Any examples of Pitch pine/ Pinus rigida?

[Gsquared]

I was in Cape Cod last week and saw some amazing pitch pines growing in the dunes and all over. Some really wonderful shapes, rugged bark and the foliage looked so healthy and full. It was like walk through a forest of literati trees. I noticed that they look liked they bud back on old wood, so was thinking that it would be a great species for bonsai. I was hoping some one in the northeast might have so great examples of the species. Would love to see some if they are out there.

 

[coh]

If you have any of the National Exhibition books - they show up occasionally in the show. They are known as very prolific back-budders even on old trunks. I purchased one at the National Show last fall, it is doing well but not styled yet (only collected a few months before I got it so I've let it establish for a year).

 

[Wilson]

On paper they sound great, but there definetly isn't a lot on the bonsai scene. I don't think they can perform as well as a JBP, but if people want to grow local it is a good one to try. I have one I planted in my garden, it is a nice twisty tree.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Go for it!
I actually have a very hard time with JBP because they just don't seem to do well in my garden. Not in full soil, not in pots, not in bonsai pots, not in collanders either.. I always giggle when people compare pines with JBP, because for me they're the shittiest pine I've ever encountered.
I have ponderosa, jack pine, JRP, Scots, mugo, halepensis, nigra, strobus and even bristlecones doing better than JBP. I'm sure it's my lack of skill. But when given the choice, I'd take any other pine over JBP. On paper, JBP is great.

I'm going to get myself some pitch pines. The yellow foliage might not be attractive enough for bonsai, but this picture from the Brooklyn botanic garden shows it can be done.
https://flic.kr/p/99boG1

 

[rockm]

I was in Cape Cod last week and saw some amazing pitch pines growing in the dunes and all over. Some really wonderful shapes, rugged bark and the foliage looked so healthy and full. It was like walk through a forest of literati trees. I noticed that they look liked they bud back on old wood, so was thinking that it would be a great species for bonsai. I was hoping some one in the northeast might have so great examples of the species. Would love to see some if they are out there.

View attachment 263734

They used to be quite common as bonsai material. I think the problem these days is no one is collecting them (and I think the trees you saw on Cape Cod are most likely protected from collection, etc). Nick Lenz has an entire chapter on the species in "bonsai from the wild" if I remember correctly. I think he dug the one below for Dan Robinson

Pacific Bonsai Museum "Natives" Preparation: Pitch Pine

Pacific Bonsai Museum Natives Exhibit; Dan Robinson styled Pitch Pine bonsai. Collected yamadori.

www.ry2tree2.com

"Natives" Exhibit Opening

Pacific Bonsai Museum's "Natives" exhibit shows rees from Ryan Neil, Michael Hagedorn, Randy Knight, Scot Elser, and Dan Robinson and using unique landscape paintings as backgrounds.

www.ry2tree2.com

Here's a photo of another Nick Lenz Pitch pine that I stole from the Art Of Bonsai site --http://artofbonsai.org/galleries/lenz.php--

 

[LanceMac10]

Bonsai Bark photo, believe was from 2018 National exhibition. Photo from Candy Shirey.


Marty Klein from Andover Massachusetts.

 

[Lazylightningny]

I have 4 three or four year old seedlings growing out in my grow garden. Contact me in 20 years to see how they turned out.

 

[GGB]

Going to try to remember to take a pic for you today. It’s a great example of why I don’t grow them. Those damn basal sprouts that ruined all mine

 

[PABonsai]

Here is one I posted. It was a local yamadori that Jan Culek did an initial style on for our club meeting two weeks ago at Nature's Way.

Jan Culek Pitch Pine

I just wanted to share this with the forum. This is a collected pitch pine (pinus rigida) that Jan Culek styled at our club meeting two weeks ago an Nature's Way Nursery. An interesting note is that when he wires pines he always lets the wire on long enough to become about halfway embedded in...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

Hey @choppychoppy , did you get a pic of Bjorn’s pitch pine this weekend? Very cool. Also, it double flushed just like a JBP, at least for him in Nashville.

 

[Mike Westervelt]

Nick Lenz has an entire chapter on the species in "bonsai from the wild" if I remember correctly. I think he dug the one below for Dan Robinson

Rock, if I'm not mistaken Dan's Pitch Pine was collected by Frank Heidt

 

[Mike Hennigan]

I think a big factor is that most places where you can find awesome pitch pines for collecting in the east, they are off limits to collecting. We don’t have much federal lands out here and state parks are usually much more strict. I found this spot in the Catskills, on top of a mountain there was this little plateau just blanketed it amazing yamadori pitch pine. Can’t touch em though.
I think these were pitch pine...


All the green is just thousands of stunted pitch pine.

 

[Mike Hennigan]

Whoops did one pic twice. Meant to upload this one as well.

 

[Mike Hennigan]

Yea they’re pitch. Here’s a link to the Wikipedia page about that nature preserve https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam's_Point_Preserve . Really cool spot with some caves nearby. The top of the mountain is totally flat with a small lake up there as well.

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

I have about six, and I love the species! The only real PITA to me is that you need to constantly rub off buds on the trunk if you want energy/ramification directed to the top. Also, the "yellowish" foliage is only if the tree is weak, it goes to a minty green when the tree is happy. I just updated this thread on one that I am moving forward over time.

Pitch Pine Literati Progression

About a week ago, I did some pruning work on the ol' Pitch Pine. I have been fertilizing it heavily, and got it to backbud low on the trunk (great for sacrifice branches!!!) and bud on the tips of the middle branches. In an effort to get it to bud on the lowest branch, in lieu of needle...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[choppychoppy]

Hey @choppychoppy , did you get a pic of Bjorn’s pitch pine this weekend? Very cool. Also, it double flushed just like a JBP, at least for him in Nashville.

The crazy bent over one with the baby tree at the base? That thing was so cool. I didn't but Chris did. I'll get it and put it up.

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

The crazy bent over one with the baby tree at the base? That thing was so cool. I didn't but Chris did. I'll get it and put it up.

They are multi-flush pines, I get two flushes in NJ as well. I would love to see a picture if anyone has one!!!

 

[GGB]

Seems that no matter how old they get those buds just keep pushing through

 

[choppychoppy]

Hey @choppychoppy , did you get a pic of Bjorn’s pitch pine this weekend? Very cool. Also, it double flushed just like a JBP, at least for him in Nashville.

 

[Shogun610]

They used to be quite common as bonsai material. I think the problem these days is no one is collecting them (and I think the trees you saw on Cape Cod are most likely protected from collection, etc). Nick Lenz has an entire chapter on the species in "bonsai from the wild" if I remember correctly. I think he dug the one below for Dan Robinson

Pacific Bonsai Museum "Natives" Preparation: Pitch Pine

Pacific Bonsai Museum Natives Exhibit; Dan Robinson styled Pitch Pine bonsai. Collected yamadori.

www.ry2tree2.com

"Natives" Exhibit Opening

Pacific Bonsai Museum's "Natives" exhibit shows rees from Ryan Neil, Michael Hagedorn, Randy Knight, Scot Elser, and Dan Robinson and using unique landscape paintings as backgrounds.

www.ry2tree2.com

Here's a photo of another Nick Lenz Pitch pine that I stole from the Art Of Bonsai site --http://artofbonsai.org/galleries/lenz.php--

View attachment 263830

It’s not nobody is collecting them, it’s .... you can’t!!! All areas are protected unless a permit comes through to collect , you have to JWP where Barren areas are in the east that aren’t protected , or get permission and keep track of game commission controlled burns because they work with barren habitats