The Worlds Ugliest Black Pine, Unfortunately It Is Mine

Adair M

Pinus Envy
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Ok, thanks guys, like I said earlier, I hate I killed it, but the context of "giving up on black pines" was intended to mean that I really have no interest in them. They are beautiful trees, but to purchase one with some decent size and proportions would be out of my price range at the moment, the same reason why I don't have a really nice satsuki azalea ( youngest daughter starts college in the fall). I also have too many trees for my the available space so getting another pine right now would be tough, but if Adair would send me one of his, I would tough it out and find a spot.

They’re coastal trees, tolerant of salt air.

I know this, I read up on them since I had one and there are some growing in the landscape here, and, I think along the interstate.

You killed that one by removing too much foliage.

I think that this is obvious, and painfully so. I knew it right after I did it, I had done about 10 azaleas before this and well, "was in the groove", but unfortunately the groove was cutting back azaleas. To its credit, it did attempt to survive.

Saying that no one near you knows anything about JBP is not true. BVF is in Birmingham. Kathy Shiner lives (at least part time) in Alabama. MarkyScott lives in Houston, TX, even farther south from you.

Like I said, there is no one near me, meaning in Mobile, the closet one of those is 4 hours away. Those are all really cool people and I hope to meet them some day. I hope to meet BVF this year. I have a six pack of Shiner for Marky Scott whenever I get the chance. There was one guy in the club who had some really nice pines but he has young kids and a busy schedule, so we could not get together. So, I took it upon myself to proceed, live and learn. He is the only one that I know of who keeps pines here, and he complains of needle cast and other fungus always attacking, in spite of counter measures, he came to Mobile from San Francisco. They grow here, but I don't think well, too hot and humid maybe? Don't know.

Any way, R.I.P., world's ugliest black pine, you will be sorely missed, especially by Mrs. Mullet.

John
They love hot and humid! So does needle cast!

For some reason, I thought you had other JBP.

Needle cast can be a problem. Especially once you notice it, the damage is done. So if you ever get another one, here’s how to treat and prevent it.

1) remove as many of the infected needles as you can. If the tree has a really bad case of it, don’t buy it!

2) the fungus gets into the needles when they’re growing. Once he needles have it, you can’t cure it.

3). Spray it. Now, I just said we can’t cure it. The purpose of spraying it is to keep it from spreading. Spray every week if it’s moderately bad, or every other week for mild cases.

4) alternate your sprays. I use Daconil and a copper based fungicide. Alternating between the two is more effective than using just one or the other.

5). Use a systemic. As I said, the fungus gets in the needles as they’re growing. So that’s in the spring. If you decandle, new candles and needles will grow then, too. So, I apply a systemic to the soil just before the buds start to swell, and candles form. That allows the systemic to be in the tree when the needles are forming, and that can prevent it! This is actually more effective in the long run than spraying, but together you can get control back the easiest. Clearys 3336 is good for this. It’s a granular product applied to the soil, and the tree will get it as you water. Apply before spring growth and after decandling. I have found that Bonide Infuse fungicide (available on Amazon) has the same active ingredient as Cleary’s, and is sold in smaller quantities. The application of the systemic can actually prevent needlecast, so this works well.

Hope this helps!

Oh, your friend from San Francisco? Even though it’s on the coast, the humidity is much lower there, so needlecast is less of a pest. The Bay Area has many little microclimates, so everyone can have better success with one species or another. For instance, at Boon’s, JBP do ok, but JWP and azalea do not. Not sure why, it might be the water. I brought a JWP home from Boon’s to my house, and it’s doing much much better here than at Boon’s, even though it had been at Boon’s for 17 years!
 

namnhi

Masterpiece
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@Mellow Mullet
I have a few 9 or 10 year old Japanese Black Pine that I can trade with your azaleas. I like a fair trade where we both get what we wanted - win win. Let me know if you interested.
 

Trenthany

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Maybe I spend too much time wandering in the woods and mountains, but I see a nice wild looking tree. Like you said, it is no "show tree", but I can definitely enjoy it. I probably do spend too much time looking at trees.
So me!
 

SeanS

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It’s been three years did Cinderella make it to the ball?
 

Woocash

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Real shame about your tree MM. So is the trick to create material like this to wire a young tree and leave it in the same pot for a decade or so? No tinkering and a little neglect perhaps?
 

jaco94

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A few years ago, i could have been a good challenger for this thread ...😔


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Trenthany

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I read up and down the thread several times because there were a lot of suggestions about what to do to save the trees look and missed this one somehow. My apologies.
 
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