White pine needle tips question

[Tom29]

Hi all,

As per the attached pictures, some of the needles on my white pine, particularly around the crown of the tree have slightly discoloured ends. This is not confined to old needles so isn't the tree starting to loose its 3 year olds as we head toward Autumn. As per the picture I have included showing ideal needles on a different part of the tree

Wondered if anyone could offer an advice as to the likely cause?

I am in the UK and the tree is in good health. I have heard several potential reasons, key ones being sun burn and the other relating to a late frost we had in March as a potential cause.

The tree has been in my possession for about 3 weeks, but was tended to by my local bonsai nursery prior. The needle tip discolouration isn't new (since I've had it) and having spoken to the nursery it was they who suggested both of the above causes as potentialities - either way they don't seem overly concerned, but given the reach of this forum and vast pool of knowledge I though it worth posting amongst the community.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[JimmyJamJoeJoe]

I wouldn't have thought sun burn in the UK, except maybe in the last week or so during that heat wave, but even then i'd be sceptical.

We did have the wettest February on record this year, which is obviously bad for pines. That was followed by a cold snap and late frosts in march. It certainly took it's toll on my maples - Unfortunately I don't have any pines to compare to yours, but I'd wager that's what it was if this isn't a new problem and the tree appears healthy otherwise.

 

[sorce]

I just read a post about how folks don't post whole pictures and how this is quite limiting when it comes to figuring out a problem.

Worst is that adding speculation onto an already difficult endeavor is about the worst we can do to our bonsai adventure.

It's a pine so sun burn is out the window, along with that would be shopping at that nursery again, since they should know that.

Frost could be, but that would only really effect these new needles of they were already out, then got frost.

Or, (and this is why a whole shot of the tree could help) it could have damaged the root tips, which could also cause. A slight dry out could have caused it too, so seeing the pot helps, though even with it, more information is necessary.

I wouldn't worry much about it though.

Sorce

 

[Tom29]

Thanks for your reply and comments, I will bare that I’m mind going forward.

For reference I have attached some pictures of he tree to this post which I have just taken.

We had a lot of rain last night so the pot is quite wet today.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I don't see anything that I would worry about. It is only a problem if it gets worse, or I you have a major exhibition you want to enter the tree into within the next few years.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Simply drying out one day too long could have done the damage. Or a frost on tender newly emerged needles.

 

[Tom29]

It’s a really nice tree with some potential, but I see it as a minimum 5 year project to get it to where I want it to be - I think anytime you add a new species to a collection there is a new list of worries that you need to learn about.

 

[discusmike]

Tree has very nice radial roots

 

[Forsoothe!]

Nice tree. Edit your photos in any software and rotate them if they open in landscape (or wrong for your purposes), then save them and they will open nicely from then-on. My neck is sore. The tree is worth seeing right.

 

[sorce]

tree is worth seeing

Definitely!

Sorce

 

[Tom29]

Picture the right way this time - for some reason my iPhone doesn’t like those particular pictures and puts them the wrong way.

Thanks for the kind words regards the tree.

 

[Adair M]

It looks like your tree probably sustained a bit of frost damage from a last frost or cold snap. You’ll have to live with those needles a couple years.

It also looks like the tree is planted in straight akadama. Which I feel is too water retentive. Next spring, I would repot into a mix of equal parts lava, pumice, and akadama. Pot it a little deeper in the pot. The roots are well placed, but they shouldn’t be exposed as much as they are. It also appears to be mounded a bit. I suspect that when it was potted, soil covered the roots more, but as it was watered, the soil eroded away and has now over exposed the roots. Properly potted, the soil is level within the pot, with no mounding.

This fall, it needs wiring and probably some judicious thinning, especially in the apex. The tree is very “top heavy”.

 

[Tom29]

I’m planning to spend some time with a local bonsai expert, to wire and prune the tree this fall - being new to white pines I always find it helpful to get some guidance in the first instance. The previous owner (who has it many years) just pruned it the past couple I believe so it hasn’t had any serious wire work for some time.

I can’t be certain when it was last repotted but my aim is to repot both my newly acquired white pines next spring as you say, so that will be a good opportunity to get the soil mix right and also adjust the positioning slightly.

Really appreciate everyone’s words and advice, its great to father feedback as I go forward with this (new to me) species.

 

[Japonicus]

EDIT never mind.
Just don't make the same mistake I did and remove the wire next Spring.
I did ahead of an expected Summer growth spurt then Adair says I should have left the wire on at least a year, maybe more.
I had wired out more than 90% of the tree and one of my best applications yet.