White Pine?

[Knute]

How long do you think a 50 year old white pine will live with 1/3 of the top broken off? I'm thinking it may be best to cut it and salvage any good lumber.

[Dave Shepard]

I think the bugs will be in it soon. I'd salvage if its got good logs in it, if it were mine.

[Ox]

I've had quite a few of my red pines snapped off at the top from ice storms.  They're still growing fine, just the tops look a little funny.  I think luck has something to do with it, if yours will grow or die.  There's other reds right next to these here that are dead and look totally whole and were healthy.  Beats me.

[Knute]

Thank You. I realize  there is no definite answer and I will just need to decide.

[Clark]

100 years, maybe more. It would seem about anything can happen to a white pine and they keep on growing. You're really asking two different questions. If you want to salvage the maximum of usable lumber from it, then you should cut it soon. If you want the tree as a tree, leave it and it will continue keeping on.

Clark

[Ox]

That's a good answer, Clark. 

[porcupine]

Last month I took down an 80 year old white pine. Wife noticed woodpecker signs on it so we decided to get the lumber before it went to far.

It was a "double" so 5 years ago I cut out the least desirable of the two leaving the stump at ground level.  Ants and other insects entered at that point.

We culled 350 bf and some real nice quarter sawn type boards from one log because the pith was offset a great deal and it produced wonderful lumber.

I believe if the bugs have an easy way in...they will find it.