Seed project

[JoeR]

Thanks @JoeR
I did notice that sheffields has these. the EZO is 2015 crop and i bought some, but the sachalin is much older if i remember correctly, 2013 i think?

I'm not sure what crop year mine are from, but I don't think it makes a huge difference with the seeds being 3 years old. I doubt you could find fresh ones anywhere else in America. You could email them your questions?


Youre probably not going to get high germination rates regardless of age. I followed the directions on the packet (soak in water 24 hrs, cold stratify 30 days) and had a very very low % germinate. BUT it could (and probably is) an error on my part. This year, I'm sowing them in a shallow grow box outside (instead of the fridge) in hopes of better results.

I dont even know if my climate is good for them or not

 

[Owen Reich]

For Japanese white pine on their own roots, the needles are light green, soft, and can emerge fairly short when in a bonsai container with a lot of fine roots.

Those with a Japanese black pine root base or trunk have recurved blue-green needles that are thick and inflexible; well less flexible. The branching is also more thick. The bark of a Japanese white pine on it's own roots when it ages can be pretty rough in a good way, but the character is distinctly different than black pine.

Either Sheffield or Shumacher Seed has Japanese white pine seed. William Valavanis sometimes has seed from a great source in Japan, although there have been some shortages.

I was actually going to Fukushima Prefecture to see the old white pines there and acquire some seed, but a tsunami and nuclear reactor crisis in the area prevented that trip.

Another source I found was in China but I don't recall the vendor. Found it after a few minutes on Amazon. The seed appear to Japanese white pine and they were extremely cheap for 200 seeds; I'll know next year.

 

[Quince]

I noticed something kind of interesting while collecting seed.

These are cones from a plant being marketed as P.nigra 'Oregon Green'


They don't look much like the other P.Nigra cones I've seen, which pretty much look like this.


But they bear a striking resemblance to the cones in this post https://bonsaitonight.com/2016/08/17/grow-japanese-black-pine-seed/
What do you think? A case of mistaken identity or a hybrid?

 

[Quince]

They grow up so fast...

The 2017 crop soaking up some morning sun. I'm really impressed with my JRP seedlings on the left, high germination rates, low losses and some of them pushed mature growth in their first summer!


Most of the Oregon Green seeds were empty but I tossed some in a pot anyway. This is my one survivor. Needles are less than half the size of my other Austrian pines and growth seems nice and compact. I have high hopes for this one.

Next year I'm not taking any chances. I collected several pounds of cone from the same mother tree. With any luck 2018 will be coming up all Green

 

[plant_dr]

They grow up so fast...
View attachment 161944
The 2017 crop soaking up some morning sun. I'm really impressed with my JRP seedlings on the left, high germination rates, low losses and some of them pushed mature growth in their first summer!

View attachment 161943
Most of the Oregon Green seeds were empty but I tossed some in a pot anyway. This is my one survivor. Needles are less than half the size of my other Austrian pines and growth seems nice and compact. I have high hopes for this one.

Next year I'm not taking any chances. I collected several pounds of cone from the same mother tree. With any luck 2018 will be coming up all Green
View attachment 161942

I have an Oregon Green that have I cut down from a nursery tree. From the little branch work that I have done on it, it does get pretty compact branching and the needles have shortened quite a bit from the originals it came with. I love it. The only thing I dont like is that it only produces a single flush per year. It would be fun to start from seed though.

 

[Potawatomi13]

The question for my fellow Bnuts is, what would you plant if you were starting something today?

Pinus torreyana var insularis Island Torrey Pine and Pinus balfouriana austrina Southern Foxtail Pine.

 

[Quince]

I have an Oregon Green that have I cut down from a nursery tree. From the little branch work that I have done on it, it does get pretty compact branching and the needles have shortened quite a bit from the originals it came with. I love it. The only thing I dont like is that it only produces a single flush per year. It would be fun to start from seed though.

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one with interest in the traits this cultivar carries.
I like to think of single flush as the price to be payed for an additional zone or two of hardiness when compared to a JBP. Although that may not be as much of an issue for you in Utah, right?
I hope yours continues to be an amenable subject.

 

[Quince]

Pinus torreyana var insularis Island Torrey Pine and Pinus balfouriana austrina Southern Foxtail Pine.

Wow, had to google those two!
Looks like the would make fun projects. The Southern Foxtail especially seems to have nice characteristics.