Red pine black pine cross (?)

[treeman]

Another little tree. This particular clone came out of a batch of red pine seeds. It's buds are red but it's needles are very stiff and straight and the darkest green of all my pines. I have propagated it because i think it has great qualities.

Before and after. Not much change but some slight adjustments...Basically sharpened some bends and defined the apex a little more.

P1130653.JPG

P1130655.JPG

[jessepap]

How old is this tree treeman?

[Keels]

....It's buds are red but it's needles are very stiff and straight and the darkest green of all my pines. I have propagated it because i think it has great qualities.

I really like the strong base this tree has. interesting to hear that you have a hybrid. Keen to hear more on this and how that could be possible with pines as i honestly wouldn't know much on the matter. So whats next with a tree like this? when would you pot into a bonsai pot?

[melbrackstone]

I vaguely recall seeing a video of Lindsay Bebb working a red/black pine cross in Japan a few years ago. It was particularly snappy when he tried to wire it. In saying that, I do like what you've done with this tree Mike. Look forward to seeing it grow.

[treeman]

How old is this tree treeman?

10 or 12?

[treeman]

....It's buds are red but it's needles are very stiff and straight and the darkest green of all my pines. I have propagated it because i think it has great qualities.

I really like the strong base this tree has. interesting to hear that you have a hybrid. Keen to hear more on this and how that could be possible with pines as i honestly wouldn't know much on the matter. So whats next with a tree like this? when would you pot into a bonsai pot?

Because lots of these trees are grown together sometimes you get pollen from a Black settling onto stigmas of the red (or visa versa) and you get the occasional cross. Apparently it is very common in Japan.
Next repot will be into a small pot - whenever that is....

[treeman]

I vaguely recall seeing a video of Lindsay Bebb working a red/black pine cross in Japan a few years ago. It was particularly snappy when he tried to wire it. In saying that, I do like what you've done with this tree Mike. Look forward to seeing it grow.

Luckily this one is extremely flexible!

[MJL]

Of recent times, Mike has been posting pictures of a few of his smaller pines... what it shows me is that Treeman practices what he preaches. Me, I'm all fluff and bubble - not Treeman - direct, knowledgeable, learning through looking at nature and doing stuff to his own trees.

Check out this thread: https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/forum/view ... eman+pines. There are some instructive sketches in this thread. For me - I am still learning basic techniques associated with red and black pines but... when I am confident how and when to candle cut, decandle, needle pluck/trim ...etc... manage vigour ..... and when I have some better base stock ... I hope to walk in some of the foot steps that Mike is leaving as he treads his path.

[shibui]

I really like the strong base this tree has. interesting to hear that you have a hybrid. Keen to hear more on this and how that could be possible with pines as i honestly wouldn't know much on the matter.

I understand that the natural habitat of the 2 species is different. Black pines grow at lower altitude while red pines are found higher in the mountains and on dry ridges. That means that in nature there is physical distance so hybrids are not so common.
Both these Japanese pines have been planted in parks and gardens were they are close together. Pines are wind pollinated so where 2 species flower at the same time and close enough together pollen from one species can get onto the female cones of the other species. Seed collected from trees where the other species is nearby will have crosses among it. Hybrids from the areas where the 2 species naturally occur close together have been known for a long time and have even been named. The Japanese name is akakuromatsu (red-black pine)
Some (maybe a lot now?) of the seed available is collected from parks or gardens so it is likely to yield hybrid seedlings. I remember some growers complaining back in the 80s ago that crosses were becoming more common in seed batches and some lots were growing nearly all hybrid type seedlings.