Japanese Red Pine techniques?

[darrellw]

I have a couple of Japanese Red Pines that I recently obtained. I have not found a lot of information on their training techniques. They both are putting out pretty nice candles, not as vigorous as black pines, but stronger than any of my other pines (lodgepole, mugo, ponderosa). They both are ready for branch ramification/development. I'm thinking they should be treated pretty much like black pine, but I would sure like to hear from anyone with any more definitive information.

 

[bonsai barry]

I bought a nice one (now a dead one) from Muranaki Bonsai in Nipomo, CA. When I bought the nursery owner said it was similar to Black Pine but grew at a higher elevation and therefore did better in colder climates. I guess that is good news for you in Washington, bad news for me in central CA.

 

[rlist]

I think your absolute best bet is to bring one to your next workgroup and start working/plan to work with Hagedorn, as I know he spent some time on them in Japan.

 

[Graydon]

You should have great luck with them in your area. I treat them just like P. thunbergii here in Florida and can't really see any difference in growth habits so far but...

For the longest time I searched for some nice P. densiflora and I discovered one day that some of my pines on my bench were a hybrid P. thunbergii and P. densiflora. It was the nice red buds that gave them away. At this point unless I search out true seedlings or obtain grafted material I have to doubt the authenticity of anything being sold as P. densiflora and I consider it all a hybrid plant.

A few months back Steve Pilacik did a hybrid red pine workshop in Florida. He thinks that my zone (9B) may be close to the southernmost region for them but I don't know... I can only assume your region would be great for them.

Incidentally Dallas Bonsai is selling a book on red pine - all in Japanese but is supposed to have excellent photos and drawings as to the culture and training of them. I ordered it and hope to see it within a week along with an all Japanese language black pine book.

Best of luck!

 

[darrellw]

Incidentally Dallas Bonsai is selling a book on red pine - all in Japanese but is supposed to have excellent photos and drawings as to the culture and training of them. I ordered it and hope to see it within a week along with an all Japanese language black pine book.

Best of luck!

Hi Graydon,

Let me know what you think of the book after you get it.

-Darrell

 

[darrellw]

I think your absolute best bet is to bring one to your next workgroup and start working/plan to work with Hagedorn, as I know he spent some time on them in Japan.

Definately!

-Darrell

 

[Graydon]

Hi Graydon,

Let me know what you think of the book after you get it.

-Darrell

Books just came in with some other goodies (yeah!). I must say they are a couple of nice books. Can't read a lick of Japanese and other then the whole right to left thing they are great books to look at. A little pricey at around $22 to $24 each but in my opinion well worth the cost.

I have attached a couple of photos - first is the covers with a pen for scale. The next two are random pages with transitions of trees.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need more info.

 

[darrellw]

Books just came in with some other goodies (yeah!). I must say they are a couple of nice books. Can't read a lick of Japanese and other then the whole right to left thing they are great books to look at. A little pricey at around $22 to $24 each but in my opinion well worth the cost.

I have attached a couple of photos - first is the covers with a pen for scale. The next two are random pages with transitions of trees.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need more info.

Thanks! I might just have to order those as well.

By the way, I did get some information from Mike Hagedorn regarding red pine. His basic instruction is that if your red pine is styled more like a black pine (strong trunk, masculine) then treat it like a black pine as far as fertilization, candle cutting. If it is more feminine or literati, then treat it like a white pine.

-Darrell