Black Pine Question

[thomas22]

I am not new to bonsai but I am very new to Black Pines. I only have two besides my seedlings and have never tried to develop one yet. I got this Pine a few years and cut it down to what you see in the middle tree of the first pic. The second pic is the tree as of now and a possible front. I don't see this tree as ever being a great tree but I want to learn from it.

My question is simple. Can I cut back to the blue line on a branch like this. I have many like this that are getting too long without any side shoots. If yes should I do it now so it will bud from there in the spring or what is the best time to cut back. The tree grew like craze this year and I feel its getting away from me.

Less specific question, what should my game plan be to compact and ramify.

Thanks

 

[Potawatomi13]

One observation please. Based on immature growth and smooth trunk bark do not believe is Japanese Black Pine but possibly is Italian Stone Pine. Not sure results of cutting back as you ask. "However" as long as cutting on young(current year)stem with many needles MAY yield back budding. Not likely if done on bare stem. If wishing to try this do now and fertilize heavily till Fall dormancy to encourage new buds. Best fortune.

 

[thomas22]

One observation please. Based on immature growth and smooth trunk bark do not believe is Japanese Black Pine but possibly is Italian Stone Pine. Not sure results of cutting back as you ask. "However" as long as cutting on young(current year)stem with many needles MAY yield back budding. Not likely if done on bare stem. If wishing to try this do now and fertilize heavily till Fall dormancy to encourage new buds. Best fortune.

I bought it cheap from a landscape nursery and they said it was a Black pine but I think you could be correct. Anyway I'm going to give it a try and hope the needles reduce when I get to that stage.
I think I will cut back some of the branches and fertilize and see what happens.
Thanks for the input.

 

[my nellie]

I bought it cheap from a landscape nursery and they said it was a Black pine but I think you could be correct.

Perhaps Austrian black pine, Pinus nigra?

 

[bonsaichile]

Perhaps Austrian black pine, Pinus nigra?

I think Alexandra is right: This is an Austrian black pine. They are single flush, so everything you've read on Japanes black pine will not apply to your tree. Treat it like a Japanese white pine, like a scotts pine or like any other single flush pines. Use the search function in the site, there is a lot of info here!

 

[River's Edge]

I am not new to bonsai but I am very new to Black Pines. I only have two besides my seedlings and have never tried to develop one yet. I got this Pine a few years and cut it down to what you see in the middle tree of the first pic. The second pic is the tree as of now and a possible front. I don't see this tree as ever being a great tree but I want to learn from it.

My question is simple. Can I cut back to the blue line on a branch like this. I have many like this that are getting too long without any side shoots. If yes should I do it now so it will bud from there in the spring or what is the best time to cut back. The tree grew like craze this year and I feel its getting away from me.

Less specific question, what should my game plan be to compact and ramify.

Thanks View attachment 207289View attachment 207290View attachment 207291

There does appear to be a mix-up in the pictures, the first tree does not appear to have the same bark as the other pictures. The tree is not JBP and the growth pattern does not appear to match Pinus Nigra either in my experience. Suggest you get them identified clearly prior to selecting techniques for further development. JBP is much more vigorous than many other pine species. Pinus Nigra clearly shows similar whorl development to JBP and similar needle structure. These pictures show longer thinner needles and atypical branch development.

 

[Adair M]

I don’t know what it is, but definitely NOT JBP!

 

[Gsquared]

My money is on Italian Stone Pine. They are used a lot for “live Christmas trees” here in the states. They are trimmed back hard and pop out with tons of blueish juvenile foliage for the holidays.

 

[bonsaichile]

It does not look like Italian stone pine juvenile foliage. It looks an awful lot like my Austrian black pines, but not the Oregon ABP cultivar

 

[Gsquared]

I’m looking at th tips of some of the branches in the upper left quadrant of the third pic in the OP. That’s what I was thinking was the ISP giveaway. May be wrong but the Pinus nigra I see around WA and OR have much stiffer, darker foliage. I’m DEFINITELY on the bandwagon of it not being JBP.

 

[Soldano666]

Not nigra. Too light of a color and not rigid enough looking needles. Those look soft

 

[petegreg]

Nigra of this size would have a completely different bark, aging, blackening and cracking.