What pine is easiest for a newbie?

Poink88

Poink88

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That question might be an oxymoron but my wife, after going to a bonsai show with me this weekend, insisted that I must have a pine. I warned her that it will be very slow and difficult but she retorted if I am not up to the challenge. :o With blessings to spend the money for a new tree, who am I to argue? ;) LOL

She really like JBP but I want to ask first before I invest on one. Also, please note that I am in zone 8b (Texas) and not sure which variety can handle the heat best.

Any advise will be much appreciated. Thanks!!!
 
Personally any two needle variety is a snap... They backbud well, and needle reduction is excellent. If you love the blue foliage go for a 5 needle, but personally I only have one of those and I'm a little scared of it. lol Ponderosa, JBP, ABP, Red Pine, Shore Pine.... there's nothing scary about those. lol Also... in TX 2 needles tend to do very well.

Love to see what you get....

Victrinia
 
Tell your wife that making challenges like that can cost her a lot of money...:D

Down your way, Japanese Black Pine is probably the strongest easiest candidate, although a solid collected Ponderosa might also work (See Golden Arrow Bonsai). Japanese white pine might get the vapors in the Texas summers...

I must say, my wife HATES pine bonsai. She says they look like porcupines (it may just be that I have absolutely no talent for them, though).

Now go out and get a great bonsai-purposed stock pine...Check some of the California sellers that have been referenced here...Your wife has given you permission to blow a lot of cash...:D
 
One other thing about JWP... they are rarely on their own roots... and JBP bulks up way fatter and faster than they do... so if you want one, be sure to take a look at the grafts. They won't ever catch up to each other... srsly.

V
 
Oh.... and as to sources.... Dave Dewire has amazing JBP in corker and standard types, that are VERY approachable. I have picked up a few beauties from him for about $150 each. He'd have to ship it to you, but if you need his number/email, PM me and I can give it to you....

If you do a search for his name on this site you'll see lots of examples of his trees that people have acquired.

V
 
"Somehow I seriously doubt that is the case...."

Take my word for it, I am conifer-challenged. However, I'm batting .500 on ponderosa now -- one is apparently indestructible and is growing like a weed, the other is either sulking or I'm killing it.
 
Victrinia Ensor said:
Oh.... and as to sources.... Dave Dewire has amazing JBP in corker and standard types, that are VERY approachable. I have picked up a few beauties from him for about $150 each. He'd have to ship it to you, but if you need his number/email, PM me and I can give it to you....
Click to expand...
PM sent.

Can you post a pic of what you bought from him? (Please!?!?) :D
 
I agree: Japanese Black pine, and I'd recommend the species rather than one of the many variants: very robust and user friendly, and with a certain solidity and refinement that speaks to one's heart. :) "The King of Bonsai."

My collection is about 80% conifers, and I must say that JBPs taught me almost all I needed to know about 2-needle pines, and about 60% of all I needed to know about other types of conifers as well. And the teaching is kind of intuitive: do what is recommended, and just pay close attention to how the tree responds, and one day you will wake up and realize you understand them, you know them and you know what makes them - and most other conifers - tick. Until that day, it all seems very mysterious, and you will struggle if you try to learn it from the other conifers directly. JBP is the benchmark, the prototype, the archetype. Start there, and then everything else can be categorized as 1) The same as a JBP, 2) A variation on a JBP, or 3) Different from a JBP (and those differences can almost always be learned by learning the Hinoki, but I don't think a Hinoki will grow where you live).
 
Well put G52. Agree, JBP is a most predictable, responsive pine, with corkbark black pines being the exception. White pine will not do well in your heat.
Here is a post that includes some corkers from Dave Dewire: http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?6622-Cork-Bark-Japanese-Black-Pines
Though I'm also eager to see some Ridgeway cork...how 'bout it yous twos...;)

Also...be sure to start with a pine that was specifically grown for bonsai, no matter what.
 
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I'll be posting my corkers tomorrow... with Eric's hand as a size reference. Not great photos... it was raining tonight... so you'll have to forgive the less than awesome quality. lol

Also my husband pointed out to me that I failed to also give props to Telperion farms... their number is available on their website, but if you have trouble finding it, just drop me a line or Capnk just may pipe up also.... His field grown straight JBP are REDONKULOUS. srsly.

For now I am off to bed. Ciao amici!

V
 
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Our corkers....

Apparently I changed my mind, and decided now was as good a time as any.... We only picked these up this winter... so we haven't had them long.

#1
IMG_8487.jpg

#1 Base
IMG_8491.jpg



#2
IMG_8492.jpg

#2 Base
IMG_8493.jpg


Ok... now I am SO going to bed. lol

V
 
I've always heard JBP. I got one for my first pine and so far so good, although I've only had it for a few months.
 
Victrinia Ensor said:
Apparently I changed my mind, and decided now was as good a time as any.... We only picked these up this winter... so we haven't had them long.

#1
IMG_8487.jpg

V
Click to expand...
Wow, those are nice. Thanks, now I have a price:size & quality reference.
 
LOL.. Cheap and reasonable is all relative.

For me it is a no go...even if I have the money to spend (which I don't). This is way expensive and already "done". I want to make my own bonsai and I am a cheapskate. ;) LOL
 
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