Mi Nishiki Cork Bark Japanese Black Pine

Daluke

Mame
Messages
122
Reaction score
111
Location
Melbourne, Australia
I wish I had some before and after shots of my corky bark. I didn't believe they could be wired and bent and twisted but it did.

Obviously it's hard to know just from looking at pictures but just because a pine is corky bark doesn't mean it cannot be bent when corked as some can (your tree might not be in the cannot be bent category).
 

fredtruck

Omono
Messages
1,232
Reaction score
2,464
Location
West Des Moines, IA
USDA Zone
5
It is in the "can't be bent" category. I've bent some corked branches on other trees, but only when it isn't set, as when the cork is maybe 2 or 3 years old. When it is set, you can still bend it if you remove a collar around the base of a branch, but this is difficult to do without going into the cambium. With this tree, the cork on the three main branches has bee set for 15 years or more.
 

fredtruck

Omono
Messages
1,232
Reaction score
2,464
Location
West Des Moines, IA
USDA Zone
5
Here we are, a year and a couple of months later, and the Mi Nishiki is perking right along. For me, the purpose of having a cork bark Japanese black pine is to show the cork. For that reason, I remove foliage if I find it is blocking the view. Eventually, even the small branches, and twigs will cork up. I am hoping to keep the needles the size they are now, but it is difficult because this corker is a vigorous grower.

mi nishiki 7-13-18.jpg
 

fredtruck

Omono
Messages
1,232
Reaction score
2,464
Location
West Des Moines, IA
USDA Zone
5
The Mi Nishiki cork bark Japanese Black Pine is a slow growing specimen. I bought it in 2002 from Brent at Evergreen Gardenworks as a 4-year old cutting. Unlike a majority of cork bark pines, Mi Nishiki is growing on its own roots. At 22 years old, this tree is finally approaching maturity.

It doesn’t really have wings, as the older corkers do. Instead, this tree has ridges of cork. For a long time, I was disappointed in my tree’s development. I wanted those wings! But as I worked with it, I began to appreciate my tree for the qualities and characteristics it did have.

Mi Nishiki has an asymmetrical pattern of cork. The ridges of cork are not evenly distributed bilaterally. Additionally, the corking twists, barber pole fashion. It is true that the corking on my tree is still developing, but I don’t expect major changes at this point.

mi nishiki 1.jpg
 

fredtruck

Omono
Messages
1,232
Reaction score
2,464
Location
West Des Moines, IA
USDA Zone
5
The picture above was taken almost a season ago. The current picture shows a season's worth of growth. The canopy is not as even as I would like but that problem will be grown out by the tree, or it will be wired out. The cork "river" is much more defined as is the cork itself. I've been working with this tree since 2002, when it was a pencil-trunk nothing. I'm pleased with its progress.

mi nishiki 9-27-20 single.jpg
 

fredtruck

Omono
Messages
1,232
Reaction score
2,464
Location
West Des Moines, IA
USDA Zone
5
The Mi Nishiki Cork Bark JBP...
...has been growing steadily along. This year, I thinned the canopy to let the sun light in. There are some small branches I want to remove, to further that end. Otherwise, the cork has defined itself. I’m happy with this tree’s development.

mi nishiki 4 7-14-21.jpg
 
Top Bottom