Cork Bark Japanese Black Pines

[Potawatomi13]

Here is a bigger example of the tortoise shell bark:
View attachment 81962

Thanks Brian. Nice pic of what looks like an interesting tree. The bark is pretty unique as well as more attractive than the winged bark trees.. Any chance to see some better pics of the whole tree?
Also the little sticks up on top. Did something break?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Thanks Brian. Nice pic of what looks like an interesting tree. The bark is pretty unique as well as more attractive than the winged bark trees.. Any chance to see some better pics of the whole tree?
Also the little sticks up on top. Did something break?

Don't think I have any shots of the whole tree. I took this 3-4 years ago at Brussel's.
The sticks belong with (prop up) the very heavy-trucked pine in the background; round brown pot, leaning left.

 

[fredtruck]

Potawatomi13, check out Dragonfly Nursery Farms. Dave Dewire has some connection with them, and they carry cork bark black pines they advertise as possible landscape plants. Here's a search url I ran that lists what they have:

https://dragonflyfarmsnursery.com/plants-for-sale?search_api_views_fulltext=corticosa

 

[Don Blackmond]

A couple shots after cleaning up the Kyokko Yatsabusa...
View attachment 19353 View attachment 19354

Looking at old photos I stumbled across these from 2008:

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Thanks Don, blast from the past. Most of those photos show what is now the back of the tree. It doesn't like to be wired at all, and it responds by pouting for 3 years. So I have had to back way off the training. It needs some extension growth in the upper right. I sort of regret shortening it when I did, because the tall look had pretty good movement and taper as it was. Maybe in another 10 years it will be full again! The bark is developing nicely though, about 1" deep.

 

[Don Blackmond]

Looks good Brian, but I prefer it taller. I might upsize that pot just a little; that may reduce the pouting to 2 years.

Take a look folks. That's 9 years growth and development on a slow-growing cultivar by a skilled bonsai practitioner.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Updating with a few photos from today...
Kyokko Yatsabusa (upsized pot?)

Taihei (untouched for the last 4-5 years, and ready for some work):

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

Updating with a few photos from today...
Kyokko Yatsabusa (upsized pot?)
View attachment 199163
Taihei (untouched for the last 4-5 years, and ready for some work):
View attachment 199162

Beautiful trees Brian! I recently bought a small Brocade from Brent at Evergreen. Wondering if you have an update on yours? Thanks!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Beautiful trees Brian! I recently bought a small Brocade from Brent at Evergreen. Wondering if you have an update on yours? Thanks!

Yes, it is dead.?
It is a fantastic cultivar, but I have not had good luck with them. I think they stayed too wet.

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

Yes, it is dead.?
It is a fantastic cultivar, but I have not had good luck with them. I think they stayed too wet.

Was afraid of that when you didn’t update. Here’s hoping it enjoys my garden as much as my other pines.

 

[fredtruck]

Here is my Ondae cascade. It is finally coming into its own.

 

[fredtruck]

This is the first cork bark Japanese black pine I bought. It is a Mi Nishiki, which was a 4-year old cutting from Brent at Evergreen Gardenworks in 2002. It is a slow corker. It will most likely be completely corked up in a couple more years. But maybe it will take longer. With a tree like this, time is part of the game.

 

[fredtruck]

I have 2 pictures of my Ondae cork bark Japanese black pine. The first one was taken from a higher point of view than the second picture. I lowered the camera less than 6” to get the second. The pictures were taken a few moments apart, so no alterations were made on the tree.The point of this exercise is to show that more wood is in view in the first picture than the second.



This becomes important when considering the two approaches the artist can take in training these trees. As Bill Valavanis says, with cork bark pines you can cover up the cork with foliage, or you can make the cork the point of the bonsai.With the Ondae, the cork is the point. This tree corks up very quickly so that even the growth leading to the foliage will become corky in only a couple of years. Keeping this in mind may help you transform a so-so cork bark pine into a very interesting specimen.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Repotted the ‘Taihei’ yesterday, and did some pruning and just a little light wiring today. I can actually stand to look at the thing now! If I didn’t kill it, it may just warrant its own thread.

 

[fredtruck]

This corker is coming along really well, Brian. I think they are just really, really, really slow to cork up. My Mi Nishiki is finally looking good now, and it's 21 years old.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

This corker is coming along really well, Brian. I think they are just really, really, really slow to cork up. My Mi Nishiki is finally looking good now, and it's 21 years old.

I’m actually happy with the bark, although it doesn’t show up well in photos. It’s just the design aspect. Seems like it takes 3 years to accomplish what can be done in one on a standard JBP. Just need to reset expectations and let it sit. These shots are 10 years apart:

 

[fredtruck]

>>Seems like it takes 3 years to accomplish what can be done in one on a standard JBP. Just need to reset expectations and let it sit.

That's absolutely correct. I have to say, though, that patience pays off with these trees. Your tahoe is going to be really fine!