White Pine

 One way to identify white pines around town is by all the branches they lose in heavy snows.

Identity can be confirmed by pulling several clusters of needles off the stem and counting how many are in each cluster (fascicle). White pines have needles grouped in clusters of five--the same number as there are letters in "white".

One can also determine the age of a white pine by counting the whorls of branches on the stem. One whorl is produced each year.