While the north country is known for its forests, the variety of trees here is actually very limited. That's a common characteristic of northern forests. And as you move north towards the arctic, the variety of trees drops still further. Most of the trees in the north country have adapted in special ways to the extreme weather conditions. Here's a selection of northwoods trees and some facts to go along with each.

Jack pine The jack pine is probably one of the northwood's most specialized trees- and one of its most widely distributed, ranging from the Upper Midwest all the way to the tree line of northwestern Alaska. The jack pine generally grows in sandy locations or on the many rocky outcroppings so common in the north country.

The jack pine is specially adapted to fire, still the most common means of forest disturbance in the far north. The jack pine's cones don't open up each year as with most other pines. Instead, the cones contain a tar-like resin that keeps the cones shut tightly, often for years. Only when the heat generated by a fire passes through the area do the cones open. Then, the many thousands of seeds that have remained locked up over the years, spread on tiny wings throughout the burned area. The jack pine seeds sprout quickly and the young seedlings grow much faster than most other trees, allowing jack pines to quickly dominate an area in the wake of fire.

While the jack pine is quick to dominate in the wake of fire, it will only remain dominant if fires continue to burn every few decades. In the absence of the fire, the relatively short-lived jack pine will eventually be replaced by other species, such as spruce and balsam fir.

Balsam fir The balsam fir is, without doubt, the most abundant tree in the north country, though many of them exist as small trees growing in the forest understory. Balsam fir are very shade tolerant and will grow well under a dense canopy and will eventually often replace other less shade tolerant trees, such as aspen or pines. To identify the balsam fir, look for the steeple shape and flat needles that don't poke you no matter how hard you try. The balsam fir can also be recognized in summer by its cones, which stand upright (like greenish candles), rather than hanging upside down like most other conifers. The balsam fir is an important tree species for wildlife, because its dense branches protect birds and other wild animals from winter wind and snow.

Red (or Norway) pine A close relative of the western Ponderosa, the red pine is Minnesota's state tree. It derived its other name, Norway pine, from its association with Norway, Maine, where the tree was first harvested for timber. The range of the red pine is fairly limited, running in a band from Maine along the U.S.-Canadian border through the Great Lakes and into northern Minnesota. The red pine can be identified by its reddish flaky bark and its somewhat roundish crown. It has the longest needles of any Minnesota pine, ranging typically from four to six inches long. They are grouped in bunches of two.

White pineTruly the monarch of pines in Minnesota's north country. The flat-topped, open crown of the white pine makes it extremely valuable for nesting bald eagles, osprey and other large birds. Recent research also has found that the white pine's rough bark makes it a valuable refuge tree for young black bears. The white pine, like the red pine, is found in a relatively narrow band from the northeastern U.S. into eastern Canada and west to Minnesota and southern Manitoba. It is a favorite with many north country residents and visitors alike for the feathery beauty of its branches and the soothing sound of the wind through its soft needles. The sound is distinctly different than that made by a red pine.