Bristlecone Results?

[Smoke]

Some things I would like to know Attila:

There a few for sale here in Fresno at nurseries. They are grafted on understock.(species?)

Is yours grafted?

Was it obtained from a nursery?

Is it a hybrid?

I have never seen for sale the species from the White Mountains

Is it Pinus longaeva or Pinus aristata?

Pinus Aristata is what is propagated and sold in nurseries as "bristlecone pine". While technically correct it is not what grows in the mountains and is protected, pinus Longaeva.

This is what has happened to Mountain mahogany, madrone, and manzanita. All these can be bought at the nursery but are a far cry from those growing in the wild.

 

[irene_b]

No, I can see what you are doing here....pretending to be nice guy and trying to snatch my trade secrets under the disguise of a casual conversation. I've seen that before.

Frankly, there is very little I know about this little tree, since, as you said, all I did is to leave it alone. Occasionally, I fertilized it with liquid fertilizer, may be once a month in the growing season. I suspect that I could pay more attention to a fertilizing regime, in order to induce a more abundant growth, but I haven't done it. I am very bad with following any kind of regime.
It gets a lot of sun all day, I suspect that too much shade would kill it very soon. This species needs a lot of sun.

I have not done candle work, since the tree is too small and undeveloped. The only pruning I did, was to cut back the longer branches by half, to induce new growth close to the trunk. The tree responded by backbudding.

I know one thing that I will do: I will not wire and cut back at the same time. First I wire the branches in place. Then I wait for new growth. Then I do some pruning. Also, when I re-pot, I don't do anything else, for at least a month. These are standard rules for me, on species that I don't know too much about. By doing just one insult at a time, ensures that the tree will not die due to too much handling.

I'll start paying more attention to it beginning this season, may be it will teach me some new things about itself. I will let you know of any new development.

Regards,

I had one that I attempted to open up the foliage.....It died..
Irene

 

[milehigh_7]

I believe there are three that go by the name common name Bristlecone pine:

Rocky Mountain bristlecone, pine (P. aristata)
Foxtail pine (P. balfouriana)
And of course the White Mountain version Great Basin bristlecone pine (P. longaeva)

 

[Klytus]

Maybe the Bristlecones do best as a Pine in a pot,without excessive modification to shoot and root.

Kept confined in a regular tall glazed pot and trimmed to encourage a dense covering of needles from soil level to top,so no trunk or limbs visible.

Placed on your patio or decking to be enjoyed as the god of retail intended.

 

[Attila Soos]

Some things I would like to know Attila:

There a few for sale here in Fresno at nurseries. They are grafted on understock.(species?)

Is yours grafted?

Was it obtained from a nursery?

Is it a hybrid?

I have never seen for sale the species from the White Mountains

Is it Pinus longaeva or Pinus aristata?

Pinus Aristata is what is propagated and sold in nurseries as "bristlecone pine". While technically correct it is not what grows in the mountains and is protected, pinus Longaeva.

This is what has happened to Mountain mahogany, madrone, and manzanita. All these can be bought at the nursery but are a far cry from those growing in the wild.

Very good questions,

I have the Colorado Bristlecone (P. aristata). It is definitely not grafted, I would have never bought it if it was, since I wanted an original plant, with no hybrid features.
This is not the one from the White Mountains (I have never seen those - P. longaeva - for sale either). It grows in the Rockies. And it only lives around 2,000 years, instead of the 5,000 that longaeva can attain. So, 2,000 years is rather short-lived, in "White Mountain Years". But I can live with it.
The way you can tell aristata from longaeva, is that the aristata has the resin flecks on the needles, just like dandruff. If you don't have the resin flecks, then your pine may be a hybrid. This may explain why some claim that their "Bristlecone" grows fairy fast. The hybrids may have a much faster growth rate. It also explains why nurseries sell those hybrids: it doesn't pay to sell a tree that takes 10 years to grow one foot.
The aristata that I have is a very, very slow-growing tree, and there is not much you can do about it. It's like trying to speed up the growth of your kingsville boxwood. There is nothing you can do about it.
This picture is from the Forest Farm website.

 

[Klytus]

So it's a good species those who don't have the patience for stone appreciation?

 

[Attila Soos]

By the way, the Foxtail pine (balfouriana) has been often hybridized with the Great Basin bristlecone (longaeva), and this hybrid has a faster growth-rate. This may be the one that BonsaiNut, and other people on this forum, have. I have yet to see a P. aristata, of decent size.

 

[Klytus]

Mine may be doomed to Mame size,if i buy a set of micro minerals and loupe i can Penjing!

 

[Attila Soos]

Mine may be doomed to Mame size,if i buy a set of micro minerals and loupe i can Penjing!

Use the gemstones from discarded jewelry, their size will be appropriate.

 

[milehigh_7]

So, if I was able to collect seeds from (P. longaeva) this fall, would anyone be interested in receiving some? D&H states that germination from fresh seeds is not difficult. I have (P. longaeva) within a few hours of my house.


D&H also states that fall collection is the right time.

 

[Klytus]

Can you use GPS to provide locality data?

That's added value right there!

 

[Attila Soos]

So, if I was able to collect seeds from (P. longaeva) this fall, would anyone be interested in receiving some? D&H states that germination from fresh seeds is not difficult. I have (P. longaeva) within a few hours of my house.


D&H also states that fall collection is the right time.

Well, since it appears that nobody else is selling them, I would think that it would be an interesting proposition. Instead of selling the seeds, I would just germinate them, and sell them one year later, as liners.That way, you could get much more sales.

 

[milehigh_7]

Well, since it appears that nobody else is selling them, I would think that it would be an interesting proposition. Instead of selling the seeds, I would just germinate them, and sell them one year later, as liners.That way, you could get much more sales.

Oh I was not going to sell them. I was going to give them to you guys that know way more than me. You have given me knowledge and shared your experiences. For that I already owe you all. Further, I don't trust my horticultural skills as much as I do some of you others. It would be interesting to send some to various people around the country and see what comes up p).

If there was a strong interest I would try to get up there when they ripen.

 

[Klytus]

It's a nice thought,i won't hold you to it.

They could be biennial bearers,maybe centennial bearers.

Whenever i pick a pine cone it always has nothing in it,maybe a shrivelled 'wing' or two.

It would be comical to think of a fervent campaign to reintroduce a species that cannot reproduce.

 

[bleepblop]

Hi, I am new to the site. I was talking to my uncle who is a biologist and he said that bristlecones are fairly versatile trees that don't need a lot of attention. I live in Utah and we have very hot summers and very cold winters. I figured that this would be an excellent tree for the conditions in which I live in. Especially because of the extreme temperature shifts that we can have in one day. And for the fact that I live in a desert.

I am planning on, for my first bonsai in a long time, training a bristlecone for its simplicity and possibly a Utah juniper. I figure if I train trees that thrive in the environment I live in, it can make the process go easily for a beginner intermediate.

Thoughts?

 

[Bill S]

I figure if I train trees that thrive in the environment I live in, it can make the process go easily for a beginner intermediate.

Thoughts?

Out of the mouths of babes. Sorry not to infer anything of your age, but your wisdom on this point is miles ahead of most. You got it right my friend, at first at least stick to what grows well in your area. after that when you are ready to drive your self silly, try larch and ficus. Not really but many people give themselves fits trying to grow something at the early stages that doesn't like to grow where they are.

 

[plant_dr]

To everyone who has mentioned their Bristlecones in this thread: How are your trees doing? I was able to collect an Aristata from a landscape very early this year and I've been scouring the internet for looking for info. So far it seems to be doing well. I planted it in a well-draining substrate with very little organic matter. I plan to let it sit there for as long as it needs until I know it's going to make it. The needles look lighter in color than in pictures I've seen, but that may be from it's previous living conditions (which weren't the best). It is about three feet tall from the soil level and about 4" diameter trunk.

 

[Victoria LK]

I bought 10 bristlecone pines in 2009 that were 3 years old and transplanted 2x. They were 6-9" tall. I have a couple in containers, one in the wind, and believe me it is windy in Cheyenne and one that is by my pond, a little more protected. I am very interested in how they grow, and how it can be bonsai'd. The one that is doing the best is the one by the pond, looks awesome, but it is close to the stone wall and is warmer. the other one by the pond, is not fairing as well, not sure why. I am going to try my luck at keeping it trimmed up and see what happens. They are six years old and probably 12-14". My other subject, Foxtail pines, and at 4 years old they are only 4-5", but this year have the telltale white specs. Beautiful trees, both of them, and very interesting to grow.