Pinus Parviflora - Hagoromo

ozzerbon

G'day Guys and Girls,

Was recently given a very small Pinus parviflora - Hagoromo, about 10cm [4"] high, have searched Google but nothing worth noting.

Does anyone have any useful information about this very slow growing miniature pine?

Am planning to reduce it's height even further/lesser, by wiring only, shall be posting a pic when I have done this in early Spring
or maybe even sooner.

Nigel

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Brent

Nigel

I see no one is responding, so I will tell you what little I know. I grow these, but as yet, haven't done any real bonsai work on them. Yes, they are very slow growing, but part of that depends on which understock they are grafted. If grafted to P. strobus or P. parviflora, you can expect growth to be very slow and shrubby. I have one that was grafted in '96 and I have only pruned it to take scions each year. It is all of about 8 inches tall now, but quite stocky. It is P. strobus understock.

My grafts are now on Japanese black pine, P. thunbergii. These grow considerably faster but still retain nice short needle length. although the internodes are much longer. I don't worry about this, because as soon as they get even a little rootbound, they slow right down. This allows you to grow a decent sized trunk in less than half the normal time.

Culturally, it should be treated like any other P. parviflora. Repot often if you use any organic material in the soil mix, don't let the pots heat up. Give it shade when it is over 90F, feed regularly. They bud back quite well, so don't be afraid to shorten branches that still have needles. Breaks on older wood are more difficult, but still certainly possible.

As with any pine, you should probably be identifying a trunk line at this stage. Then decide if you are happy about the trunk caliper. If it needs more girth, leave one or more low sacrifce branches to fatten it up. I think these really small pines tend to be boring without some trunk movement, so I like to change the trunk line direction one or more times by using existing branches.

Brent