JBP vs JWP?

[Haroldjr]

Most JBP bonsai started as seeds, but most JWP bonsai are grafts. That’s because JWP seedlings usually have poor foliage. Those beautiful tight tufts of foliage we associate with JWP come from only a few cultivars, which are propagated via grafting. There are two JWP cultivars that can be propagated via layers or cuttings. But that’s a lot more difficult than growing from seed.

Therefore, in the US, you will find far more JBP than JWP available for bonsai.

That said, it does take some skill to get a JBP seedling started off correctly. Please see Eric Schreader’s thread “A few pine seeds six years later”.

That makes me feel better. You mean I am not the only poor looking jwp?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

JBP are hardy in the ground thru zone 6, marginal in zone 5. In bonsai pots, JBP need winter protection. JWP on their own roots are winter hardy into zone 4. Grafted, they are only as hardy as the understock or zone 4, which ever is warmer.

I like JWP grafted onto eastern white pine, for maximum winter hardiness. Pinus contorta var latifolia and Pinus sylvatica are good understock for zone 4 hardiness. I will not buy grafted JWP if the seller can not tell me what the cultivar name and the species of the understock.

From seed JWP are very uneven in quality, majority being no better than eastern white pine for bonsai. Once in a while you get lucky, but most from seed are pretty bad.

My favorite JWP cultivar for bonsai is 'Azuma', and my favorite for landscape is 'Cleary's', for it's blue color. For bonsai 'Azuma' does NOT air layer or root from cuttings. Only prop method is grafting.

If you can get low grafted 'Ibo Can' and 'Arakawa', these two JWP develop warty bark fairly fast. Jupp used to graft these into eastern white pine, but I have not seen any offerings from him lately. I believe he retired.

Tight, short blue-ish foliage you can't beat 'Azuma' sometimes written 'Azuma goya pentafolia'