Limber pine progression

[erich_raudebaugh]

I bought this limber pine from Randy Knight in 2013.
My only move that year was to find a front and planting angle, and to let it grow. It wasn't super weak, but also not growing strongly. I figured that I'd give it another year to recover from collecting, which Randy had done two years previously. The old needle were 3/4" to 1", so that gives me an idea of what's possible.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

The next year, it was growing well, but still not great. In this awful picture you can see that I've put one of those old shitty bending clamps on the apex, which actually did help start the bend. I've had a couple of these clamps for maybe 25-30 years now.
People hate them, but every now and then I use them to start a bend. Rebar and blocks work just as well.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

In 2015, the pine got a pot. It's not a perfect pot, but I wanted more than enough soil. The roots are as awkward as you'd expect for a collected pine, they existed on only one side and then turn straight down, so the soil is mounded a bit. At least they were growing like crazy when I repotted.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

The tree in 2019. The nails were my half-assed idea to get iron into the soil, I had seen pictures of rusty iron used on pines in some Japanese bonsai nursery. Since then I use chelated iron.
I've had problems with yellowing needle tips, but otherwise the tree is growing very well and sending out an occasional back bud. I now think that the yellow or brown needle tips are due to too much water, a real problem in Oregon. I don't have a sunny covered area, oh well.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

I wired the tree again last July, and you can see a guy wire to prevent it from leaning more. Probably due to having roots on one side. The right side (as you look at it) is slowly dieing back, with a hollow trunk.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

The tree in March of 2020. I added some wire and adjusted branches. It's finally starting to look good after 7 years.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

The back of the tree. I cleaned the bark off, so that I could stop it from rotting too much, and did minor carving and lime sulfur.

You can see a tie-down wire that I had to thread through the tree to stabilize it when I repotted it. The tree decided to lean anyway.

The Scotch moss (Irish moss?) is now gone, it did look kinda nice but it's also a weed.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

The buds in April. Most buds have bifurcated, and there are a few new back buds. Importantly, the existing back buds are all growing well. Some of the interior tiny back buds died out over the past 7 years before they became new branches.

The tree hasn't budded on really old wood yet. That's unsurprising, I estimate that it's 150-200 years old, by counting the rings on the oldest branch (over 100) and then making a wild guess.

Looking at the upper shari, it appears that the leader has died off several times over the ages, and epicormic growth has taken over.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

That is a really nice trunk, the pine is coming along nicely.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

Thanks Leo. Randy didn't think much of it when I bought it, so I took that as a challenge.

 

[0soyoung]

Thanks Leo. Randy didn't think much of it when I bought it, so I took that as a challenge.

... and at a discount!

I am a fan of making lemonade from lemons and I think you've done quite well. In some respects, it is unfortunate that such an interesting feature as that shari/uro is on the back side, Bringing it to the front would be a lengthy work and a complete undoing of everything you've done. It is definitely a tree that can be enjoyed over at least one person's lifetime, if not a succession of several person's lifetimes. Good buy. Good work.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

... and at a discount!

I am a fan of making lemonade from lemons and I think you've done quite well. In some respects, it is unfortunate that such an interesting feature as that shari/uro is on the back side, Bringing it to the front would be a lengthy work and a complete undoing of everything you've done. It is definitely a tree that can be enjoyed over at least one person's lifetime, if not a succession of several person's lifetimes. Good buy. Good work.

You nailed it 0soyoung. I think Randy took pity on me a bit because I was a broke student at the time. I wish I had had the money for some of his nicer trees, but that's always how it is.

That uro/Shari at the base is pretty cool, and I knew that the tree had died under the bark, but wanted to wait to let it establish sap flow around it before bark removal. If I hadn't waited, I may have chosen a different front.

 

[just.wing.it]

Nice work with an interesting peice of material!

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

Nice work with an interesting peice of material!

Thanks! If you follow Mirai at all, you can see why people like limber pines so much. There are a few others working with them too, a cool species. Apparently they develop hollow trunks often.

 

[River's Edge]

The back of the tree. I cleaned the bark off, so that I could stop it from rotting too much, and did minor carving and lime sulfur.

You can see a tie-down wire that I had to thread through the tree to stabilize it when I repotted it. The tree decided to lean anyway.

The Scotch moss (Irish moss?) is now gone, it did look kinda nice but it's also a weed.

Definitely the moss is scotch!
Nice progression. Love the aged, weary look of the backside! Have you considered some scion grafting to increase density in a few areas?

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

Definitely the moss is scotch!
Nice progression. Love the aged, weary look of the backside! Have you considered some scion grafting to increase density in a few areas?

That's not a bad idea Frank. I would have to make or find cuttings first... not much extra material on this tree. But now that you've put that idea in my head, I think I'll grow some out for that purpose.

 

[River's Edge]

That's not a bad idea Frank. I would have to make or find cuttings first... not much extra material on this tree. But now that you've put that idea in my head, I think I'll grow some out for that purpose.

Not sure about the timing on limber pine but this may be getting near to good time to consider cutting apical candles if not needed in the design for scion material next winter. That way you can control new shoot length and use scions from the stronger areas of the tree. You have had the tree for quite a while so gauging the new shoot length for this growing season should be possible. I always shoot for medium buds, stockier shoots roughly two inches in length as a starting point. THEN I SETTLE FOR THE BEST AVAILABLE

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

Not sure about the timing on limber pine but this may be getting near to good time to consider cutting apical candles if not needed in the design for scion material next winter. That way you can control new shoot length and use scions from the stronger areas of the tree. You have had the tree for quite a while so gauging the new shoot length for this growing season should be possible. I always shoot for medium buds, stockier shoots roughly two inches in length as a starting point. THEN I SETTLE FOR THE BEST AVAILABLE

Thanks! I don't have any experience with grafting pines, just deciduous material and junipers. No time like the present to try though!

 

[Jorow99]

I agree that it's a shame that you have to hide that deadwood in the back, but the deadwood you put in the front looks even better. Please update if you do graft as I have a yamadori limber as well as some limber seedlings.

 

[River's Edge]

Thanks! I don't have any experience with grafting pines, just deciduous material and junipers. No time like the present to try though!

Pines very similar to juniper except the timing. Similar scion preparation for cutting. Here in the PNW I prefer pine grafting in the beginning of march before they become too active! I prefer the bag method over the poly film grafting cigar approach. Lots of people in the Portland club can help you with that I bet! Not to mention all the professionals in the area like Michael, Matt, Bobby, Andrew, to mention only a couple