Upright California Native Knobcone Pine

[Bu-Jetjet]

Hello folks! I was tempted to include this for the five-year native challenge, but it wouldn’t be fair since I’ve been training this little guy in a pot for the past 6 years. It’s a Knobcone Pine I rescued from a garden that was being remodeled back in 2015. Some say it’s an “Urban Yamadori”, but I like the term “rescued” better!
Here it is standing next to my California Juniper I acquired from Robert Pressler.

 

[Bu-Jetjet]

I took my Knobcone Pine to my old Bonsai group this week to get some ideas how to style it. Did not really see eye-to-eye with my teacher since we had different visions on how it should be styled. He wanted it to be styled similar to JBP standards when it comes to formal upright....

 

[Bu-Jetjet]

I ended up just wiring and styling it at home. Still not satisfied with how it’s currently wired... tempted to cut off a few of the long internodes, so I’m going to sleep on it and see what I decide on tomorrow morning.

 

[Ruddigger]

That thing is a backbudding machine.

 

[Bu-Jetjet]

That thing is a backbudding machine.

Thank you! Fertilized it heavily during fall and winter

 

[Potawatomi13]

Great epicormic growth! Great bark. Very soon could use these as set of new branches. Great to break from restrictive "teacher".

 

[Crazy Diamond]

I know that tree its a Canary pine Pinus canariensis , I live in the Canary islands where they are native and form great forests!! They also backbud like no other pine because his adaptation to fire, sprouting from old wood like a deciduous tree. I heard that they are very common in California because its a beautiful tree and very hard to kill

 

[Alexmacrophyllum]

I know that tree its a Canary pine Pinus canariensis , I live in the Canary islands where they are native and form great forests!! They also backbud like no other pine because his adaptation to fire, sprouting from old wood like a deciduous tree. I heard that they are very common in California because its a beautiful tree and very hard to kill

Knobcone pine and Canary Island pine are two totally different pines. Pinus attenuata is a pine that is native to certain parts of Southern and Northern California I pockets throughout the mountains lower elevations (compared to the much higher elevation pines).

 

[Pitoon]

So many options to choose with all those buds breaking out.

 

[bwaynef]

Can you share what your vision is for it and how it differs from "JBP Standards" of informal upright?

 

[Crazy Diamond]

Knobcone pine and Canary Island pine are two totally different pines. Pinus attenuata is a pine that is native to certain parts of Southern and Northern California I pockets throughout the mountains lower elevations (compared to the much higher elevation pines).

That massive sprouting from the old wood with bluish juvenile foliage and the bark its totally Canary pine like, Maybe im wrong but I see a lot of those pines a day and they are pretty unmistakable

 

[Bu-Jetjet]

Great epicormic growth! Great bark. Very soon could use these as set of new branches. Great to break from restrictive "teacher".

Thank you so much. That's what I'm planning as well. I hope I was not misunderstood - it's not my intention to make it seem like my teacher and I were butting heads. We just had different visions when it came to this particular tree.

 

[Bu-Jetjet]

That massive sprouting from the old wood with bluish juvenile foliage and the bark its totally Canary pine like, Maybe im wrong but I see a lot of those pines a day and they are pretty unmistakable

Hi Arnold - Thanks for the photos as reference! I'm not saying that you're wrong and I'm not here to argue. I myself was not sure what kind of pine tree it was when I "rescued" it. So I sent a branch that I cut to an arborist that I went to college with. She's the one that gave me the information. Whether she tested the needle, sap, bark - she did not disclose, but she was the one that told me that it's a Knobcone Pine. I can inquire if a genetic mutation is possible?

 

[Bu-Jetjet]

So many options to choose with all those buds breaking out.

Absolutely! For a beginner like me, it doesn't really make my life easier hahahaha!

 

[Bu-Jetjet]

Can you share what your vision is for it and how it differs from "JBP Standards" of informal upright?

Hi! This is what my teacher wanted me to follow (imitate).

I don't see my stump this way... I certainly don't want to imitate this

 

[Potawatomi13]

Hi! This is what my teacher wanted me to follow (imitate).
View attachment 356065
I don't see my stump this way... I certainly don't want to imitate this

Ho Hum!

 

[Crazy Diamond]

Hi Arnold - Thanks for the photos as reference! I'm not saying that you're wrong and I'm not here to argue. I myself was not sure what kind of pine tree it was when I "rescued" it. So I sent a branch that I cut to an arborist that I went to college with. She's the one that gave me the information. Whether she tested the needle, sap, bark - she did not disclose, but she was the one that told me that it's a Knobcone Pine. I can inquire if a genetic mutation is possible?

I dont think so, I seen photos of Pinus attenuata and it doesnt grow like that sprouting from the trunk, thats something unique with the Pinus canariensis, How many Pines with that big old trunk have you seen sprouting like that?. Pinus attenuata have adult needles in bunch of 3 like the Canary pine so maybe thats the confussion. As far as I know the Canary pine its very common in California

 

[Bu-Jetjet]

I dont think so, I seen photos of Pinus attenuata and it doesnt grow like that sprouting from the trunk, thats something unique with the Pinus canariensis, How many Pines with that big old trunk have you seen sprouting like that?. Pinus attenuata have adult needles in bunch of 3 like the Canary pine so maybe thats the confussion. As far as I know the Canary pine its very common in California

Sounds good buddy. Enjoy your day!

 

[Crazy Diamond]

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I didn't want it to be a canary island pine! But when you take a look at knobcone bark, you see that it's pretty smooth, almost spruce like.
This tree has rugged bark, flaking like crazy; way better characteristic!

Mediterranean pines tend to revert to juvenile foliage pretty easily. This makes more or less them indestructible, but also hard to control when it comes to pruning. Pinus pinea and pinus halepensis both suffer from this issue, I'm not sure if canariensis also has this trait.