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The Japanese white pine is an evergreen conifer native to
Japan. This beautiful specimen is recognized as one of
the most beautiful of the Pine family. One of the classic
bonsai trees and probably the most popular among bonsai
collectors. The Japanese White pine is suitable for most
bonsai styles. If left to grow in the wild, it reaches 25
meters tall.
Pyramidal with slender, short 1 to 2.5 inch long, blue-green
needles; silvery underside. Needles are borne in clusters
of 5. They are densely whorled, giving branches a tufted
appearance. Wide spreading branches, dense in youth,
becomes flat toped with age.
The trunk is massive, straight, sometimes split into two
or more stems. The young bark is smooth and gray, aging
to a dull gray, rough, longitudinally fissured, peeling
off into scales. Branchlets are gray-green to yellow-brown.
The flowers are yellow. Flowers in May, with cones
ripening in October of following year. The flowers are
monoecious, individual flowers are either male or female,
but both sexes can be found on the same plant, and are
pollinated by Wind.
The cones appear in clusters of 20-30, crowded on lower
part of new shoots. They are cylindric, red-brown
and green coloured when young, 5-6 mm long, 3 mm wide,
with numerous stamens. The cones persist for many years.
Hardiness zones 4-7, (-15ºC,5ºF/ -32ºC,-25ºF) in
Winter. It grows well in full sun and must be protected
from frost. It cannot grow in the shade. The plant
prefers light, sandy and medium, loamy soils, requires
well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil.
The plant prefers acid and neutral soils. It requires dry
or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
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