Sugar pine

Will be attempting my first Pinus Lambertiana bonsai, and wondering if others have any experience. Specifically, is the culture more like that of other 5-needle pines, or can it be trained like a 2- or 3-needle species?

Thanks, all

I don't have any experience with this species. Unless someone offers advice to the contrary, use standard Japanese White pine techniques. Don't treat it like a 2 needle pine. Post pictures of your progress. I am sure we all would be interested in seeing more of this species, it is not commonly used as bonsai. Also keep in mind the comments about working with the American White Pine, P. strobus, while it is different from that species, it is closely related to it. Are you starting with an old collected specimen? Or younger seedlings?

I just got some 2-year-old seedlings, also some seeds. Have not found any collectible specimens anywhere that I have permission.

Thanks,
newboy

Read Brentms comments in his articles archives over at Evergreen Gardenworks. Seedling pines the goal is to grow trunks and encourage low and dense branching on the trunk. Don't do any needle work until the trunk is as thick as you want the finished tree to have. In autumn selectively bud prune or even chop it back, to force the tree to bud back now while it is young. Get as many low branches to start as possible, then when you have a dense little branching bush, pick a leader and let it grow out to thicken the trunk. It will take years, but the results can be quite good.

On seedling white pines, less than 4 years old, I have had back budding on the leader when I have chopped it back. As long as there are needles left on the leader, for seedlings this can work. This will not work well on older white pines. Once the seedling is older, traditional JWP techniques are the way to go.