Japanese Black Pine Pinus thunbergii
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- PY-nus thun-BER-jee-eye
- Description
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Black Pine is an evergreen, gymnosperm tree that grows 20-50' tall. It has a flat-topped pyramidal form with no prominent central leader. As it ages, it will be irregular and asymmetrical, with a spreading crown with pendulous branches. This specimen is noted for its silky whitish candle-like terminal buds. The contrast with the foliage gives an interesting look. Young foliage candles are upright. A dense plant that serves as a great screening. It's very tolerant of salt spray and transplants easily. This plant is commonly misidentified as P. nigra in trade, a species easily distinguished by acentral leader and spring candles. It is utilized in coastal areas and seashore plantings, reclaiming dunes, and as a specimen plant. This plant prefers full sun and moist, well-drained, fertile soils. It is tolerant of sand, heat, drought, salt. This plant has a medium growth rate.
Though not often, Diplodia tip blight, rusts, cankers, blight and leaf cast are some issues affecting this plants health. Some pests include pinewood nematodes, caterpillars, sawfly, scale, mealybugs, borers, miners and weevils.
Quick ID Hints:
- Pine trees with no central leader
- Needles are in twos, and are medium in length
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Bonsai Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Oculus Draconis'
Variegated - 'Pygmaea'
Compact with irregular rounded form - 'Shirone Jamone'
2 bands of golden yellow on each dark green needles
'Thunderhead'
- 'Yatban Sho'
Bright green needles - 'Oculus Draconis'
- 'Oculus Draconis', 'Pygmaea', 'Shirone Jamone', 'Thunderhead', 'Yatban Sho'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Oculus Draconis'
Variegated - 'Pygmaea'
Compact with irregular rounded form - 'Shirone Jamone'
2 bands of golden yellow on each dark green needles
'Thunderhead'
- 'Yatban Sho'
Bright green needles - 'Oculus Draconis'
- 'Oculus Draconis', 'Pygmaea', 'Shirone Jamone', 'Thunderhead', 'Yatban Sho'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Pinus
- Species:
- thunbergii
- Family:
- Pinaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Japan and South Korea
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant supports Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 12 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Pyramidal
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Very Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Winter
- Fruit Description:
- Female cones are short-stalked to subsessile, ovoid to conical, small, 1.5-3" long and 1.3-1.8" wide, shiny light brown, and they have a depressed umbo.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 1.5 to 2.5 in. solitary or clustered cones
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Leaf Type:
- Needles
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are needles clustered on dwarf shoots (fascicles) in twos, they are medium in length (2.5-5" long), stiff and rigid, pointed, margins serrulate, and lustrous dark green in color.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Ridges
- Bark Description:
- Dark gray or purple-gray, scaly and fissured longitudinally
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Light brown with many bracts, becomes glabrous and possibly ridged. Twigs bear appressed scale leaves that are light brown, becoming blackish-gray with age, bearing axillary fascicles of needles. Candles form in fall and over winter become elongated. Buds are ovoid-cylindrical, acute, scales non-resinous, apices free, grayish-fimbriated.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Patio
- Recreational Play Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Foundation Planting
- Small groups
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Salt
