That's true but try to find one. They are considered an endangered species and as such I don't think you can even collect seeds at this point.I have a book called conifers of California, and the whotebark pine is one of my absolute favorites in it
I wish you a lot of luck, that's an admirable goal and I hope you succeed.I don’t want to divert too much from the sugar pines but Sheffield’s does carry white bark pine (P albicaulis) seeds. I have fond memories seeing them up at the tree line in the eastern Sierras. A few of them actually germinated from stratified seeds recently. Now for the decades-long wait, if they survive Sunset zone 16.
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BTW, you can get seedlings of P lambertiana over at sequoiatrees.com. I’ve got a few on the journey to bonsai—I’m a bit of a native plant bonsai nut, having made it a goal to develop one of every California native tree. It’s a goddamn big state with a lot of tree.
@Townes Van Tortoise, it’s great to see others on here that are as passionate about native trees. We can push the boundaries of the bonsai art form, raise awareness around conservation ecology, and appreciate what is around us.
That's true but try to find one. They are considered an endangered species and as such I don't think you can even collect seeds at this point.
I don’t want to divert too much from the sugar pines but Sheffield’s does carry white bark pine (P albicaulis) seeds. I have fond memories seeing them up at the tree line in the eastern Sierras. A few of them actually germinated from stratified seeds recently. Now for the decades-long wait, if they survive Sunset zone 16.
View attachment 296181
BTW, you can get seedlings of P lambertiana over at sequoiatrees.com. I’ve got a few on the journey to bonsai—I’m a bit of a native plant bonsai nut, having made it a goal to develop one of every California native tree. It’s a goddamn big state with a lot of tree.
@Townes Van Tortoise, it’s great to see others on here that are as passionate about native trees. We can push the boundaries of the bonsai art form, raise awareness around conservation ecology, and appreciate what is around us.
Pinus flexilis, the Limber Pine, is definitely more adaptable to horticulture than most of the other high mountain white pines. It is also widely distributed, and available to "mere mortals" in the nursery trade. So worth looking for and working with. The needles are longer than Japanese white pine, averaging about 4 inches, give or take, about the same as eastern white pine (strobus). Limber pine, at least from what I have seen, actually responds similar to bonsai techniques as a Japanese white pine. So definitely look for Limber pine as an alternative to JWP.
Of the American Five-needle Pines there are two that could make really good bonsai but you do not see them in many/any collections, Limbar Pine we see sometimes, Bristlecone Pines we see almost never as well as White Bark Pine, almost never. Western White Pine, and Sugar Pine are seldom used because the needle length is so difficult to control. I believe when the dust up for the designer's cup in Oregon by Ryan Neil had and incident where a Western White PIne had a pot damaged in the move to the display. Could be wrong, my memory is not quite as sharp as it used to be.
Pinus flexilis, the Limber Pine, is definitely more adaptable to horticulture than most of the other high mountain white pines.
Limber pine more adaptable to horticulture?? Not buying it.... Please explain why...
I wish you a lot of luck, that's an admirable goal and I hope you succeed.
Amen brother. Ever considered adding arbutus menziesii (pacific madrone) to your list? I've been experimenting the last 3 yearsA lot of species are likely unsuitable for bonsai due to leaf size, lack of reduction, take too long to develop, or may not be suitable for my climate. But I hope to document the experience so that others can build on it or make their own judgments. There are so many species without documented experience, or at least are hard to find on the internet and the limited books and magazines I have access to. The effort's either admirable or foolhardy .
If you can get seed or a good cone for Pinus torreyana ssp insularis Please let me know. Torreyana easy.....insularis not so much! Was suggested to me by University to go out to the island and collect seed. Maybe you much closer than I?