Austrian pine vs Eastern white pine

Austrian pine and Eastern white pine are often considered for the same spot in the garden (specimen, screening). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Austrian pine

Pinus nigra 4.5 m × 2.5 m after 10 years

Austrian pine is a large evergreen with stiff, dark green needles, conical when young and broad and umbrella-shaped with age, and it copes well with…

Large tree

Full sun

from about CZK 900

Eastern white pine

Pinus strobus 5 m × 2.5 m after 10 years

You can tell it by its soft, blue-green needles held in fives, which make it one of the most delicate-looking pines. The species is a fast-growing…

Large tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about CZK 1,300

Key differences

Austrian pine: We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens. In Central Europe it has been dying on a large scale in recent years: trees weakened by drought are attacked by Diplodia (Sphaeropsis) tip blight, which browns the new shoots and then whole branches and can kill the tree within a few years.
Eastern white pine grows faster than Austrian pine.
Austrian pine copes better with summer heat than Eastern white pine.
Austrian pine tolerates drought better than Eastern white pine.
Austrian pine needs less water than Eastern white pine.
Austrian pine also takes chalky soil, Eastern white pine prefers acidic soil and struggles on chalk.
Austrian pine also takes heavy clay, Eastern white pine needs a loose, free-draining soil.

Which one to choose?

Eastern white pine is the safer choice: we do not recommend planting Austrian pine in most gardens.

Watch out for

Austrian pine

In Central Europe it has been dying on a large scale in recent years: trees weakened by drought are attacked by Diplodia (Sphaeropsis) tip blight, which browns the new shoots and then whole branches and can kill the tree within a few years. Dothistroma red band needle blight also strips the lower branches. Only a small fraction of planted stands is still healthy and treatment in a garden is hardly feasible, so new planting is not recommended. It is not native here, and stands planted on dolomite slopes and sand are a conservation problem, so do not plant it near protected grasslands.

Eastern white pine

Its most serious disease is white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola), which attacks the bark and usually kills the infected tree. The fungus needs currants and gooseberries (Ribes) as alternate hosts, so do not plant it near blackcurrants, redcurrants or gooseberries. On limy, alkaline soil the needles turn yellow (chlorosis), and in the hot, dry lowland summers of Central Europe it suffers from water stress and spider mites, while weakened trees are attacked by bark beetles and aphids. The branches are brittle and can break in wind and under heavy snow. In Central Europe it escapes from gardens and forestry plantings: on acidic sandstone areas it regenerates in large numbers and displaces Scots pine, so do not plant it near protected areas or forests.

The data side by side

Feature	Austrian pine	Eastern white pine
Group	Large tree	Large tree
Size after 10 years	4.5 m × 2.5 m (uncertain)	5 m × 2.5 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	12–25 m × 6–12 m	15–30 m × 6–12 m (uncertain)
Growth rate	Medium	Fast
Light	Full sun	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic	Average garden soil, Sandy, Acidic
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	High	Low
Foliage	Evergreen	Evergreen
Water need	Low	Medium
Drought tolerance	High	Low
Maintenance	Medium	Low
Planting distance	600 cm	600 cm
For children	no data	Non-toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	approx. CZK 1,000	approx. CZK 1,300

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

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