Help needed,choosing a pine tree.

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Half Hardy

Help needed,choosing a pine tree.

Post by Half Hardy »

I already have a couple of scots pines in my garden.I really like a lot different pines but most wouldn't look right with my tropical style garden.I am looking for a variety that has long, soft needles,ideally blue colouring,fairly hardy(around -12*c),reasonably quick growing and not a dwarf variety.So far I have found Pinus wallichiana.Has anyone got any other suggestions please.(Pics or links to pics. would be great).
Conifers
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Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:11 pm
Location: Northumbs

Re: Help needed,choosing a pine tree.

Post by Conifers »

Dave's is Pinus patula, but that's very iffy at -12°C, so might not be best.

Pinus wallichiana is your best bet, but remember it'll get to 30 metres tall eventually icon_thumright
Blairs

Re: Help needed,choosing a pine tree.

Post by Blairs »

I have Scots Pines and Norwegian Spruce that have self seeded, so I left them as a background greenery backbone. I also have Metasequoia, Pinus Alberta and Pinus Patula. The latter is similar to what I really wanted which is Pinus montezumae (http://victoriasbackyard.blogspot.co.uk ... -pine.html) but is more hardy and grows quite quickly.

I just bought Thuja plicata Whipcord from Urbanjungle. They have a 50% sale which includes conifers:
http://urbanjungle.uk.com/category.asp? ... catcode=41

I would also suggest Pinus wallichiana as Conifers has said. It is a great looking tree - only £5 on the above.

Corsican pine is also worthy of space, though after Pinus wallichiana. They are grown quite often in landscaping, so you might be able to get some free seed by looking around.

I do like Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca'(Blue Atlas Cedar). My local park has it as does a local garden...but am not exactly rushing out to buy it either as I prefer long needle pines.
doncasterpalmguy123

Re: Help needed,choosing a pine tree.

Post by doncasterpalmguy123 »

Half Hardy wrote:I already have a couple of scots pines in my garden.I really like a lot different pines but most wouldn't look right with my tropical style garden.I am looking for a variety that has long, soft needles,ideally blue colouring,fairly hardy(around -12*c),reasonably quick growing and not a dwarf variety.So far I have found Pinus wallichiana.Has anyone got any other suggestions please.(Pics or links to pics. would be great).
I would highly recommend atlas cedar, its no pine but they are really beautiful, blue and fairly fast growing conifers. :D
Or the exotic wollemi pine. Im sure most people on here will have heard of it. Thought to be extinct known only by fossils until 40 remaining trees was found in australia. The equivalent of finding a dinosaur today, they're that old and endangered. Yet they're available across the world now as part of a global conservation act, they're all clones of the population in australia but have been grown successfully throughout the temperate world. Fairly fast growing and needle lined branches looking like cycad fronds they are perfect for a tropical garden in search of conifers! Ive seen a few tropical gardens with them in on youtube. :D There is one planted at nth the Royal botanic gardens and the royal botanic gardens edinburgh.
Blairs

Re: Help needed,choosing a pine tree.

Post by Blairs »

doncasterpalmguy123 wrote:Or the exotic wollemi pine.
I have seen quite a few Wollemi and there seems to be 3 different variants of them - and not just a look based on age of the tree. The majority have leafs that like Yew or Redwood, some have more exotic looking longer needles that have a 'cylad' look and some that have the latter but the branches shaped. Am not convinced on their hardiness. If the Norfolk island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla) was hardy in the UK mainland then I would go for that for the jungle look over Wollemi every time.
Conifers
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Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:11 pm
Location: Northumbs

Re: Help needed,choosing a pine tree.

Post by Conifers »

Blairs wrote:
doncasterpalmguy123 wrote:Or the exotic wollemi pine.
I have seen quite a few Wollemi and there seems to be 3 different variants of them - and not just a look based on age of the tree. The majority have leafs that like Yew or Redwood, some have more exotic looking longer needles that have a 'cylad' look and some that have the latter but the branches shaped.
To do with growing conditions - the longer needles are on plants that have been growing in warmer, shadier conditions (usually under glass).
allangreenbean

Re: Help needed,choosing a pine tree.

Post by allangreenbean »

Podocarpus salignus, not pinus but pine looking and as tropical looking as it gets.

Scots pine, look great if you can get it to grow across japanese arden style if that makes sense.
Half Hardy

Re: Help needed,choosing a pine tree.

Post by Half Hardy »

Thanks for the feedback everyone icon_thumleft .I have ordered a couple of young p.wallichiana and a p.yunnanensis.I must admit I am very tempted by p.patula,even if it isn't reliably hardy.
I had a look at podocarpus salignus,new to me.Thanks for the heads up.It's now on my ,plant wish list.
Blairs

Re: Help needed,choosing a pine tree.

Post by Blairs »

Half Hardy wrote:Thanks for the feedback everyone icon_thumleft .I have ordered a couple of young p.wallichiana and a p.yunnanensis.I must admit I am very tempted by p.patula,even if it isn't reliably hardy.
I had a look at podocarpus salignus,new to me.Thanks for the heads up.It's now on my ,plant wish list.
I do have some seedlings of P.Patula - but literally are only 1 year old. I can send for P&P.
Half Hardy

Re: Help needed,choosing a pine tree.

Post by Half Hardy »

Blairs wrote:
Half Hardy wrote:Thanks for the feedback everyone icon_thumleft .I have ordered a couple of young p.wallichiana and a p.yunnanensis.I must admit I am very tempted by p.patula,even if it isn't reliably hardy.
I had a look at podocarpus salignus,new to me.Thanks for the heads up.It's now on my ,plant wish list.
I do have some seedlings of P.Patula - but literally are only 1 year old. I can send for P&P.
That is very decent of you,thankyou icon_thumleft icon_thumleft
I have just ordered some seeds but I would like to take you up on your offer,just in case I don't have any luck with them.I will pm you.
samj
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2013 7:28 pm
Location: west cornwall

Re: Help needed,choosing a pine tree.

Post by samj »

Probably too late but how about Pinus thunbergii (japanese black pine)
countrylover

Re: Help needed,choosing a pine tree.

Post by countrylover »

I think Pinus palustris is the best looking pine
Conifers
Posts: 13147
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:11 pm
Location: Northumbs

Re: Help needed,choosing a pine tree.

Post by Conifers »

samj wrote:Probably too late but how about Pinus thunbergii (japanese black pine)
Not very special, looks rather drab even compared to Austrian Pine (and shorter needles, too).
countrylover wrote:I think Pinus palustris is the best looking pine
Very nice where it can be grown, but it needs hotter summers than Britain has.

One other well worth trying if you can find it (not at all easy!), is Apache Pine Pinus engelmannii - needles every bit as long as Pinus palustris, and more tolerant of UK summer temperatures. Good young specimens at Kew and Hilliers.
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