P. Strobus 'minima' - it has all the elements, but is there any hope?

[Nybonsai12]

I like this tree oso, and I like what u have done with it. It’s a good looking tree and in time with what you are doing will be one of the most wonderful strobus out there. It’s already filling In well with your efforts. I have a strobus and regardless of the species, I think mine has promise. It might know it’s a reject of sorts but it’s earned its spot on the bench. I’m watching closely what you are doing and appreciate you sharing.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

My administration says I plucked needles in april, cut 2/3rd of the extending candles on may 5th.
It seems that this didn't work very well. The candles that were left are pretty leggy.
Backbuds on shoot ends started popping up at the end of july.

I'll see if I can change my approach a little.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I saw a batch of ''lost tags'' trees that Hidden Gardens had picked up from an out of business landscape nursery. These were in 1 gallon thru 5 gallon pots. They appeared to be a variety of P. strobus, possibly 'minima' or possibly one of the other genetic dwarfs. They all looked MUCH better than the normal wild form of P. strobus. Foliage was dense and close. They were not the usual rangy pompoms on sticks that one normally sees. Dwarfs might be the way to go. Unfortunately, no variety names were visible. All did have well healed graft union scars, so it was clear that they were selected varieties.

 

[0soyoung]

With a little normal winter yellowing.

 

[Cosmos]

Looooove this tree. Great work.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

That low branch covering the front of the trunk and the nebari?

 

[Zerobear]

I really like Eastern white pine foliage, but the common opinion is that they are not worth the effort. Maybe so, but I found one of the miniature variety, 'Minima', that has needle lengths about half the norm for the species. This is the earliest photo I have of it

View attachment 120688

though I've been fiddling with it for a couple of years at this point. I was pondering ...

"is there any hope of me getting it there"? But, this is the same question I have about every one of my trees.

So, having done my best to set a structure in 2014, I re-oriented it into another pot in 2015. After a couple of sessions wiring and trimming, here is how it looks now.

View attachment 120689

Turned a little bit counter clockwise better shows the beginnings of a foliage pad on the left and, I think, helps take attention away from the right side's present puff ball chaos. But, from this view

View attachment 120690

I see a pencil straight trunk up to a point where it abruptly curves left (and forward) whereas there's some curvature seen from the potted front - this may not matter.

Regardless of the front, the chaotic silouette of the branches that I've produced is 'grating' .

More time. More technique.
I still don't know.

But I've got lots of other trees posing the same question.
This is my idea fun these days.

Beautiful - No living thing is ever completed. I really like this tree as it is and the potential it offers.

 

[0soyoung]

That low branch covering the front of the trunk and the nebari?

View attachment 417618

Indeed it is. It is really to obscure the view of the graft union that I am still trying to decide how to deal with. This foliage and that straight branch holding it will go once I've figured out what I'm going to do to make the union a point of interest = it really cannot be cutely hidden any longer!

 

[Crazy Diamond]

Oh makes sense xD you have any photo of the graft union?

 

[0soyoung]

Oh makes sense xD you have any photo of the graft union?

 

[Crazy Diamond]

Dont look that bad Ive seen a lot worse

 

[0soyoung]

Dont look that bad Ive seen a lot worse

Yes, me too, but that doesn't make it acceptable. If a miracle happened and mature/aged bark suddenly appeared, life would be easy. Obviously that isn't going to happen anytime soon. Stripping bark and creating some 'deadwood' damage is the most likely solution, but it doesn't seem to fit the tree as it is now.

I'm stuck in analysis paralysis.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

I agree the shari dont suits very much the tree at least now, I know it might be unorthodox but a lot of old pines in Japan have lichen in the trunk and I think it doesnt harm the bark formation as the moss do, maybe sprinkle some nice lichen helps to disguise the graft and give a more old look to the tree