The species thrives in the cloud forest at Volcano, HI, where it looked much better than any I have seen elsewhere. So it must not need it too bright. However, if you put them up against the pines then there will of course be the effects of crowding and competition on their shapes.

You have only to look at your neighbor's examples to see how big they want to get, how much room is needed for this.

It's been my experience that Cunninghamia can tolerate more shade than almost any tree. I'd be more worried about your pines being crowded out..... even with a head start.

Are you going to limb up the pines or the Cunninghamias, or neither?

Mike

I don't know the direct answer to your question, alabama. But I applaud your sense of adventure in planting these trees! It would seem to me that your spot there will be one of the more interesting locations along the Gulf Coast!

Mike, the Longleaf pines naturally shed their lower branches pretty well, especially if they get shaded. It happens all the time with Southern Magnolia when they grow close together, the Magnolia gets full and totally wraps around the pine trunks. I was planning to let the China Firs stay branched to the ground to accomplish the same effect, if possible.

I also decided to order a small packet of Cunninghamia seeds to experiment with. Everything I've read says no stratification required, is that true? Supposedly they are easy to start from seed, but I find it odd that my neighbors trees are over 50 years old and I've never seen even one volunteer seedling.

Ne seedlings here either, but they do root from cuttings in the Fall. That's how I got mine.

Mike