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Large pines that grow next to each other

12 years ago

We were hiking yesterday and in one area there is a large grove of white? pines that were planted I think during the 1960's (going from memory here). I'm just amazed at how 2 trees so large, can grow so close together. Its hard to tell by the pic, but these trees are VERY tall.

I guess planting a row of white pines in the backyard may come back to haunt the kids in 50 years :)

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Comments (8)

Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
12 years ago
Thats true! And a good observation for every time someone asks how close together trees can be planted.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
since they were presumably small plants at planting.. and basically the same size.. i guess i dont understand what the mystery is????

why does it amaze you so ...

did you trap the pine gnome.. and take it home???

ken
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whaas_5a
12 years ago
Typically Pines grow as solitary specimens in their native habitat, one of the reasons they drop needles to eliminate competition.

Since they are somewhat shade tolerant when young, Pinus strobus can grow in groves or a forest setting if you will. You'll only see growth at the tops or vertically for the trees on the outskirts.

See it all the time in WI (non clay areas). I'm sure the same applies to other areas in its native range.
franktank232
Original Author
12 years ago
I guess I don't have much experience with conifers (just fruit trees) so spacing is always a big issue (lots of pruning in my yard). With most? conifers, you can really pack them in and still have huge specimens (one day!)...although shading is going to become a huge issue with other plants in the are (the reason I planted all my conifers on the north side of my property).

The area we hiked is really neat. The pines block out the wind and its very quiet. In winter with a good snowcover, you can cross country ski or snowshoe through this area. It becomes so quiet.

If you ever get a chance, southwest Wisconsin is pretty neat to explore in the fall. The glaciers spared us for the last million? years and water has done all the carving.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
how about this to contemplate while gazing at your navel.. lol ...

wonder what happened to the momma that dropped the seed that caused these two to germinate so close together????

if these trees are 60 to 100 years old???? ... then momma could have been gone not much after that .... hmmm ...

the mysteries of nature are fun to contemplate ....

soooo.. you let the gnome remain free.. /???

ken
Ament
12 years ago
Ken,

You just crack me up, I love your humour. :D

Thanks so much for the laugh.

~Tina
karinl
12 years ago
I think those two oak (?) seedlings in the foreground are going to be even closer together :-)

Gnome is cute!

Karin L
wisconsitom
12 years ago
Nature typically provides far more offspring than are actually going to grow on to maturity. It is extremely common to see thick groves of most any native conifer in suitable areas of our woodlands. On my own property, there are groves of Thuja containing young trees that are less than a foot apart. Of course these won't all make it to maturity. Every year, a few more weaker ones die off. But in the end, the spacing is just right, and it can be quite close!

+oM

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