Unusual pinus strobus Hillside Winter Gold

9 years ago

I just received this guy yesterday. My understanding was that they are pretty much the same as a regular pinus strobus except for the winter color. This one seems to be exceptionally skinny and sparse, which is perfect for where I planted it.

The top trunk color seems unusual as well, as does the thick first couple inches of trunk. I'm not sure if the picture shows it well but it looks to be about twice as thick as the trunk immediately above it. Almost as if a smaller trunk had been grafted inside a bigger one.

Perhaps these features are common. They just struck me as odd, in a good way. I really like this tree.

This post was edited by Jim-Ogden-Utah on Fri, Sep 12, 14 at 16:20

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Comments (6)

jim_ogden_utah
Original Author
9 years ago
Lower trunk
jim_ogden_utah
Original Author
9 years ago
Upper trunk
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
looks like you amended the planting hole???

and that you did not dig a very wide hole.. were there no wrapping roots that needed to be untangled???

also.. seems kind of close to the sidewalk.. how much space did you give it???

the graft and understock look consistent with that size of a plant ... nothing unusual there ....

how many hours of sunlight.. will it actually receive.. most pines dont favor a lot of shade.. if you want them to fill out ...

i might splint that to a bamboo pole inserted in the ground ... to avoid winter bending from ice or heavy snow ... 8 foot pole.. and some used nylons would about do it ....

ken
DGG1
9 years ago
A plant that was simply stretched. People grow dwarf/rare conifers in containers disproportionate to both the above ground biomass and time taken to produce. Also, plants are left over protected, resulting in awkward structural habits (if I can sell you 36" of plant that I grew in the same amount of time as a 16" plant with a perfect habit, why not?). Color is also potentially a result of these disproportions, expect the 'summer gold' needles to shed during the establishment period.

Side walk is of little concern, at least not as much as the canopy above. Shade, maybe. Wintergold pines give the best show in full sun, expect substandard color in shade (strobes may benefit from some shade in Utah).

Scion material is often of a smaller caliper than root stock, resulting in the large root stock and a thinner trunk on the desired plant during the first few years.

The point is, everything is relatively normal, if the plant is in a good location and maintained correctly don't count on the sparse and skinny thing being constant.

-A high elevation landscape contractor, nursery grower and conifer enthusiast
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
A high elevation landscape contractor,

==>> i know what you mean ... but i hurt my head.. riddling the words out.. lol ... sorta like cloud based earthworking.. lol ...

BTW jim .... its a nice plant... i am glad you are excited about it .... i went all technical on you.. but forgot to mention the plant itself ... mine is about 10 years old.. in way too much shade.. hasnt been very aggressive in growth.. but it is one of the most yellow pines i know of ... have fun enjoying it ...

one might say.. i didnt see the tree.. through the forest of digression ... or some other mixed metaphor ...

welcome to GW ... i hope you post pix of more of your plants ....

ken

ps: the forest of digression is right outside adrian MI.. along the river of de nile ....
plantkiller_il_5
9 years ago
Nice save,,ken

jim,,,ken & dayne have said important things about your new baby

ron

This post was edited by plantkiller.il.5 on Sat, Sep 13, 14 at 20:25