Woody > Pinus > Pinus densiflora > Pinus densiflora 'Oculus Draconis'
Pinus densiflora
'Oculus Draconis'
Dragons-eye Japanese Red Pine
Mike's
Opinion
"
One of the more unusual pines, when branches are viewed from the terminal it appears as if an eye is looking back at you; this is due to the yellow banding.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Pinaceae |
| Genus |
| Pinus |
| Species |
| densiflora |
| Cultivar |
| 'Oculus Draconis' |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (evergreen) |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 4a–8b |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 2a - 8a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H4 - H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -34 - (-7) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| -30 - 20 |
| Height |
| 8 - 10 m |
| Spread |
| 5 m |
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| A medium sized evergreen with a green or yellow-green colour to it. Has unique foliage colours and if looked at from above it resembles a dragon’s eye. |
| Cultivation |
| Requires well drained, moist, rich, sandy-loam soils. If roots are properly pruned transplanting can be done quite easily. Tolerant of urban conditions. |
| Shape |
| Loosely pyramidal. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| ID Characteristic |
| Pyramidal shape with bright yellow-green colour. It grows in full sunlight. The branches grow in an irregular form and it has a crooked trunk. |
| Pests |
| There are a few pests and diseases that plague this tree among them are root rot, tip blight, canker, white pine aphids and pine spittle bugs. |
| Habitat |
| Horticultural origin. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| The bark is scaly and fissured. It is a brown colour but some can start to lean towards a brown-orange colour. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Buds can be from 1-2 cm long, cylindrical and can be quite resinous. You will find the buds to be a red-brown colour. |
| Leaf Description |
| Foliage is stiff and sharp. It is a green-yellow colour but turns brownish as autumn and winter set in. Needles are 7.5-12.5 cm long and have unique yellow and green coloured bands around them. Needles are in a fascicle of 2. |
| Flower Description |
| Plants are monoecious. |
| Fruit Description |
| Cones can be anywhere from 3.5-4 cm long. The cones can grow singly or in clusters, cones are oblique at the base. |
| Colour Description |
| Foliage is bright yellow-green in summer, but starts to turn to a brownish yellow later in the season. Bark is a brown-orange colour. |
| Texture Description |
| Overall the tree has a medium texture. The bark is scaly and somewhat fissured. Foliage is stiff and sharp. |
| Notable Specimens |
| The Gardens of Fanshawe College, London, Ontario, Canada. The Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Whistling Gardens, Wilsonville, Ontario, Canada. |
| Propagation |
| Grafting is recommended in late winter for this cultivar. Cuttings are also taken and they have been rooted however the success rate is very low. |
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