First Pine

Steve

Seedling
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Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Hi everyone,
Never attempted a pine before so looking for some advice on what to do. Unfortunetly I got itchy fingers and have already chopped this pine, maybe I have done the wrong thing! Anyway I am unsure of the variety although I think it may be a Radiata Pine? The guy in the nursery told me it was an Australian Pine which is interesting because as far as I know, no Pinus species is native to Australia. It is a two needle pine.

I have not attempted to do any root pruning, it is the end of Winter here in Australia and while I understand other trees growth habits in regards to rootpruning timing, Pines I am unsure of. I was looking for the candles, but all the new growth was emerging with needles already peeled away from the stem. I am unsure if this is last years growth and the candles are still to grow but the growth is very tiny and new looking.

Tree height is now 30cm or 12 inches. There are numerous tiny branches and growth all over the tree, down to soil level also. My gut feeling is to feed and allow growth to develop to strengthen tree. Any ideas and thoughts would be gratefully accepted.

Cheers, Steve.
 

Graydon

Chumono
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Hi Steve! I wish I could offer some advice on your pine but I have never seen one in person so any advice from me would be... bad or wrong. I can say that it looks like it has some nice low buds and that it looks to be back budding below some of the cut areas and if so that is good. It's a very feminine looking tree (not style but needle mass if you know what I mean).

How do they grow in the landscape? How do they respond to pruning in the landscape? I would look to those examples to begin to answer the questions you posed. It may be good to feed and water well and let it begin to grow out a new leader and build up some strength.

Nice to have you on board posting trees from Australia.
 
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I don't know what he sold you but it's not Australian pine, which is not a pine at all. Casuarina equisetifolia (horsetail beefwood before it was called Australian pine) has segmented leaves that can be shortened just by popping them off at a joint. They are an invasive species in Florida and southern California.

Yours does look to be some sort of pine, though, just not sure which.
 

Steve

Seedling
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Thanks Graydon,
I reckon I will do as you say and let it grow and build strength, and hopefully give me some more branches to play around with. It will be good to study how these pine species do grow and react to pruning as they are a new quantity to me.

Chris,
Yeah I know the Casuarina species, used to have one once. I didn't want to say anything to the guy who runs the nursery, just nodded my head and said,"Oh...right" He is a nice bloke and has plenty of good potential stock as his nursery is one of those slightly messy ones, that are so much fun to explore trying to find some treasure you can turn into a bonsai.

Thanks for your input guys,
Steve.
 

anttal63

Mame
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hey steve yes it looks like a radiata. i think you have cut well. a great thing you left all the bottom growth. try to be selective and no more than 2 branches at any given interval on the trunk unless young shoots are needed later. you definately have some advantages shoots. if the candles havent been touched and are still coming through the tree will gain momentum fairly quickly.if no repotting you could probably wire it up as well and then let it run for the next 12 months.
 

Ashbarns

Mame
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Hi Steve I agree it is a Pinus Radiata also known as the Monterey pine. It is a native of the U.S. and is grown in plantations for its timber. I have seen quite a few of them as bonsai despite the feathery needles usually on newer growth. Best left alone now as advised and feed heavily over spring and early summer. Good find.


Ash :)
 

bonsai barry

Omono
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Perhaps the saleperson meant to say, "Austrian Pine," (Pinus nigra). If so, then it will have needles in bundles of two. (Although other species have bundles of two needles, too).

I think your gut reaction was correct: allow it to grow and strengthen.
 
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