#BonsaiNews: Pinus pinaster (maritime pine) make for surprisingly beautiful bonsai

MY financial situation at the moment has left me somewhat burdened in the sense that I am unable to go overboard with the amount of seeds and various species of tree seed I'd like to buy this month.

I suppose it has a lot to do with the fact that I bought several bonsai - 13 to be exact (turns head in disgust emoji) - over the weekend, some of which I am now introducing to somewhat of a new climate, meaning my hands are pretty much tied.

Basically, that means that I have to make due with what I can find in the wild itself - so I did some research in my spare time and traced a pine tree which just so happens to grow in my area!

This is amazing news for me, especially since it would mean that I could pretty much simply sow the seeds without any major efforts of germination having to be done - especially since it is now that time of year when these specific seeds are scattered across the coast by strong winds and start popping up here and there.

Now, the tree I'm going to be experimenting with just so happens to be Mediterranean in origin, and is more commonly simply called a pine tree.

To be specific, they are referred to as maritime pine trees (scientifically called: Pinus pinaster).

Their rather long needles in wild trees often make them look slightly grotesque - the shape of the tree in nature also commonly resembles that of the windswept feature. (Note to self: Take a photo of the tree next time before doing an article like this).

Now, as bonsai, from what I managed to find, these trees look amazing. See for yourself below:

IMAGE SOURCE: http://www.bonsaisocietyvictoria.com.au

From the beautifully visible bark to the needle-like (duh, obviously it looks like needles) foliage, these trees make for splendid if not stunning bonsai perfectly capable of capturing the attention of whoever looks at it. And besides, you can sell them for a fortune. Probably why I took enough cones to grow a forest of these.

So, seeds for these trees come in cones and can carry up to as many as 30 seeds per cone from what I have managed to count. Below is a photo taken just now of the cone as well as a seed right next to it:

Now, notably, these cones differ somewhat in size from those provided online however, and strangely, the foliage as well as other identification markers which are used to ID the species of tree do not. So, either I am right and this is indeed a Pinus pinaster or I am an idiot who needs to consider getting myself some glasses.

So, what spurred me on to consider growing a maritime pine? The fact that I am currently unable to order seed for a Japanese Black Pine online due to both funds and the fact that the provider I use just so happens to be out of seed.

If you recall the video I shared yesterday (if not have a look below) you will have seen just how remarkable Japanese Black Pines are, especially the one being worked on by the only female bonsai master on the planet. Chiako Yamamoto was given the black pine by her grandfather and the tree has outlived three emperors. Beyond amazing to say the least.

Now, of course, I am not arrogant enough to believe that I will be able to attain the same with my trees but I'd be a fool to not try. After all, I do want at least a thousand plus trees because there truly is nothing as calming as working on these every single day.

Note to self: Less talking shit and more usable information.

GERMINATION:

For these species of tree, 90% of them all will react well to basic germination such as overnight watering and stratification. If a certain tree grows naturally in your climate and immediate area, wait for the cones to produce usable seed and plant the seed. They should (99.9% chance) grow without any germination as this occurs naturally.

If these trees are not common in your area, consider applying the following method keeping in mind that for pine trees such as the red pine, stratification my take up to an additional 3-4 weeks extra. Certain pines require different treatment and I would not mind helping you with in-depth information on the various species so feel free to ask and I'll do my best to get you an answer.

First up, you'll want to allow the seeds to soak in water (hot or room temperature) for up to 24-hours.

Only once this has been done would you remove the seed from the water and continue to place them on newspaper sheets and allow them to dry over a period of 15 minutes. You may also pat them dry very lightly.

Continue to gather some sphagnum moss as well as a zip-lock (sandwich) bag and add both the moss and seed to the bag and seal it after very lightly having misted the moss. Monitor the zip-lock bag for a few minutes.

If the bag starts to 'fog' up, the humidity and moisture levels are perfect and you may continue to move the bag to the fridge for a period of (get ready to be shocked) a week.

Normally, some species of seed, especially Juniper, can take up to three months of time in a fridge before starting their next cycle of germination.

If you do happen to be reading this and you are growing a red pine, consider the exact same approach however, add two to three weeks to the duration of time spent in fridge to allow for proper germination.

Ensure, during this time, that the moss does not dry out and continue to monitor for signs of growth. It is possible for this to occur within 7 - 14 days.

I have seen faster results for the pinus pinaster with sprouting as early as three days using this method - it should be noted that the seeds were from an area in which these trees grow naturally.

Either way, once the seeds have sprouted or the time has come to pass, continue to gently plant or sow the seed into a growing mix of your choice. Pine do well in just about any soil mix so feel free to experiment as much as you like.

Thinking about it now, I'm not sure I am allowed to share the below image but as usual, I'll include a link to the source of the image where you can purchase the high resolution version - This image is free for personal use according to a disclaimer message at the bottom. You'll want to get your hands on this image as it features everything you need to know to get you going on the bonsai path.

IMAGE SOURCE: https://store.giudansky.com

Continue to monitor for signs of growth for up to a period of at least a month, if nothing grows, consider the attempt unsuccessful. You have to be a seed butcher to be unable to grow these though.

ALSO READ: #BonsaiNews: Some of the latest projects I'm working on (It has been a while)

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