The Italian Stone Pine Thread

[Orange County]

Put mine in a show this weekend. It’s already been pinched once this season.

View attachment 544556

 

[Dogestoevsky]

@Ruddigger it really does look like a larch! Beautiful work, you’ve a great eye for design across all the posts of yours I see.

 

[Orange County]

These are my stone pines, I paid $10 each, both are still in process since 2,019, one with juvenile needles and the other with adult needles. I think it is another 5 or 6 years to get something decent. Waiting until July to trim and organize branches. The small one is 4.5" in diameter at the base and the older one is 5.5".

 

[Wulfskaar]

I'm taking a much different approach on mine, going for the natural umbrella style. I just updated my post.

https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/pinus-pinea-for-a-beginner.47215/

 

[Ruddigger]

These are my stone pines, I paid $10 each, both are still in process since 2,019, one with juvenile needles and the other with adult needles. I think it is another 5 or 6 years to get something decent. Waiting until July to trim and organize branches. The small one is 4.5" in diameter at the base and the older one is 5.5".

Nice trunks

 

[Toshi]

After a few years local hiatus, these are back as potted Christmas trees again. I've avoided them in the past because they won't survive our winters outdoors, but I'm wondering if anyone has successfully overwintered them indoors without extreme measures.

I went to a party this summer where the host had one she's been keeping as a houseplant for 3 years. I was blown away, never knew you could keep any pine indoors. It sat by a window, no special care. Granted it didn't look amazing but it was alive.

 

[Deleted member 47471]

I went to a party this summer where the host had one she's been keeping as a houseplant for 3 years. I was blown away, never knew you could keep any pine indoors. It sat by a window, no special care. Granted it didn't look amazing but it was alive.

Really cool Pine. I have not seen any in my area, even around the holidays. I wonder if I would nee to special order one online. Plentiful firs and spruces but not this type of pine. The first one I ever saw was Ruddigger's Christmas contest. Still tremendously inspiring. Best of luck on this, it's a really cool species from what I can tell.

 

[Toshi]

Really cool Pine. I have not seen any in my area, even around the holidays. I wonder if I would nee to special order one online. Plentiful firs and spruces but not this type of pine. The first one I ever saw was Ruddigger's Christmas contest. Still tremendously inspiring. Best of luck on this, it's a really cool species from what I can tell.

That's exactly how I got mine, they go on sale in December as holiday pine here in NYC. They sell out surprisingly quick so I ended up buying it online.

 

[Youngling]

They seem to grow well here in Cape Town. Will have to try getting one. Never seen them for sale though.
This one always catches my eye, love the twin top and jin at the base.

 

[bonsaiwood]

Went to my local HD store to pick up lumber and noticed ISP’s marked down 50%, along with DAS and some other Xmas conifers. Brought home a half dozen to plant in the grow beds. They seem to grow up fast in my environment.

 

[BrianBay9]

OK you guys got me interested enough to try a post-Christmas special too. Straight trunk with some inverse taper. They all must look pretty much the same after the first work - butt ugly.

 

[Ruddigger]

OK you guys got me interested enough to try a post-Christmas special too. Straight trunk with some inverse taper. They all must look pretty much the same after the first work - butt ugly.

View attachment 578946

yup, they sure are. Keep working it and they improve quickly.

 

[bonsaiwood]

I'll snap and share some photos tomorrow of two that I've been growing out since Jan. 2022. They were also sold as HD Xmas trees on clearance. Drip irrigated and fed Miracle-gro, quadrupled in size and the trunks have thickened considerably.

 

[bonsaiwood]

In the ground they seem to readily back bud in all places. I've kept mine in a (mas o menos) manageable shape with no specific image for bonsai, yet. Maybe this will be a good year to do some selective branch pruning and general clean up.

 

[Goodroot]

Bought 3 Stone Pines today from the orange store @50% off. 2 reg size and one smaller one. Gonna put one in the ground. Just made a new ground growing spot on the back side of garden. Perfect place. Will get afternoon dappled shade.
I love this thread. Gonna save it and try to contribute, from NE Tx. Happy New Year!