Scientific Name: Pinus strobus
Family: Pinaceae (pine family)

Overview: A fast-growing tree that is commonly available and not as pricey as the firs.

Fun Facts: The provincial tree of Ontario and the state tree of Maine and Michigan. Capable of growing straight for over 200 feet (65 m) in the wild, this tree was heavily logged in Colonial days to supply ship masts to the British navy. Today it remains an important timber tree.

Etymology: So-named because of its light-colored wood which is white when freshly cut. "Pine" is Middle English (c. 1100-1500 AD) and derives from pinus, which is Latin for "pine tree." Strobus is Latin for "incense-bearing tree."