What Kind of Pine is This?
- Thread starter Tidal Bonsai
- Start date
Lazylightningny
Masterpiece
How many needles per fascicle?
Tidal Bonsai
Omono
Damn I forgot to count! It was either 3 or 4
jeanluc83
Omono
I'm about 90% sure that it is pitch pine.
It looks like the needles appear to be in threes and the cone looks like pitch pine.
They are good for bonsai but are tough to collect when grown in the open as they send out long roots. One or two year old seedlings can be collected bare root.
It looks like the needles appear to be in threes and the cone looks like pitch pine.
They are good for bonsai but are tough to collect when grown in the open as they send out long roots. One or two year old seedlings can be collected bare root.
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Tidal Bonsai
Omono
jeanluc83
Omono
I have only tried a couple of times but didn't have much luck. The roots were long and trailing going several feet. Bare rooting was unavoidable. I was also out of season so I might have had better luck at the proper time of the year.
I asked Nick Lenz about it and he said to find trees that have a compact root system growing in a rock pocket. He did have a couple in his book that he referred to as "sand bank" pines so collecting them must be possible.
I have had reasonable luck growing them from seed. They are easy to germinate and grow reasonably fast. My oldest ones are only 4 seasons old so I have yet to see how they do long term.
I asked Nick Lenz about it and he said to find trees that have a compact root system growing in a rock pocket. He did have a couple in his book that he referred to as "sand bank" pines so collecting them must be possible.
I have had reasonable luck growing them from seed. They are easy to germinate and grow reasonably fast. My oldest ones are only 4 seasons old so I have yet to see how they do long term.
Hyn Patty
Shohin
When would be the most ideal time of year to collect these?
River's Edge
Masterpiece
The ideal time to collect conifers is in the early spring just before they break dormancy. The next best time is late summer and early fall when they go dormant during longer hot dry spells. Typically in this area that would be mid august until beginning of October. Both periods of time give the tree's a window for root recovery after collection, either just after or before dormancy.The second period of time requires more consideration for winter protection shortly after collection. Local collectors in your area can advise what works best for which species in your climatic area.
Each year is slightly different, particularly at higher altitudes. I have collected high mountain species in the beginning of April and other years have had to wait until the beginning of June for the snow to clear enough to collect.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Agree. Pitch Pine makes a really nice bonsai when approached on its own merits.
Lazylightningny
Masterpiece
Vance, what are it's own merits?
The small ones I've seen in the wild tend to have most of the branches up high, and not too many down low.
MrFancyPlants
Omono
Aren't pitch pine the ones that actively back bud? If so, that would solve the low branches issue pretty easily.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Yes and they do back bud on old wood.
GGB
Masterpiece
looks like my old pitch pines. tried counting the needles in each fasicle in the photo but couldn't manage. they seem to have the most promise of our native pines so far, according to everyone else.... I killed mine... actually mites killed mine
MrFancyPlants
Omono
Whenever I drive through NJ, I always try to stop at a nursery to see if they have any pitch pine, but I suppose since they grow there, there is not much impetus to sell them there. I guess I am barking up the wrong tree, or budding up the wrong bark or something.
Seems to be great material, but as mentioned, tough to collect in sand. It is possible that if the water level was high it could keep the roots shallower. I'm not sure that they would grow in a boggy area, but worth a check if you have access and permission. In a standard sandy area you could try to prep a few years out by adding in some organic material like spaghnum or peat, and maybe a little rooting hormone back in around the trunk if you find the roots extending forever downward.
Or since these are so adept at throwing adventitious buds, maybe they would be more susceptible to air layering than your standard pine?
These are musings, rather than advice based on experience, so take with a grain of fertilizer(salt).
Seems to be great material, but as mentioned, tough to collect in sand. It is possible that if the water level was high it could keep the roots shallower. I'm not sure that they would grow in a boggy area, but worth a check if you have access and permission. In a standard sandy area you could try to prep a few years out by adding in some organic material like spaghnum or peat, and maybe a little rooting hormone back in around the trunk if you find the roots extending forever downward.
Or since these are so adept at throwing adventitious buds, maybe they would be more susceptible to air layering than your standard pine?
These are musings, rather than advice based on experience, so take with a grain of fertilizer(salt).
GGB
Masterpiece
@MrFancyPlants don't know if you ever drive through eastern PA but we have a nursery here called "edge of the woods" that sells nothing but native or nearly native trees. They always have tons of pitch pines. it's a hike for you, about 3 hours, but if you're passing through anyway...
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
I am not personally as familiar with this Pine as others so I cannot tell you why they may be bare on the lower portions of the trunk other than reaction to being grown in an undergrowth like tall grass.
