Expert: Jim Hyland - 4/20/2003

Question
Hi.  There is a pinetree (white, I think) in my front yard that came up as a volunteer about 4 or 5 years ago.  This spring I notice that is is just covered in budding pinecones.  I believe it is in good health.  There is an older pine of the same species in the back yard that is maybe 20 years old and 50 feet tall.  It seems quite healthy as well but has no cones visible.  Are there male and female trees and this is why one has cones and the other not?

Answer
There are trees that are male or female but white pine is not one of these species. Trees produce cones at different intervals and levels(generally about every three years). If a tree is under stress then it tends to produce more cones in an effort to regenerate itself. Some individual tree of the same kind will produce cones in abundance while others of the same species will produce few numbers of cones. One of the things looked for when selecting a tree  for seed orchard is the amount of cone production. It is simular to people-some can and do produce many children while others can not bear any.