Are Italian Stone Pines good choices for bonsai?

petegreg

Masterpiece
Messages
2,781
Reaction score
4,079
Location
Slovakia
USDA Zone
6a
These are my teacher's trees (Ofer Grunwald).
(His article is in the link above some ware...)
Both with fully mature needles and well ramified in 2-3 years.
The mature needles are assential to hormone control and should not be removed completely.
His method is basically pushing the trees to the limit for a short period of time and decandle twice a year for building the basic structure and once its there, a regular red pine work schedule is enough to get the resalts you see in these pictures.
I am getting a tree from him, in order to lern this method, and ill post it in a different thread.
Regards,
Shay

This is a good piece of info, thanks, Shay. So once it grows adult foliage, it will not revert to juvenile as a consequence of shot pruning? Any way to shorten adult needles?
 

Shay

Mame
Messages
104
Reaction score
114
Location
Israel
as far as I understand, new growth starts juvenile and mature needles come afterwords.it goes compleatly juvenile if cut back heard and with heard pruning 2-3 times a year you build the initial structure. its very stressfull for the tree but they are very strong and can take this abuse if they are well fed and get good conditions.
Ill keep a good record of what ill do with the tree ill get and post all the stages and reasons for everything. its going to be an exercise on building something from a stick as well... :)

I don't think I understand the second question... they are very long if they grow freely, short needles are what we are trying to achieve here, aren't we?
 

petegreg

Masterpiece
Messages
2,781
Reaction score
4,079
Location
Slovakia
USDA Zone
6a
as far as I understand, new growth starts juvenile and mature needles come afterwords...
This is right where I've just got.

I don't think I understand the second question... they are very long if they grow freely, short needles are what we are trying to achieve here, aren't we?
I think you do. Ramification?
Looking forward to your thread.
 

Potawatomi13

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,168
Reaction score
4,403
Location
Eugene, OR
USDA Zone
8
Mine didn't survive the winter here in SE PA, so I definitely feel they Pinus pinea is a zone 8 species. Shouldn't be an issue where you are located Alan.

One was growing at my Motel 6 Just outside downtown Reno. Reno area Zone 6 but down town marginally Zone 7 so tree was on border between these. 7 foot seedling nearby had much juvenile foliage down low. Tree had very few cones but got one with net from swimming pool and had big mostly wingless seeds. Took a year to finally ID what tree was. If info was correct these cones do not mature until 3rd year which is rare(?)for pine;). Interesting adult shape for tree.
 

Starfox

Masterpiece
Messages
2,602
Reaction score
5,317
Location
Costa Blanca, Spain, zone 10b
USDA Zone
10b
Here are a couple that sprouted up in our yard, they can't be any older than 2 years I would say. I have never really been too sure what, if anything to really do with them.
I know they can't stay in that bed indefinitely so at some point they will have to go so I can't see any reason not to pot them up.

IMG_20171026_100517333.jpg IMG_20171026_100535131.jpg
 
Top Bottom