Pinus nigra?

[Paradox]

Anyone have any experience with Pinus nigra or European black pine. Found some nice ones locally but wanted to know if they are used or if they are even good for bonsai before I purchase one.


Thanks

*Edit* I see they are also called Austrian pine and I've seen that people have tried to use them for bonsai. Still any insight someone might have would be appreciated

 

[jackg]

I have one Austrian black pine-Pinus nigra. Grew it from a cutting, yes this is unusual, on a tree purchased at a local garden shop. It is done root over rock and is about 18 years old. Needles reduce nicely using same technique you would use on Japanese Black Pine. Park is rough and fissured. Overall side by side it would be nearly impossible to tell the difference between the Austrian BP and the Japanese BP. Out of numerous cuttings from Pines all varieties, this is the first and only one that has rooted. The parent tree traded to a neighbor. jg

 

[QuintinBonsai]

There was a thread on these a while back. I say purchase it. I've heard they make good substitutes for Japanese Black Pines.
http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?7812-Australian-Black-Pine&highlight=austrian+black+pine

 

[Paradox]

Ok so I bought one. Is it safe to do some light pruning to open up the foliage a bit? Not going to do any major pruning now.
I just would like to get a better look at the tree structure than what I've been able to so far.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Normally, you prune a pine to compact the structure, not to open up the structure. Be careful to not cut away all the interior shoots and leave it looking like a poodle. It's a bit counter-intuitive at first.
A recent thread on that topic is here: http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?7897-JBP-starter
And Brent has a good article on the topic here: http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/pruning.htm
And here:http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/bonsaibe.htm
I wrote a bit about it here with some very young trees: http://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/2012/04/25/a-little-spring-cleaning/

 

[Paradox]

Thanks for the links

Ill post a pic later if I can. Right now the tree is rather dense with foliage. I can't see the trunk hardly at all.
I know its in there somewhere because I found it when I was poking my fingers in there.

I'm always a bit timid about starting to cut things for the reasons you mentioned.
I will, as you suggest, proceed with caution and care not to remove the wrong thing or too much.

 

[Paradox]

Ok here is a pic of the tree with nothing done to it at all yet. Its in a 3 gallon pot.
Judging by the roots coming out the bottom of the pot, I suspect its pretty pot bound by now but its probably too late in the season to repot.

 

[QuintinBonsai]

That's good starting material. I wish my local garden centers sold pines this compact. Maybe they do, and I just haven't looked hard enough lol. I wonder if your tree's trunk is curved or straight? Don't be afraid to get in there, and find the trunk. You have to at least find which branches you want to keep.

Brian's PDF is also a good read, visually as well.

 

[bougie nights]

Be sure to pull the tree from the can and see if you have good nebari. Some ABP cultivars are grafted.

 

[Paradox]

Yes sometimes you do get lucky. There were 4 of them there and this one seemed to be the best of the group.
I also figured it would be a good learning tree. From what I can tell, there seems to be some curve to the trunk, but I still have to get in there and have a better look. Just havent had a chance yet.
I think it does have a graft, there is a slight bulge low on the trunk which is consistent with a graft. So we will have to see what can be done about that if anything. In any case it gives me something to work with and learn from.

 

[edprocoat]

Nice looking pine, the one I was looking at, in the thread referenced above, was much more sparsely branched than that. That one is so dense with branches it looks almost like a Mugho Pine.

ed

 

[Paradox]

It was pretty funny actually. A sticker on the pot said Pinus nigra, a tag on the plant said Pinus strobus which I know for a fact its not, and it rang up as pinus thunbergii at the register...lol

Poor tree has an identity crisis...lol. I chose to believe the sticker on the pot since that is from the grower theoretically.

I should have some time this weekend to take a peek at what is inside there.

 

[Paradox]

I had a look at this guy and yes the trunk has a bit of a curve kinda like a slanting literali. Some nice bark too. I didnt want to cut too much on it because its the wrong time of year for a major prune. So Ill just concentrate on keeping it alive and happy until late winter/ early spring next year.

 

[Paradox]

Just an update on this one. I know I said I didnt want to do anything major to this pine but I wanted to see the trunk structure so I pruned off a one or two of the larger branches on the left side that I thought werent necessary. Hopefully this isnt too much of a problem for it. I dont think so because now, 2-3 later it seems like next year's buds are beginning to appear on the tips and some other places. Im starting to see this with my other pines as well.

Will leave this guy alone now until I can repot it.

 

[sdavis]

Any photo update on this ABP?

 

[Paradox]

Any photo update on this ABP?

Unfortunately this pine died over a year ago. It did not survive the winter for some reason.
I purchased it too late in the summer to repot and I think the state that its roots were in at the time did it in over the winter in addition to my lack of experience in recognizing the problem too late.