Japanese Black Pine Help—is it dying?

[giftbonsai]

Hi all,

I'm admittedly a novice at bonsai rearing. My husband received a Japanese Black Pine as a gift, approximately five years old, from a friend. I've been pulling my hair out over trying to keep it alive and have unfortunately realized that I've made several mistakes in caring for it. Currently, its needles are a very, very pale green and I'm not sure if it's alive or not—carefully pruning off a branch leaves us with more questions than answers, with a pungent pine smell and an inner core we're not quite able to tell is green or not. I'd expect the needles to be yellow if it were dead, but my area of expertise with plants is decidedly more tropical (including a bonsai of unknown origin that has somehow survived for over fifteen years at this point) with which I'm more familiar of their tells.

Any thoughts? Or is it beyond saving? I'll try to post some photos here shortly.

PS there seem to be offshoots that look like they could be developing into cones. What are those?

 

[Dav4]

Doesn't sound good. Tell us more specifics on how you've been keeping the tree... and let's see those pics!

 

[giftbonsai]

Doesn't sound good. Tell us more specifics on how you've been keeping the tree... and let's see those pics!

Hi Dav,

So this plant lived outside this summer after I figured out it was definitely not an indoor bonsai, though it came inside during the night since we have rather bad wind (only to our kitchen, directly by the patio). It actually was doing well for the months than I kept it outside. It came inside about two months ago once our (very bitter) winter weather started and the winds picked up. However, I kept it by a sheltered window that does not typically get wind exposure nor does it get large temperature fluctuations that I thought would be harmful.

Typically, I mist it every couple of days since I know JBPs aren't entirely too fond of moisture. It's still in the original pot from the grower, but I was planning on repotting it in the spring.

I finally was able to get some pictures--please excuse the background mess from recent holiday chaoas.

 

[Dav4]

Your pictures confirm that your black pine is dead, and most likely has been for a while. While I can only speculate on why your tree didn’t survive, you should know that Japanese black pines are actually fairly cold hardy and routinely survive frost and freezes that can last months long if properly sheltered during winter cold. Without knowing exactly where you are, I can’t tell you whether Japanese black pines are a good choice for you in the future.

 

[giftbonsai]

Your pictures confirm that your black pine is dead, and most likely has been for a while. While I can only speculate on why your tree didn’t survive, you should know that Japanese black pines are actually fairly cold hardy and routinely survive frost and freezes that can last months long if properly sheltered during winter cold. Without knowing exactly where you are, I can’t tell you whether Japanese black pines are a good choice for you in the future.

Thanks, Dav. We're in the Rocky Mountains and frequently hovering at or below 0F. Is there any chance of cultivating part of it from the small cones, or is it just a lost cause? My husband is rather sad that we'll just have to let this one go.

I would rather get a bonsai that's well suited for staying inside in the future, so it's unlikely we'll get a JBP. This was a well-intentioned gift but definitely one with an unfortunate end.

 

[Vance Wood]

Conifers do not do well indoors. They must be kept outside 360 days/year. except for a couple of days for shows. You said you misted the tree occasionally, did you ever water it till the water ran out the drain hole in the bottom of the pot? You want a tree that you can grow indoors you should go for a Ficus.

 

[Dav4]

I second a ficus or schefflera for indoor trees. If you want to save something from the pine, you could try to germinate a seed and grow it on, but then you'd be faced with the same problem overwintering a tree not suited to your climate.

 

[bonsaichile]

Sorry to break the news to you, but that tree is dead. I live in denver, and I have found it tricky to overwinter them. Try a ponderosa, you will have much better chances with a native tree. and keep it outside year round. They can take it.

 

[Vance Wood]

Sorry to break the news to you, but that tree is dead. I live in denver, and I have found it tricky to overwinter them. Try a ponderosa, you will have much better chances with a native tree. and keep it outside year round. They can take it.

Except Ponderosas IN MY OPINION make lousy bonsai. Needles are too long and they do not easily ramify. I have never seen in my 63 years of doing bonsai a Ponderosa bonsai I would covet, or go out of my way to look at.

 

[bwaynef]

I have never seen in my 63 years of doing bonsai a Ponderosa bonsai I would covet, or go out of my way to look at.

You're not looking in the right places.

 

[Vance Wood]

You're not looking in the right places.

Like I said I will not go out of my way to look at one. The only thing good about a Ponderosa in my opinion is the bark. I have not seen a photograph of one that moves me.

 

[Adair M]

Like I said I will not go out of my way to look at one. The only thing good about a Ponderosa in my opinion is the bark. I have not seen a photograph of one that moves me.

I have seen some nice ones. But, they’re big trees. Bigger than most of the trees I prefer to work with, which are trees about 2 feet tall. The better Pondys I’ve seen are 3 to 4 feet.

 

[Vance Wood]

I cannot remember a memorable Ponderosa. From those I have seen the needles are way too long and the color is way off, looking gray and unhealthy.

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Out in 0F shouldn't be a problem.

Get another!

Sorce