Red Pine

The Tree

The Red Pine is a medium sized pine 60 to 80 feet high and 2 to 8 feet in diameter. It is characterized by its long, straight, clean trunk and reddish-brown flaky or scaly bark. The crown is usually well rounded and symmetrical. The dark green, glossy needles 4 to 6 inches long, are borne in pairs clustered near the ends of the branches, and remain on the tree four or five years. The spineless cones are comparatively small and very compact. Throughout the Great Lakes region, as the supply of Eastern White Pine is gradually depleted, the Red Pine is being heavily
planted because of its disease resistance and desirable lumber qualities. It grows rapidly, reproduces easily from seed and is a beautiful sturdy tree. Unfortunately, it has long been known as Norway Pine although it is a native American species and not imported from Norway. Very probably Norway Pine was so named because large stands of this tree were found near the Village of Norway, Maine.

Common Names in Use

Norway Pine (trade)
Pig Iron Pine (Minn.)
Canadian Pine(Eng., trade)
Pitch Pine (Can.)
Canadian Red Pine (Eng.)
Pig Iron Norway (Me.,Minn.)
Hard Pine (Wis., Me., trade)
Quebec Pine (Eng., trade)
Norway (trade)
Red Deal (Eng., trade)
Norway Pine (Me., N.H., Vt., Mass., N.Y., Wis., Mich., Minn., Ontario., hort. and trade)
Red Pine (Vt., N.H., N.Y., Wis., Minn., Ontario., hort. and trade)
Shellbark Norway (Minn.)
Northern Pine (trade)
Yellow Deal (Eng., trade)

Growth Range

The growth range of Red Pine is from Minnesota and adjacent parts of southern Canada, through Wisconsin, Michigan, the northeast corner of Ohio eastward through Pennsylvania and the northeastern states. Scattered groves may be found as far southward as West Virginia.

The Wood

Red Pine heartwood is a pale very light red orange brown or light pinkish tan, while the sapwood is moderately wide and a creamy light yellow or nearly white color. The wood is straight-grained, medium-textured, moderately soft, non-porous, and heavier than White Pine. Distinctive rings give it a slight figure. It has small resin ducts, is strong, rather stiff and has a prominent resinous odor. It is easily worked with tools and has an “oily” feel in handling. The wood nails easily without splitting and stays in place with little shrinkage when properly seasoned.

Red Pine wood

Uses

This wood is commercially important for sash, doors, flooring, interior and exterior trim, cabin logs, hewed and sawed railroad ties, ship construction, general millwork and general construction, box car construction, agricultural implements, wooden ware, toys and other uses similar to Eastern White Pine. It is also used for “knotty pine” finishing and for paper pulp.

Red Pine flooring