Zuisho White Pine

[mcpesq817]

Hey Brian, your zuisho looks great. It's been developing quite nicely over the years.

By the way, looks like you have some really nice trees in collection. I should stop reading your posts because I end up thinking about buying new material that I don't have (like zuishos)

 

[tanlu]

If you haven't already, consider choosing the branches that will be in the final design and expose more of the nebari.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Quick update, about another year later. Grafted in '04...9th season. The trunk keeps plumping up, although the vegetative growth was a little weak this year.

 

[tmmason10]

It's definitely getting there Brian. Nice to see 9 years of growth, not a common sight you see from the beginning on these forums. Usually the threads start when they are about this big.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Thanks. 9 more and it might be time to think about starting some training!

 

[Jason]

Nice tree, Brian. Could this tree be planted out in a grow bed?

 

[Jason]

I ask this not to be snarky, it's a nice tree. I have a grafted pine and am also wondering about pot culture vs. in-ground growth. Most things I plant out (since I have a finite life-span) but I wonder if these are too wimpy. Thoughts?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

No worries, I'd be a bit nervous about lack of control over watering, but honestly, the reason I haven't put it in the ground is because I got it in fall '06, we moved in spring '07, and didn't have a bed established. By the time I potted it up last year, I didn't have space in the bed! Then, you see guys like Bill who have grown bonsai in bonsai pots for 40 years, and it makes a case for trying it out.

It would be interesting to see the difference in growth rate between containerized and in-ground. I've been pretty happy with the results so far, but have wondered what I'm leaving on the table.

 

[FrankP999]

Brian,
What is your secret for these in the South? I have tried a couple white pines and they do not thrive in the heat in Macon, Ga. They linger, and eventually die, for me at least. If you have any tips, I would appreciate them. By the way, my club in Atlanta is having Julian for our October meeting.

Thanks

Frank

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Brian,
What is your secret for these in the South? I have tried a couple white pines and they do not thrive in the heat in Macon, Ga. They linger, and eventually die, for me at least. If you have any tips, I would appreciate them. By the way, my club in Atlanta is having Julian for our October meeting.

Thanks

Frank

I don't really have any, a few members have very good luck just keeping them in the full sun. I leave my 2 in full sun until they're done growing, then move them to AM sun, dappled sunlight after that from about mid June until October.

Peter Warren warned me to let my bigger 5NP get dry and don't repot it unless its not taking water. It's not doing as well as the Zuisho...rough winter '10, then we were too aggressive wiring it in fall '11, and I lost every branch we used a guy-wire on. It's going to need a while before its presentable again.

Thanks for the heads up on Julian. I haven't met him before, but would definitely like to visit the ATL club at some point and meet some of the regulars from here. My regional office is by the Perimeter Mall, and I'm there once and a while for meetings.

 

[jkd2572]

I have a white pine on black pine stock and it seems to be doing great down here. It only gets full morning sun. I have only had it a year.... It has been setting out new back buds...

 

[fore]

Brian, what's 5NP?

(Btw, Peter was fantastic in the workshops. On the JBP, I got the branch structure identified, and cleaned up a bit on the chop marks, but didn't have time to wire it. On the RMJ, I got it mostly wired. But Peter did a great job styling it. Still a lot of work to be done on both. But I learned a lot from Peter, great teacher!)

 

[Dan W.]

Brian, what's 5NP?

Chris, I believe that would be "5 Needle Pine."

 

[Dan W.]

Brian, do you think that being grafted to JBP has anything to do with the JWP surviving well so far south?

 

[fore]

Chris, I believe that would be "5 Needle Pine."

Oh Doh! Thanks Dan

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

2013 update

Not much to write home about, but it's been another year, and this year, in the ground. It did better this year than last, and maybe next year will be even better...

 

[Vance Wood]

I have probably a dozen articles from the 90's about this tree in various publications. I remember two specific traits that you may or may not be aware of: They cultivate fairly well from cuttings and the tree does not really take off until it is about ten years old.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I have probably a dozen articles from the 90's about this tree in various publications. I remember two specific traits that you may or may not be aware of: They cultivate fairly well from cuttings and the tree does not really take off until it is about ten years old.

Thanks, never had a cutting take...not for a lack of trying. Probably tried 20 over the years.

Since this one is now ten years old, I'll have to be careful near it, and watering from overhead, in case it does decide to take off. It would be great, as it seems to have stalled out over the last couple years.

Do you ever question the timing in some of those old articles when they show a stick, and then a 4" trunk and say that it was 5 years later. One article in BT, it was an ilex serrata from seed and suddenly it had a massive low branch that wasn't there in the photo taken 5 years before. Kind of makes you wonder about taking liberties with translation.

 

[garywood]

Brian, Vance has 10 - 20yrs advance on your project, maybe he could show what a little time can accomplish.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Definitely, would really dig some development photos to see what the next 5-10 years may have in store for a tree like this.