Couple Id's and EWP question

I've had these since spring but never got a positive ID on either of them. Both were collected in upstate Virginia in warm springs at 3000ft.My guess is pitch pine but not 100%. Also sorry for the blurry pics

Pine that back buds everywhere

Bark


needles


candles


I think this is a yellow birch but again not 100% if you make a cut it smells strongly of wintergreen

base


leaves



I also pick up a decent Pinus strobus(eastern white pine) and while not the best for bonsai, its for my own enjoyment. It has a 4" trunk and was only 10$ so its worth playing with. I was thinking about cutting some candles and removing branch this November. This should ok correct as I'm generally following JWP for the guide to these. guys?

Certainly looks like a pith pine to me. What a nice trunk! Can you share a better picture of the whole tree?

giga wrote:I also pick up a decent Pinus strobus(eastern white pine) and while not the best for bonsai, its for my own enjoyment. It has a 4" trunk and was only 10$ so its worth playing with. I was thinking about cutting some candles and removing branch this November. This should ok correct as I'm generally following JWP for the guide to these.

EWP is very different from JWP.

EWP responds far better if you do this in early spring (i.e., after spring bud swelling but no later than June).

EWP will double flush and can be candle pruned just like Japanese black pine to get reduced needle length. However, this is a risky tactic because needles are short lived - needles that are browning and dropping now, were new needles in 2013! JWP hold needles for an additional season.

tmmason10 wrote:Certainly looks like a pith pine to me. What a nice trunk! Can you share a better picture of the whole tree?

I'll take a decent pic tonight

0soyoung wrote:

giga wrote:I also pick up a decent Pinus strobus(eastern white pine) and while not the best for bonsai, its for my own enjoyment. It has a 4" trunk and was only 10$ so its worth playing with. I was thinking about cutting some candles and removing branch this November. This should ok correct as I'm generally following JWP for the guide to these.

EWP is very different from JWP.

EWP responds far better if you do this in early spring (i.e., after spring bud swelling but no later than June).

EWP will double flush and can be candle pruned just like Japanese black pine to get reduced needle length. However, this is a risky tactic because needles are short lived - needles that are browning and dropping now, were new needles in 2013! JWP hold needles for an additional season.

thats very different from what i've read-what about branch removal? There's a few that Need to be remove due to a knuckle forming.

giga wrote:

0soyoung wrote:

giga wrote:I also pick up a decent Pinus strobus(eastern white pine) and while not the best for bonsai, its for my own enjoyment. It has a 4" trunk and was only 10$ so its worth playing with. I was thinking about cutting some candles and removing branch this November. This should ok correct as I'm generally following JWP for the guide to these.

EWP is very different from JWP.

EWP responds far better if you do this in early spring (i.e., after spring bud swelling but no later than June).

EWP will double flush and can be candle pruned just like Japanese black pine to get reduced needle length. However, this is a risky tactic because needles are short lived - needles that are browning and dropping now, were new needles in 2013! JWP hold needles for an additional season.

thats very different from what i've read-what about branch removal? There's a few that Need to be remove due to a knuckle forming.

Branches can be removed whenever you would like. Of course one can avoid the 'horror of resin bleed' by not doing this in the spring.

What about the second tree Id?

Hello Giga!  I think you are very close with the ID of your second tree.  The doubly-serrate leaf margins and smooth bark sure look like a birch.  But there are several species it still could be.  When you turn the leaf over, are there tiny tufts of hair in the axils where the leaf veins meet the central vein?  If no, you are most likely right and your tree is Betula alleghaniensis (Yellow Birch); if yes, your tree is probably Betula lenta (Black Birch).

Wishing you the best with these collections!
David B.