Has anyone bonsai’d A Red Pine (Pinus densiflora)(Jane Kluis)? Did some research. It was discovered in th 1970’s by Rudolph Kluis of Marlboro New Jersey. It is a dwarf hybrid. Deliberate cross Pinus densiflora and Pinus thunbergii.
I found it in a local Michigan nursery.
Huge trunk! What do you think
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Looks super healthy! Nice find.
Couple of questions:
Is it winter hardy in the sense that Japanese red pines are hardy in your area but black pine may not be? What characteristic does this cross carry with it?
Is it a graft?
What does the base of the tree look like? With all of that growth is there reverse taper? Are there radiating roots on a common level?
Any old flaky bark developing?
Looks like you have some options to choose from, smaller branches and two or three trunk lines if you include the one on the left.
I agree with Ryan.Martin. Looks like you have a nice tree there with good potential. Good eye.
When I purchased the tree I only new from the tag it was Pinus densiflora, Red Pine (Jane Kluis). I made the purchase because it was a real bargain with some reservations as to being too big. The information described above I found online after purchase. It does not appear to be a graft. Trunk looks old but not flaking at this point. Information online states the tree is hardy zone 5 and I am 5B. The tree survived at the nursery for a long time and propagated in New Jersey so I am quite sure it will be just fine. Have not dug down to expose roots or flair at this point. I think there will be flair. I am saving this tree for Todd Schlafer when he returns to my place next spring. Should be an interesting challenge for us.
I posed the question to see if anyone had any experience with this species. I have never seen or heard of it before.
I have successfully grown them from seed in and over winter in the ground in zone 5 Toronto. They are a multi-flush pine. I have heard Ryan and Todd talk about the branches breaking easily. More later… Super Tuesday on now…
I’ve been slowly working on a JRP/jk just like it for 4 years. Pacific NW, zone 5B. -15 F several winters. Real hardy, real nice color and growth patern. Short needles. Huge trunk base, nice flair. Very long straight limbs that need to be worked. Was advised to leave some lower limbs for sap flow… Way bigger than photo shows…
25 gal originally. Root work twice, half each time.
Removed half of the limbs. Broke the planned apex while wiring. Had JUST listened to Ryan say “be carefull, they are brittle…”
Lots of deadwood. Planning on trying some grafting this spring. Lots to work with if I kill a limb.
Work in progress.
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Plan a design, go slow, and enjoy. Its not always about the destination; sometimes its about the journey!
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