A Japanese White Pine

Dav4

Dav4

Drop Branch Murphy
Messages
13,494
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Location
SE MI- Bonsai'd for 12 years both MA and N GA
USDA Zone
6a
This is a nice, old pine I picked up from Tyler Sherrod at the 2018 Silhouette Show in Kannapolis. I'd been reluctant to keep JWP here in Metro Atlanta as it's a fairly warm climate with cool but short winters and long and warm to hot summers... we are likely to have at least 80 90 F + days this year (the average is 37). Any way, @Adair M and Tyler both said that JWP actually do great in the Metro area and convinced me to give it a try. Positives for the tree are that it is actually quite old- likely 75+ years- has great aged and flaky bark that ascends all the way into the apex and is developing on most of the branches, has that cool, little secondary trunk, and is not grafted. Negatives are that is leggy with sparse foliage and it had an "incomplete" apex. Here's the tree when I first saw it on Tyler's table, as well as during the drive home... did I mention the tree is probably 46" inches tall:eek:. Last picture is confirmation it survived the trip south was digging my steep little slice of heaven this past winter.
IMG_1743.jpgIMG_1750 (1).jpgIMG_1915.jpg
 
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In 2018, the metro Atlanta area received at least 70 inches of rain... and it kept raining right through mid spring. The new needles on this one were almost twice as long as last years... oh well. I gave it as much sun as my yard allowed pulled old needles in late August. I had noticed the tree was beginning to form buds throughout the canopy... but none to build a new apex... oh well. Last week I removed about 5 pounds of copper from the tree, then replaced it with a smidge less then 4 pounds... I think. Anyway, I've got an apex I can live with, though I'm hoping for a lot more budding that my give me more options there as well as to start filling out the rest of the canopy. The first shot of the tree is after I'd wired the lower third, and the last picture shows another potential front.
IMG_3296.jpgIMG_3295.jpgIMG_3298.jpgIMG_3299.jpg
 
I like the logic that led to this purchase. I thought I was going to be able to employ the logic, but the transmission guy called back a second time with a conversation that started "I really thought replacing the lines and filling it with fluid was going to fix it but..."
 
Good job. Sometime, I can show you how to set the bud angles a little better. (Easier to show you than try to describe it. Had a bit to do with “feel”, too.
 
Actually, the way it went down was I said I was going to buy it if he didn’t, and Dave didn’t want me to have ANOTHER nice JWP, so he bought it to deprive me of it!

See what good friends I have?
 
Adair M said:
Good job. Sometime, I can show you how to set the bud angles a little better. (Easier to show you than try to describe it. Had a bit to do with “feel”, too.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Man... the tree definitely needs some tweaking. I'm still playing with the angle of the branches, so no rush...
 
Good work with a challenging subject. This will just get better over time, and it has some really nice age. Thanks for saving a pine from Adairs lair....doin your part for the rest of us!
 
Real nice refinement project. I was lovin it when you just shared the photos after purchase, now it's just gettin better.
 
Dav4 said:
In 2018, the metro Atlanta area received at least 70 inches of rain... and it kept raining right through mid spring. The new needles on this one were almost twice as long as last years... oh well. I gave it as much sun as my yard allowed pulled old needles in late August. I had noticed the tree was beginning to form buds throughout the canopy... but none to build a new apex... oh well. Last week I removed about 5 pounds of copper from the tree, then replaced it with a smidge less then 4 pounds... I think. Anyway, I've got an apex I can live with, though I'm hoping for a lot more budding that my give me more options there as well as to start filling out the rest of the canopy. The first shot of the tree is after I'd wired the lower third, and the last picture shows another potential front.
View attachment 262735View attachment 262736View attachment 262737View attachment 262738
Click to expand...
 
Ok, wiring and branch placement tweaked a bit and done for now other then lots of water and feed through the fall... already seeing buds forming but need more throughout... hopefully, next summer's canopy will be fuller with more growth in the interior.
IMG_3330.jpg
 
Is it just me, or could this be better in a slightly wider deeper pot? And lowered in the pot a bit? I imagine in 5 more years this will be a really great tree.
 
JudyB said:
Is it just me, or could this be better in a slightly wider deeper pot? And lowered in the pot a bit? I imagine in 5 more years this will be a really great tree.
Click to expand...
This tree is really tall and I think my pictures, as usual, don't do the tree justice. If you saw the tree in person, I'd bet you'd be ok with the size of of the pot. I think the planting depth is ok, too, as a good application of moss prior to a show would really set off the nice root spread. Fwiw, I am looking for a nicer, older nanban for this one... it deserves it :) .
IMG_4853.jpgIMG_4855.jpgIMG_4854.jpg
 
Yeah just those closeups really change the feel of the way they appear in the pot. Wabi sabi irregular will look great under this one.
 
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