Italian Stone Pine??

[JoeH]

Saw these for sale today at lowes for Xmas, not sure if my wet summers would kill it or not?

 

[Potawatomi13]

If sold there maybe will survive for you.

 

[miker]

I used to see them sold this time of year in the Orlando area a lot. I would say it is worth a try, especially in inland Central and North FL.

The only reason mine died is that if I remember correctly, I took it home and immediately repotted, trunk chopped and wired it. I was like 16 and did not know better.

 

[Starfox]

This site has a map that would suggest they would do alright.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/LyraEDISSe...72&document_soid=ST472&document_version=34777

 

[JoeH]

For ten bucks I'll give it a shot, usually I don't pot in fast draining soil, maybe in this case I should? If I do typical bonsai soil it dries out too fast.

 

[miker]

My $10 cheapie died after a few months last winter here, but I may just try another one and protect it more. I would reply in spring in fast draining soil.

 

[JoeH]

that's what I figure I will do. I am guessing the 2-3 inch rains we get sometimes won't be good for it in a regular soil.

 

[Anthony]

If it helps the Government nursery grows them down here.
Good Day
Anthony

*The J.B.pine and Caribbean pine are enough for us.

 

[ajm55555]

This is a Stone Pine in my grandma's property in Verona, Northern Italy (8b). You can find them planted along the roads and in forests in central and southern Italy (some areas in Sicily are in the 11a zone) but also surviving fine in gardens in the North.
View media item 3239

 

[Starfox]

We don't get anywhere near the amount of yearly rain you would get but a few times a year we get huge downpours and they can sit in a large puddle for a week and it doesn't seem to hurt them. Pot culture is of course different but I think you will be right.

This one is one of the tallest I have ever seen, I quite like it and want to jin the old stump. Not sure how big a bonsai would have to be to proportionally pull that off though.



There is also a stretch of beach that has miles and miles of amazing windswept pines, some are stone pines some are halepensis I think but they are some of the best inspiration I have seen regarding these med pines. I really need to go back there with the camera and get better pics.

Unfortunately collecting pines is illegal in Spain and this area is quite popular, I'm sure there is gold in amongst it all though. They often have fire go through there too.

 

[iant]

Stone pines are strong trees. Unfortunately, they barely look in proportion when they’re full sized in the landscape.
But never hurts to try!
Ian

 

[M. Frary]

Saw these for sale today at lowes for Xmas, not sure if my wet summers would kill it or not?

Planting it in completely inorganic substrate will help.

 

[JoeH]

Planting it in completely inorganic substrate will help.

on most of my stuff I don't do that at all because of the hot spring and summers here, and I am concerned about plants drying out too quick in bonsai type dishes. For this I will probably try it.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Unfortunately, they barely look in proportion when they’re full sized in the landscape.

Please explain? Most of above trees very attractive/beautiful.

 

[Potawatomi13]

on most of my stuff I don't do that at all because of the hot spring and summers here, and I am concerned about plants drying out too quick in bonsai type dishes. For this I will probably try it.

Moss on top of substrate can alleviate undue evaporation.

 

[JoeH]

picked one up today, and found this dish at the thrift store, has a really big drainhole so I am going to work on it tomorrow am. It was in a decorative container with no drain holes so a lot of them were in standing water, this one wasn't overly wet.

 

[iant]

“Please explain? Most of above trees very attractive/beautiful.”

I just mean that the needle size is so long that even on a full-sized landscape tree if you’re decently close you can see individual needles and they look shaggy and youthful. Still beautiful, but youthful. This makes it hard to pull off a mature image on a bonsai scale.

Ian

 

[bonsaichile]

“Please explain? Most of above trees very attractive/beautiful.”

I just mean that the needle size is so long that even on a full-sized landscape tree if you’re decently close you can see individual needles and they look shaggy and youthful. Still beautiful, but youthful. This makes it hard to pull off a mature image on a bonsai scale.

Ian

They are beautiful trees, you can see them everywhere in Italy. They have a very characteristic flat top habitus when mature. But, as Ian says, their needles are just too long for bonsai when mature. The one you got is very young; the mature foliage won't look at all like that.

 

[JoeH]

potted it up, I did gravel at the bottom of the pot, and 50/50 gravel sandy potting mix for the rest. I pulled about an inch of soil off the top to get down to the first roots, took a bit off the bottom of the root ball as there were no major roots in the bottom. Did a little corrective pruning to get rid of future crosses, straight across from each other branches and dropped the other upright branches down a bit to give the leader some space.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Question please? Is tree just behind potted tree Araucaria sp? Generally this is wrong time of year for repotting pines so good luck on this one.