Photo Gallery of Flowers of Common Trees

Few trees have more historical importance in Minnesota than the white pine. Once covering vast portions of the state, stands of white pine were logged into near-disappearance after the arrival of European settlers. Remnants of these forests are now scattered throughout northern Minnesota. In white pines, male and female flowers grow separately but on the same tree. While all flowers consist of yellowish cones, male cones are egg-shaped and female cones are long and cylindrical. Cones bloom in June and are wind-pollinated, with pollen traveling anywhere from 200-700 feet from its original tree. In the Arboretum, look for these trees in the pine plantations.