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Woody > Pinus > Pinus pumila > Pinus pumila

Pinus pumila


Siberian Dwarf Pine, Japanese Stone Pine




Origin:  East Asia.
            Mike's Opinion

this is Mike

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A beautiful, low-growing pine native to East Asian mountain sides. Its blue-green foliage and colourful cones keep interest year-round, and it has a unique shape for a pine. It is great for use in a rock garden but also does well as a mass planting; although, it is prone to a numerous amount of pests and diseases. Pinaceae pumila was put on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species in the category LC (Least Concern) in 1998 but has yet to be updated since.



Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)

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Family
Pinaceae
Genus
Pinus
Species
pumila
Category
Woody
Type
Shrub (evergreen)
Pronunciation
USDA Hardiness Zone
3–8
Canadian Hardiness Zone
2b–7a
RHS Hardiness Zone
H7
Temperature (°C)
-40-(-7)
Temperature (°F)
-40-20
Height
0.5–3 (5) m
Spread
1–̶̶̶3 (5) m
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
General Description
A multi-stemmed, dwarf conifer with yellow-brown to red-purple cones and blue-green foliage. Also, the wood, resin and sawdust can cause dermatitis in people who are sensitive.
Landscape
Typically used in rock gardens or as mass planting.
Cultivation
P. pumila is best cultivated in well-drained soils, standing in full sun.
Shape
Multi-stemmed, spreading, with a slightly dense, loosely oval form.
Growth
Slow
ID Characteristic
The blue-green dense foliage, its small size and unique form (for a pine).
Pests
Can be susceptible to bark beetles, blight, blister rust, canker, damping off, dieback, root rot, pine needle miner, pine weevil, pinewood nematode and scale.
Habitat
Higher elevations on mountainside in eastern Asia.
Bark/Stem Description
Bark is typically grey-brown in colour, with its branchlets initially brown, changing to a dark red-brown after 2–3 years and is densely pubescent.
Flower/Leaf Bud Description
Developed in the winter and are red-brown with a conical-ovoid shape and are slightly resinous.
Leaf Description
Needles that are 3.5–7.5 cm in length each, densely arranged around the stem in fascicles of 5 with a blue-green colour.
Fruit Description
Ovoid, seed-bearing cones that are 2.5–5 cm in length. Violet-purple colour throughout the year, ripening to red-brown or yellow-brown if female, and bright red-purple if male in the spring.
Colour Description
Lovely blue-green foliage throughout the year with red-purple or yellow-brown cones in spring, and violet-purple cones for the rest of the year.
Texture Description
Densely pubescent bark maintained throughout its life span.
Notable Specimens
Whistling Gardens, Wilsonville, Ontario, Canada. The Arboretum and Botanical Garden of the University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Propagation
Sow the seeds in individual pots in a cold frame once it is ripe or in late winter. Stratifying the seed for 6 weeks will help to improve the germination of the seed, plant the seedlings in their permanent places as soon as possible but protect them from the first couple of winter seasons.
References
Brickell, C. Encyclopedia of plants & flowers. 3rd ed. London, England: Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2011. Print.
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