Thunderhead Pine Pinus thunbergii 'Thunderhead'
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- PI-nus thun-BERJ-ee-eye thuhn-DER-hed
- Description
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Thunderhead pine is a medium-sized evergreen conifer and a compact cultivar of Japanese black pine. It has an irregular growth habit that adds year-round beauty and character to any landscape. Its densely packed dark-green glossy needles and silver-white candles or new shoots are an attractive addition to your late winter or early spring garden. The needles are 3.5 to 4.5 inches long and occur in bundles of two. The cones are up to 3 inches long, oval, and brown.
The cultivar originated in 1987 as a seedling selected at Angelica Nursery in Kennedyville, Maryland.
This plant prefers full sun, moist, well-drained soils of loam or sand with a neutral to acidic pH. It prefers cool night temperatures.
The Thunderhead pine is an excellent choice for a courtyard garden or small city garden. It may be used as a focal point for an Asian or cottage garden. It looks great pruned and sculpted into an artistic shape or left in its natural form. It grows in a tight, upright mound.
Seasons of Interest:
Foliage: Year-round Fruits: Year-round
Quick ID Hints:
- compact, irregular shape, medium size
- dark green, glossy needles in bundles of two
- new growth in the spring is silver-white candles
Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This tree may be susceptible to adelgid, conifer aphids, pine sawflies, and pine shoot moths. Possible diseases include honey fungus and needle cast diseases.
VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy, and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Pinus
- Species:
- thunbergii
- Family:
- Pinaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Dimensions:
- Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Irregular
- Mounding
- Pyramidal
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- The cones are up to 3 inches long, oval, brown, and taper to a point.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- White
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Type:
- Needles
- Simple
- Leaf Shape:
- Filiform
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The needles are glossy, dense, long, and dark green. They measure 3.5 to 4.5 inches long and occur in bundles of two. In the spring, the new growth appears as silvery white candles.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Patio
- Slope/Bank
- Walkways
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Foundation Planting
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Specimen
