Lodgepole pine

Pinus contorta

In other languages: Draaiden (Nederlands) · Pin tordu (Français)

The lodgepole pine comes from western North America, from Alaska to California, and grows from coastal dunes and peatland up to the high mountains. It is a fast, tough, evergreen pine with needles in pairs, slightly twisted, 3–7 cm long, which is how it gets its name. The coastal form stays lower and more twisted, while the mountain form grows taller and straighter. In a garden it reaches about 15 m. The small, lopsided cones often stay on the tree for years. It grows on poor, acid and even wet soil and is a useful tree for windbreaks in cold, exposed gardens.

Caution: In parts of the southern hemisphere, such as New Zealand, it is an invasive tree. In Belgian gardens this is rarely a problem, but pull out any unwanted seedlings.

Updated on 9 October 2026

Light
Full sun
warm and bright
Moisture
Normal to wet
must not dry out
Legal basis
Sand, loam or peat
acid to neutral
Hardiness
Fully hardy
down to -40 °C
Size
15 m
tall, 6 m wide

Key facts
Height	15 m
Native to Belgium	No, planted
Poisonous to people and pets	Not known to be poisonous

Identify

Lodgepole pine: how do you recognise it?

Habit: Evergreen tree about 15 m tall and 6 m wide with a narrow to irregular crown; the coastal form is lower and more twisted.
Needles: Two per bundle, 3–7 cm, stiff and slightly twisted, yellow-green to dark green.
Cones: Small, egg-shaped, 3–6 cm, lopsided at the base; they often stay on the tree for years and can remain closed for a long time.
Bark: Thin, orange-brown to dark grey and flaking.
Roots: Shallow and widely spreading: in very wet soil it can blow over in a storm.

Plants: April–May and September–October

In your garden

Why grow it?

Grows fast for a pine and establishes even on poor, acid soil.
Tolerates even wet, peaty soil, where many other pines fail.
Extremely hardy, to about −40 °C.
A good tree for a windbreak in a cold, exposed garden; the dense crown shelters birds.
Evergreen, with compact and yellow-leaved selections for smaller gardens.

Lodgepole pine: where does it grow best?

Full sun: in shade it becomes thin and bare.
Almost any soil: poor sand, loam or peat, acid to neutral. Avoid chalky soil.
Normal to moist; it tolerates damp, peaty soil better than many pines.
Very windfirm: suitable for a windbreak or an open, windy spot.
Allow 6 m width and 5–6 m from buildings; in a windbreak, 2–3 m apart.

Light: Sun
Soil type: Sand, loam or peat
Acidity: Acid or neutral
Moisture: Normal or wet
Size: 15 m tall, 6 m wide
Hardiness: Hardy (to -40 °C)

Goes well with

Heather: Low, colourful planting on acid, poor soil.
Broom: Yellow flowers in spring on the same poor, acid soil.
Sea buckthorn: Tolerates wind and drought, with orange berries for birds.
Blueberry: Acid soil and lovely autumn colour; a low shrub alongside.

Maintenance

Lodgepole pine: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May and September–October.

Plant in April–May or in September–October, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Loosen the sides so the roots can grow out easily.
Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot or root ball: the root collar stays at soil level.
Add a stake and tie the trunk loosely to stop it rocking. For a windbreak, plant in a zigzag at 2–3 m.
Water generously straight away, even if it is raining.
Spread a layer of bark or leaf mould mulch around the base, keeping it clear of the trunk.

Care

Water: For the first two years, water generously every week in dry spells. After that it looks after itself.
Feeding: Not needed: it is used to poor soil.
Mulching: Bark or leaf mould keeps the soil cool and suppresses weeds around young trees.
Stake: Leave the stake in place for 2–3 years and check the tie so it does not cut into the trunk.
Checking: In spring, look for red or brown spots on the needles; in summer, for crooked shoots.

Tip: Use it as a windbreak: set several trees in a zigzag 2–3 m apart and tie them to a stake in the first years. That way they hold their ground in an open, windy garden.

Lodgepole pine: when to prune it?

When: It does not need pruning. Only remove dead, damaged or affected branches if necessary.

How:

Cut dead or damaged branches back to the trunk or a side branch.
Remove a double leader and leave one strong leader.
Cut off shoots damaged by pine shoot moth and put them in the household waste.

Caution: Never cut into bare wood without needles: a pine will not regrow from it.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed: In autumn, put the cones in a warm, dry place until they open and shake out the seeds. Sow them in spring in pots outdoors, after a cold period over winter.
Grafting: Compact or coloured selections are grafted by nurseries; seedlings do not come true to the parent plant.

Lodgepole pine: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −40 °C.

Extremely hardy, to about −40 °C: no protection is needed.
In a pot: put the pot in a sheltered spot and wrap it in hessian so the roots do not freeze. Water in dry, frost-free weather.

Diseases and pests

Red band needle blight: Red or brown bands on the needles, which then die, mainly low down and in wet years. Remove affected branches and fallen needles and do not plant too close, so that air can circulate.
Aphids: Grey or black aphids on the needles and young shoots, sometimes with sticky honeydew. Spray them off with a strong jet of water; ladybirds help.
Crooked shoots: Brown or crooked shoots with resin in spring and summer: pine shoot moth caterpillars eat into the buds. Cut off affected shoots and destroy them.
Wind rock: On very wet soil the tree rocks because of its shallow roots. Plant in a spot that is not too wet and stake young trees.

Through the year

March: Check for winter damage. Renew the mulch.
April: Plant. New shoots appear. Watch for needle blight.
May: Plant. Apply mulch. Water young trees in dry weather.
June: Water in dry weather. Watch for crooked shoots.
July: Cut off affected shoots. Water young trees.
August: Water in hot, dry weather.
September: Plant. The cones turn brown.
October: Plant. Water new plantings.
November: Move pots to a sheltered spot or wrap them against frost.
December: Rest. Water pots in dry, frost-free weather.

You and this species

Did you know?

The name lodgepole pine refers to the long, straight trunks that Native American peoples used as tipi poles.
Many cones of the mountain form stay closed for years and open only in heat, for instance in a forest fire.
It is planted in forestry in Britain and Scandinavia on poor, peaty soil.

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