Bristle Pinecone care

[Jamesm03]

I have a bigger juniper coming, but I have the option of receiving a very young bristle pinecone. Any tips on this guy for caring? Its maybe 2-3 months old.

 

[M. Frary]

I had one. It died from the cold last winter.
Some things I learned.
1. You do not have enough time to wait for that to grow.
2. They hold needles for 30 years or more.
3. The limbs are rubbery. If you live long enough for it to grow limbs large enough to wire it will be on there for a long time.
If stressed they can sit around just doing nothing. Not growing yet not dieing.
4. They will backbud on old wood.
5.They like it on the dry side. I left weeds in its container as water gagues. When the weeds start to die it's time to water.
6. Did I mention they grow slow.
7. Don't fool with the roots too much at once or too often. That's what stressed mine. And why it just kind of sat there for a year. The next year it grew a whole inch out of the strongest buds.
Hope this doesn't in anyway discourage you. It's just what I've learned from having one.

 

[sorce]

but I have the option of receiving a very young bristle pinecone

I don't understand this, option.

If the juniper is coming from the same place......
The vendor sounds suspect.

Just saying.....as I still don't understand.

?

Sorce

 

[Jamesm03]

I don't understand this, option.

If the juniper is coming from the same place......
The vendor sounds suspect.

Just saying.....as I still don't understand.

?

Sorce

Neighbor has one he is giving away.

I had one. It died from the cold last winter.
Some things I learned.
1. You do not have enough time to wait for that to grow.
2. They hold needles for 30 years or more.
3. The limbs are rubbery. If you live long enough for it to grow limbs large enough to wire it will be on there for a long time.
If stressed they can sit around just doing nothing. Not growing yet not dieing.
4. They will backbud on old wood.
5.They like it on the dry side. I left weeds in its container as water gagues. When the weeds start to die it's time to water.
6. Did I mention they grow slow.
7. Don't fool with the roots too much at once or too often. That's what stressed mine. And why it just kind of sat there for a year. The next year it grew a whole inch out of the strongest buds.
Hope this doesn't in anyway discourage you. It's just what I've learned from having one.

So....they take a while to grow? Ha. Did you ever give it fertilizer?

 

[Vin]

Neighbor has one he is giving away.



So....they take a while to grow? Ha. Did you ever give it fertilizer?

Bristlecone Pines are some of the oldest living trees on earth. Much of the reason they live so long is the grow very slowly. The conditions in which they grow are difficult to duplicate over a period of time and in most areas outside of their natural habitat. If you think fertilizer will make them grow large enough in your lifetime to make bonsai then go for it. Let all of know how it went for you when you get to the other side.

 

[YukiShiro]

So....they take a while to grow? Ha. Did you ever give it fertilizer?

what a strange question...

Bristlecone Pines are some of the oldest living trees on earth. Much of the reason they live so long is the grow very slowly. The conditions in which they grow are difficult to duplicate over a period of time and in most areas outside of their natural habitat. If you think fertilizer will make them grow large enough in your lifetime to make bonsai then go for it. Let all of know how it went for you when you get to the other side.

LOLOLOLOL

I wanted to say something similar but left it alone, I'm glad i did, your reply to that question was way better than mine would've been

 

[Vance Wood]

I had one. It died from the cold last winter.
Some things I learned.
1. You do not have enough time to wait for that to grow.
2. They hold needles for 30 years or more.
3. The limbs are rubbery. If you live long enough for it to grow limbs large enough to wire it will be on there for a long time.
If stressed they can sit around just doing nothing. Not growing yet not dieing.
4. They will backbud on old wood.
5.They like it on the dry side. I left weeds in its container as water gagues. When the weeds start to die it's time to water.
6. Did I mention they grow slow.
7. Don't fool with the roots too much at once or too often. That's what stressed mine. And why it just kind of sat there for a year. The next year it grew a whole inch out of the strongest buds.
Hope this doesn't in anyway discourage you. It's just what I've learned from having one.

This too has been my experience and what I have heard as well. I have not tried summer repotting as yet because you have to have a tree to repot it. The truth remains however; when traditional wisdom fails then maybe it is time to depart from traditional wisdom, and try something different. Most of my success with Mugos has come from this philosophy.

 

[Jamesm03]

I wasn't being funny about it. I ment that it was said that it takes awhile to grow. I get it. But to help it grow do you use fertilizer? That's all I was curious about. Serious question. The guy who has it gives it plant food, that's why I was asking.

 

[Vance Wood]

I never had one long enough to kill it by fertilizing it. I can't speak for other people who in the past have claimed to have one of more. When I first came to the world of INTERNET bonsai sites the Bristlecone Pine was one of my first questions and so far the responses I have gotten have been vague or Bull Shitish, or both. Mike has had one the longest of any that I have known and I am sorry this one is gone too. I lost a really nice Mugo, my Japanese Red Pine, and a couple of lesser Mugos in the winter, it was brutal. In Mikes sub climate it was even worse, he is about 150 miles north of me.

 

[base797]

Okay, so I have a few bristlecone pines since 2012 when they were collected. Mine are thriving and vigorous. I do not treat them any differently than other pines I have (limber, ponderosa, lodge pole). It's been my experience that, although they can tolerate dry conditions, it is not required. Trying to replicate the natural environment that a plant comes from is not always the way to go imo. Just as ponderosa can survive drying out, it is not the way to go in my experience, they drink as much as you can give them. This is of course bearing in mind the use of modern substrate. I haven't had the bristlecones long enough to sort out a fert program for refinement.

 

[Vin]

I wasn't being funny about it. I ment that it was said that it takes awhile to grow. I get it. But to help it grow do you use fertilizer? That's all I was curious about. Serious question. The guy who has it gives it plant food, that's why I was asking.

I'm not saying you'll never grow a BP to some form of maturity. The challenge is finding someone who has done it that can offer some educated insight on how they did it. The images many of us see or the real trees some have visited are twisted half alive relics that are hundreds and even thousands of years old. Most are in arid rocky areas and endure some of the harshest weather conditions Mother Nature can offer up. That's going to be pretty hard to duplicate in a bonsai pot in you backyard.

 

[base797]

Here's a few pics of 2 of mine. Too big to move and get good pics though

 

[GGB]

I love my bristlecone seedlings a ton. At this point they are growing quickly (only 1 year old) but I'm sure this will slow down. They're right up there ^. Every time I try fooling with one it ends in sudden death. So now I admire them from 4 feet away, trapped in a garden bed, for now.

 

[Vance Wood]

Base797 Where have you been for the last twenty years or so? These trees are precisely the kind of BCP's I have been hoping to see. Where did you acquire them from? I am very impressed. I assume they were collected there in Colorado. Do you know which of the Bristlecones they happen to be, Aristata, Balfouriniana, or Longevea?

 

[Vin]

Here's a few pics of 2 of mine. Too big to move and get good pics though

Impressive!

 

[Cadillactaste]

So....they take a while to grow? Ha. Did you ever give it fertilizer?

Who,what,when,where and why!?! FERTILIZE IT!!! By George...why didn't we think if that. Lol sorry that was hilarious...asking one who's been here a good while as a member...if they fertilized it. I'm sure it wasn't even considered.

 

[Vin]

Here's a few pics of 2 of mine. Too big to move and get good pics though

Now you've gone and let the cat out of the bag. What's all that other stuff I see in your backyard?

 

[base797]

Base797 Where have you been for the last twenty years or so? These trees are precisely the kind of BCP's I have been hoping to see. Where did you acquire them from? I am very impressed. I assume they were collected there in Colorado. Do you know which of the Bristlecones they happen to be, Aristata, Balfouriniana, or Longevea?

Vance, sorry was just outside watering the crap out of them, haha. But, seriously was. I collected them as well as another very impressive one that I gave to my best friend. I also have a couple other smaller, less unique "test drives" to assure that I could cultivate them down here at 5500 feet. They came from 10,500 or so, and yes in Colorado. I must have walked past 10's of thousands of them before finding ones that were collectable and had potential. Ryan was here earlier in the week and seems the cantilevered one will end up at Mirai. We will see what Ryan van do with it. I believe they are aristata.

Patrik

 

[base797]

Now you've gone and let the cat out of the bag. What's all that other stuff I see in your backyard?

Vin.
Thanks man. What's on you bonsai porn mind today as far as a conifer native to Colorado that you'd like to see? I will try to post a pic or two to accommodate.

Patrik

 

[Vin]

Hmmmmm, let's not make this to easy seeing as you're in God's Country. How about a Limber Pine or a Corkbark Fir?