Scots pine question

I see many Japanese Black pine, JWP & even JRP sold as bonsai starters, and some smaller seedlings wired into contorted shapes for mame bonsai. Why does one never see Pinus Sylvestris sold and treated in the same manner?

Just curious.

Hey Neil,

I think because the seedlings and young p.silvestris are much easier to become everywhere.
They are great for bonsai, i have some collected from the time as seedling.
Starting the styling from the very first beginning of a tree is a nice challenge and realy rewarding.
For me the thing is, to find the minimal characteristics and possibilties in each seedling and not just to wire
them into in a weak and unnatural curl.
At each step of repotting, unwiring and wiring again, to reed the tree and to discover the new possibilities the tree gives you,
is a learning process, a nice path to go.

regards, Sunip

[quote="NeilDellinger"]I see many Japanese Black pine, JWP & even JRP sold as bonsai starters, and some smaller seedlings wired into contorted shapes for mame bonsai. Why does one never see Pinus Sylvestris sold and treated in the same manner?

I remember seeing some here and there but not that common.
A great challange to the profesional growers.

regards, Sunip

Probably because the younger ones are just butt ugly. most of them, even field grown for a number of years, just have nothing to look at. When they begin to grow up they are a thing of beauty! in the meantinme they just some skanky little tree!

Known some skanky women...known some skanky trees...I'll take the trees any day

In my ever so humble opinion for what it is worth. The Scots Pine is the King of Bonsai Pines - native to the UK and can make fabulous Bonsai. If I had room in the growing beds and at least another 30-40 years left I'd plant nothing but the Scots Pine. Did I mention I adore this species?

For twisted I prefer Juniperus Procumbens, JWP, JBP & Scots, well ... put simply I could never justify it as the beauty just, well, creeps up on you and it is always too late to do anything else:-)

Just a couple I currently have. The small first one is around 28" high. The second 60" high and takes three to lift.

Neil was writing about scots pine treated and sold as those imported jwp and so on.
Well i think growers in Europe miss out on something?
It is the big secret yet to be unfold?
Mike on pines i have only one older JWP who is not grafted(ok two smaller ones to)
but the rest are yamadorie Pinus silvestris.
The most however are those i grow because i got some old and 20 meter high ones around me
who support me each year with new ones.
They look a bit like your trees.
Tuyhoabob, they can be grown into beautiful trees with much character, as you said
but also when they are relative young and well styled they look already nice i feel.
Mike i see you are only 55, lots of fun to be gained with young silvestris pines there.
regards, Sunip

sunip wrote:
The most however are those i grow because i got some old and 20 meter high ones around me
who support me each year with new ones.

Funnily enough I was thinking about this very thing today as I cycled to work. I pass a lot of pine trees on my way and I was wondering this morning when it would be that any seedlings would start to show (if any, of course). I suppose I just need to keep my eyes on the ground rather than up at the trees.

Ian.

Scots pines tend to self seed on gravelly and stony ground and curiously in peat bogs that dry up in summer. Old quarries and marshy forestry areas can yield good potential, already dwarfed specimens that have survived poor growing conditions for many years. Our club was asked to remove several from a seasonal marsh by the forestry commission and these were exceptionally good potential trees.

They are one of my favourite species too but I've always been into larger bonsai. Now that age is creeping up on me, I'm beginning to see the error of my ways!

Thanks for the input guys...and gal.

I too am very fond of them. There are a few things I like about this species..Bark, the needle thinness & color and especially the elegance of the branches. An old golf course near a previous home was full of them. Very big with drooping branches, twigs and tiny tiny needles.

I've got one very nice sylvestris, and have been amazed at the vigor in which it responded to shoot pruning with so many new buds. Amazing. I am learning the way to go with them & techniques.

In the US midwest scots pine are grown widely as Christmas trees and are often rubbed by deer or machinery. They also naturalize in wet road side ditches sometimes and are able to be collected. I've gotten access to both recently, but nothing like the twisted older ones we see from Europe.

I may pick up 40 or 50 nursery grown seedlings just to play with. Seems that it could be a worthwhile project.

Hy Neil,
For sure you wont regret it.
In Europe we traditionally use spruce as Christmas tree, so i am surprised to learn you folks in the Mid-West
have only pines for that. But then, they sell over here, all conifer species as Christmas tree these days.
Spruce in a bonsai pot is a bit different and more demanding because of the delicate root system.
How many of us have been tempted to recreate the Christmas spruce into a bonsai afterwards?
regards, Sunip

Kev Bailey wrote:

They are one of my favourite species too but I've always been into larger bonsai. Now that age is creeping up on me, I'm beginning to see the error of my ways!

Having moved an old JWP this morning to start the drying process ready for repotting in 6-7 weeks time I so know what you mean. 300lbs is just too heavy at an age when everything is going south. My belly gets in the way.