa). This tree is also called northern pine and Norway pine. Red pine is commonly found growing in the wild along the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes region. Red pine can live to be 400 years old, 75-200 feet tall, and have a trunk diameter that averages 20 inches. Red pine is hardy to Zone 2.

Red pine is monoecious and will produce both male and female cones. The male cones are red in color and grow lower in the canopy than the female cones. The cones persist on the tree until the following year. Red pine has a variable seed producing cycle. There are bumper crops every 10 to 12 years. Seeds are dispersed by the wind. In the wild, more fertile seeds are produced by trees in open areas. Germination is enhanced on fire damaged soils with some covering of ash or ground litter. Mature trees are very resistant to fire.

Red pine prefers full sun. When trees are growing in close proximity, the branches will be at the top of the trunk. Red pine is often found sharing the forest with White Pine (Pinus strobus) and Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana).

In managed forests, trees are often planted 5 feet apart which seems to satisfy the light requirements of red pine. The tree prefers well drained sand or sandy loam with a soil pH ranging from 5.2 to 6.5. Red pine prefers a moist soil and is more drought tolerant as the tree ages. Young trees are also susceptible to freezing but become tolerant with age. Some leaves and twigs were subjected to laboratory test conditions of -200ºF and survived.

Heavy logging in red pine forests and aggressive fire prevention that reduces the favorable conditions for seed germination have worked together to prevent red pine from wide regeneration in the wild.

This evergreen conifer has 5 inch needles that are sharp and brittle. The needle bundles resemble a fox tail. The bark can be an interesting feature and is mixed orange-red, brown, and slivery gray with a very rough scale. Immature trees have bark with a pinkish-brown and gray tinge. The tree is not tolerant of salt or wind which limits its suitability. Cultivars available in the trade include 'Don Smith', 'Globosa' and 'Morel'.

Red pine has strong commercial value. It is harvested for lumber, piling, poles, cabin logs, railway ties, posts, mine timbers, box boards, pulpwood, and fuel. The tall straight trunks are prized for snowbreaks, windbreaks, and Christmas trees.

Pine forests provide habitat for wildlife. Birds, including bald eagles, next in the branches. The seedlings are browsed by white-tailed deer, snowshoe hares, and cottontails if other food is scarce. The seeds are enjoyed by songbirds, mice and chipmunks.

Sources
Pinus resinosa, http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/pinres/all.html
Pinus resinosa, University of Connecticut, http://www.ipm.uconn.edu/Plants/p/pinres/pinres1.html
Pinus resinosa, Boreal Forest, http://www.borealforest.org/trees/tree9.htm
Pinus resinosa, Rook, http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/trees/pinusres.html