Hi, I was hoping someone with a little more knowledge on cork barks could help me identify the exact cultivar of this tree. It has those red buds some cork barks have, but the bark confuses me. For the age of the tree, I would figure the “wings” would be more developed, but then again I’ve never worked with cork barks before. Thanks!
Cork Bark JBP help
- Thread starter Awpearce
- Start date
junmilo
Shohin
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
- Messages
- 11,341
- Reaction score
- 23,294
- USDA Zone
- 5b
@Awpearce - without a provenance for the actual name for the cultivar of cork bark pine, it is not possible to determine which cultivar you have. Its like owning a pedigree dog, without papers. It is possible to guess if you know this is a grafted tree, but at best it will be a guess. There are dozens of named cork bark varieties with red buds, and in the USA at least 5 or more are in circulation. Add to this that there are a fair number of cork bark JBP produced from seed. When both pollen and cone parent of seed are cork bark pines, about 25 % to 50% of the seedlings will eventually show the cork bark traits. These seedlings tend to be slow to display their cork bark traits, 10 to 20 years would not be an unreasonable wait.
Cultivars that are quick to form cork, like 'Kyokko Yatsubusa' and 'Ondae' require at least 5 years to just barely begin to show fissures in the bark, and a full 20 years or more to completely mature with large corky wings. Other cultivars are quite slow to cork up. Often taking 10 years to begin to show fissures in the bark and 25 to 30 years to mature cork features.
Your tree looks like it might be grafted, the graft union is well healed, in which case you might be able to guess at the cultivar. @Brian Van Fleet knows the various cultivars better than I do, perhaps he will have an opinion.
Cultivars that are quick to form cork, like 'Kyokko Yatsubusa' and 'Ondae' require at least 5 years to just barely begin to show fissures in the bark, and a full 20 years or more to completely mature with large corky wings. Other cultivars are quite slow to cork up. Often taking 10 years to begin to show fissures in the bark and 25 to 30 years to mature cork features.
Your tree looks like it might be grafted, the graft union is well healed, in which case you might be able to guess at the cultivar. @Brian Van Fleet knows the various cultivars better than I do, perhaps he will have an opinion.
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Corkbark JBP can have flaky bark like yours; which can eventually display a “tortoise shell” bark, or even ridges. Other cultivars develop those “wings” they’re famous for. If you didn't get the cultivar name, likely the provenance is lost. However, if I was guessing, my guess would be ‘Akame’. They’re relatively common, have red (aka) buds, thin needles and flaky bark. This cultivar will eventually show some ridges, but the bark is still flaky and not persistent. Hachi-gen Is another variety that could fit the bill, but they’re not common.
Where did it come from? What information do you have about the tree’s origin? That could help too.
Here are a few different descriptions of the cultivar, see if they describe yours.
From Evergreen Gardenworks:
From Steve Pilacik’s book, “Japanese Black Pines”:
From International Bonsai Magazine, Winter 1980:
Where did it come from? What information do you have about the tree’s origin? That could help too.
Here are a few different descriptions of the cultivar, see if they describe yours.
From Evergreen Gardenworks:
From Steve Pilacik’s book, “Japanese Black Pines”:
From International Bonsai Magazine, Winter 1980:
Last edited:
Wow, thanks for all the info. The tree was sold to me by a guy in Southern California. He was also unsure about the exact cultivar but for some reason he told me he though it was called Ondai, not to be confused with Ondae. I’ve tried researching Ondai but I can’t find any information on it other than an apparent listing from mrmaple.com
The guy I bought it from also though it was originally imported from China.
