Maine State Flower - The White Pine Cone

Botanical Name

Pinus strobus (Linnaeus)

Year Adopted

1895

Peak Bloom

April to May

History

Maine adopted the White Pine Cone following its use in the National Garland of Flowers at the 1893 World’s Fair.

Fun Fact

The Eastern White Pine is the largest conifer in North America and can live up to 500 years.

Did you know that Maine is the only state whose state flower is not actually a flower at all? Lawmakers chose the White Pine Cone because the state was commonly known as the Pine Tree state.

The White Pine Cone and Tassel of the Eastern White Pine has green and blue-green needles which are usually two to five inches long and grow in clusters of five sprigs. The tree’s cones are brown and slender and grow alongside its needles at the end of the pine’s branches. The towering conifer grows abundantly across the state of Maine and has long ties to the state’s lumber industry.

The lofty evergreens have long dominated the state’s picturesque landscape, from its rocky seacoasts to its thick inland wilderness. Lumber products milled from pine trees have fueled the state’s economy since the 1600s.

To see the Maine state flower, one only needs to venture across the state’s border. Besides their ubiquitous natural presence, these pine trees are used in Maine for landscaping and in reforestation. They are also one of the most planted plants in the country and can be found in New York, Michigan, Wisconsin and Canada.

Aside from its role in the timber industry, the tree upon which the Maine state flower grows has other historical value. During colonial times, its strong, straight trunks were used to make masts for ships sailing in the British Royal Navy.

Growing Information

Soil

Well-drained

Sun

Full Sun/Partial Shade

Zones

3 - 8

ALL STATES