skip to main content

Four years of Pinus sylvestris 'Calle'

firefightergardener

11 years ago

A nice and compact pine, this cultivar grows about 2 inches a year(5 cm), and forms what seems to be a squat, cone, type shrub. I have literally done nothing to/with this plant since putting in into the ground, a bad mix of poor soil and hardpan about 6-12 inches beneath it.

It's interesting to me to see the progression of the plants near by as well. Picea glauca 'Gnome', Picea pungens 'Blue Pearl' and Picea pungens 'Scottie' all are neighbors here.

One of the first fifteen conifers I purchased from Coenosium Gardens. Note that this photo is probably less than a year after I planted it. Very large stock and the root quality was still OK. This plant gets about 12 hours of sun in Summer, it's in a prime sun spot though the soil, as I mentioned, is awful.

2009

2010

2011

2012

-Will

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
is it a trick of the camera.. or did the needles shorten substantially ...

i have seen such before ... and i often wondered if it was a function of the fertilizer needs of potted stock???

thx for the pix..

ken

ps: an old theme.. you still have grass out front??? .. lol .. and how is that hill off towards the neighbor doing ... ireena was so proud of her new grass in her post ... and the first thing i thought of reading that .. was kidding you about making yours disappear .. ah.. the good old days]
ladylotus
11 years ago
It really does look like the needles are shorter as the little tree is growing. It looks like a very slow growing Pinus. Thanks for sharing the 4 year growing results.
Related Discussions
how to properly prune Pinus sylvestris
Q
Comments (14)
I live in a temperate rainforest and burn a lot. I'd start out with the branches of the dead one and add the green branches as soon as a bed of coals develop. The green branches will burn up just fine. No sense in burning it all at once in one big pile. I usually cut up the branches to get firewood right down to about an inch and a half thick and use the rest for a crude mulch in a out of the way place. The small diameter 'firewood' makes great kindling that I don't have to split. I have also covered the highly textured branch mulch with woodchips to help the decay along rather than burn it. Mike
...See More
Pinus sylvestris Barry Bergman
Q
Comments (3)
since the white stays white.. and does not green up ... too much shade could become problematic.. since its already inherently weaker... just from less chlorophyll ... but if its a winter issue .... and its in deciduous shade.. it might still get some winter sun protection.. but that isnt going to mean anything in regard to winter winds ... all that said.. when i planted it.. i didnt have any shade left ... lol .. i would call it borderline z5 ... perhaps it would do better in 6??? .. again .. not for being a pine.. but for the white tissue ... ken
...See More
Pinus sylvestris 'Nana'???
Q
Comments (13)
When I have researched this one it appeared the basis for the 'Glauca Nana' was var. glauca 'Nana'. So 'Nana' is what it should be called, unless it is determined it is actually another ('Watereri' etc.). Has been circulated by the wholesale trade as blue Mugo pine. One of those silly occurrences like calling Prunus 'Ukon' Alaskan yellow cherry. Know of examples here maybe 20' tall. Unfortunately the foliage can appear a rather leaden gray. Usually has a rounded, loose profile but I have seen one other example with a nearly fastigiate habit, like the first one shown here.
...See More
Pinus sylvestris 'Gold Coin'
Q
Comments (25)
here is what you need to know you will never get a good pic of golds/white .. WITH WHITE SNOW IN THE PIC ... period .. ITS THAT CONTRAST THING I WAS TALKING ABOUT IN EARLIER POSTS ... AND YOU WILL NEVER DO IT IN BRIGHT SUNSHINE.. oops.. especially in snow .... try for pix at dusk ... when the sky turns pink ... if you walk outside.. and immediately squint.. just tell yourself you are not a professional photographer.. and put the camera away ... i suppose dawn would be the same.. but i am never walking the yard at dawn ... put the camera on auto ... and then adjust the contrast or lighting .. in your photo editor ... [OF WHICH I HAVE NEVER FOUND PHOTOBUCKETS TO BE ANY GOOD ... THOUGH I NEVER SPENT ANY REAL TIME TRYING TO LEARN IT. ... dam caps key .. since i already knew my own editor ...] in re your garage pic.. fluorescent lights lend a blue cast ... a whole different problem ... the beauty of the digital camera.. is just take a note pad.. and take lots of pix with different settings.. until you find the setting that is best ... ken
...See More
firefightergardener
Original Author
11 years ago
You bet Ken, that's how it looks. I've heard of this feature from some dwarf/miniature plants - they grow a little faster/happier and then slow down once they get some age. I am not sure what the cause is but there are some obvious possibilities.

Like you said, for sure a loss of some nurtients is likely, as potting medium is usually pretty nice stuff. The ground it's in really is brutal soil, probably waste soil from my house foundation.

I think the natural aging of the plant may be a factor though as well. It's also possible it was simply a seasonal photo difference. I'll have to watch closer next year but many of my pines have a varied look throughout the candles opening to full needles. I try and take photos at roughly the same time each year but it's not an easy task.

Glad these time-lapse threads are still interesting to folks, I have a few hundred more I can contribute over the next year or so. :)

-Will
maple_grove_gw
11 years ago
That's such a lovely plant. It looks sort of like 'Pixie' in miniature. I'm so glad you shared these pictures. I am was thinking of picking one up myself, and now I'm sure.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
hey

i was hoping Bob might chime in on my fert theory ... or any of the pro's who might know ... and to be clear.. i am not implying.. nor inferring ... any issue with hyper-fertilization to 'force' growth ....

but i dont know why you downgrade your native soil ... its as natural as natural can be.. and i am sure there are native trees all over the place ... you make it sound like one should expect it.. in terms of trees/conifers.. to be devoid of life ... as we know.. trees are incredibly adaptable to just about anything ...

its usually when we start amending native soil.. that all the foo foo problems arise ...

with the garden you have built.. in native soil ... i just am not feeling sorry for you ... lol.. so quit complaining ...

the grass out front??? .. lol

ken

ps: i bet there are a number of folks who deal with clay ... who would kill for what you complain about ...

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES 9 Self-Seeders Capture Chelsea Flower Show Magic

Give your garden show-worthy style with these plants beloved by top designers

GROUND COVERS Give Your Lawn a Taste of the Wild

Consider the joys of an irregularly trimmed meadow lawn: It’s ecofriendly, visually interesting and still good for romping

PLANTING IDEAS Designing With Conifers: Exploring Color

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Colorful, structural and adaptable, conifers are waiting to transform your garden

LIFE Cozy Up to Winter Scenes Across the U.S. and Beyond

By Annie Thornton

Houzz readers share their views of the season

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Highlights of the 2012 Chelsea Flower Show

At the legendary U.K. flower show, traditional topiary saw a resurgence, plant communities gained popularity and a new style made the rounds

PLANTING IDEAS Designing With Conifers: Layers of Texture for Your Garden

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Sharp and prickly or fine like ferns, richly textured conifers bring unexpected interest to the landscape

GARDENING GUIDES Let's Weed Out 4 Native Plant Myths

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Plant wisely for a garden that supports pollinators and requires less work

GARDENING GUIDES Tree Care: Common Tree Diseases and What to Do About Them

By Falon Mihalic

Learn to recognize trees that may be affected by diseases or pests so you can quickly take action

LANDSCAPE DESIGN The 7 Best Plant Types for Creating Privacy and How to Use Them

By Falon Mihalic

Follow these tips for using different kinds of plants as living privacy screens

PLANTING IDEAS Want a More Colorful, Natural Garden? Try a Perennial Meadow

Spend less time tending and more time taking in the sights by improving on Victorian and prairie garden designs

Sponsored

39 Reviews

Ohio's Kitchen Design Showroom |11x Best of Houzz 2014 - 2022

More Discussions

Metasequoia glyptostroboides in z4

18

Some conifers of interest.

4

Ponderosa pine Montana champ

4

Old and big Virginia juniper in MD

7

Color change mechanisms in conifers with seasonal color variation

2