Plant Care
›
Propagation
›
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus
Reviewed by Kiersten Rankel M.S.
QUICK ANSWER
Seed sowing after 60 to 90 days of cold stratification is the home grower's most reliable path and produces a viable seedling in 12 to 18 months. Hardwood cuttings taken in late winter root over 4 to 6 months but only succeed about a third of the time, so they suit hobbyists with extra cuttings to spare.
Stay on top of plant care
Get seasonal reminders for watering and fertilizing, personalized for your plants.
Try Greg Free
Pick your method
Tap one to jump to the walkthrough.
From seed
Best for raising a true-to-species pine from scratch
Hardwood cuttings
Best when you want a clone of a parent tree
From seed
Time
12–18 months
Level
Intermediate
Success rate
Moderate
You'll need
Fresh Eastern white pine cones or cleaned seed
Damp sand or vermiculite
Sealable plastic bag or jar
4-inch deep pots with drainage
Coarse sandy potting mix
Refrigerator at 34 to 40 degrees F
1
Source fresh seed
Collect closed cones in late summer and dry them indoors until they open and release seeds. Eastern white pine seeds lose viability fast, so use seed harvested within the past year.
Purchased seed should come from a recent collection. Discard any seed that floats in water after a 24-hour soak.
Purchased seed should come from a recent collection. Discard any seed that floats in water after a 24-hour soak.
2
Cold stratify for 60 to 90 days
Mix the seeds with damp sand or vermiculite in a sealed bag and place in the refrigerator. Check weekly and re-moisten if the medium dries out.
This chilling period mimics a northeast winter and breaks the seed's dormancy. Skipping it gives almost no germination.
This chilling period mimics a northeast winter and breaks the seed's dormancy. Skipping it gives almost no germination.
3
Sow in deep pots
Fill 4-inch deep pots with sandy mix and press one seed half an inch below the surface. White pine has a long taproot, so depth matters more than width.
4
Keep cool and moist
Place pots in bright indirect light at 60 to 70 degrees F. Mist the surface daily so the top inch never dries out. Germination starts in 3 to 6 weeks once stratification is complete.
5
Grow on through the first year
Once seedlings show their first true needles, move them outside to dappled shade. Water when the surface dries and avoid fertilizer for the first growing season.
Protect young seedlings from full afternoon sun until the second spring.
Protect young seedlings from full afternoon sun until the second spring.
6
Transplant in the second autumn
By month 12 to 18 the seedling will be 4 to 8 inches tall with a sturdy stem. Move to its permanent spot in early autumn so roots settle before winter.
WATCH FOR
Seedlings that flop over with a dark pinched spot at soil level. That is damping off, a fungal collapse caused by wet, stagnant conditions. Reduce watering, increase airflow, and water from below. Pines are especially prone to damping off, so sterile media and bottom watering matter from day one.
Hardwood cuttings
Time
4–6 months
Level
Advanced
Success rate
Low
You'll need
6 to 8 inch hardwood cuttings from a young tree
Sterile pruning shears
Rooting hormone (recommended, IBA 0.8 percent)
50/50 perlite and peat mix
Clear humidity dome or plastic bag
Bottom heat mat set to 70 degrees F
1
Take cuttings in late winter
Choose 6 to 8 inch shoots from the previous season's growth on a young, vigorous tree. Cuttings from trees under 10 years old root far better than cuttings from mature specimens.
Make a clean cut just below a needle bundle with sterile shears.
Make a clean cut just below a needle bundle with sterile shears.
2
Strip the lower needles
Pull or cut needles from the bottom 2 inches of each cutting. The bare zone is what will develop roots, so leave needles only on the top third.
3
Dip in rooting hormone
Tap the bare end into IBA powder at 0.8 percent and shake off the excess. Rooting hormone is the difference between a 30 percent take rate and almost zero for white pine.
4
Insert into rooting medium
Push each cutting 2 inches deep into a 50/50 perlite and peat mix in a 4-inch pot. Firm the medium gently so the cutting stands upright without wobbling.
Space cuttings 2 inches apart if sharing a tray.
Space cuttings 2 inches apart if sharing a tray.
5
Cover and apply bottom heat
Set the tray on a heat mat at 70 degrees F and cover with a clear dome to hold humidity at 80 percent or higher. Place under a grow light for 14 hours a day or in a bright north window.
Vent the dome for 10 minutes every other day to prevent mold.
Vent the dome for 10 minutes every other day to prevent mold.
6
Test for roots at month 4
Give a gentle tug. Resistance means roots have formed. Pot up rooted cuttings into a sandy mix and harden off outside in spring.
WATCH FOR
Brown, dried-out needles within the first month. That is desiccation from low humidity inside the dome. Check that condensation forms on the dome walls each morning. If not, mist the inside and re-seal. Pine cuttings have no root system to replace lost moisture, so humidity is non-negotiable for the first 8 weeks.
Stay on top of plant care
Get seasonal reminders for watering and fertilizing, personalized for your plants.
Try Greg Free
About This Article
Kiersten Rankel M.S.
Botanical Data Lead at Greg · Plant Scientist
Editorial Process
Propagation methods verified against Pinus strobus growth data from Greg's botanical database, cross-referenced with USDA hardiness zone data and published horticultural research.
154+ Greg users growing this plant
USDA hardiness zones 3a–8a