Black Pine Tree

Pine trees are coniferous trees belonging to the family of Pinaceae. It is believed that there are 115 varieties of pine trees of which it is said that 35 species are in North America alone. Among the varieties of pine trees, black pine trees are the most common and can grow to around 45 meters in height.

Black Pine Tree Identification
Black pine trees can be divided into three types - nishiki, yatsubusa and seedling. In the Nishiki variety, the bark of the tree has a cork-like appearance while the yatsubusa variety are dwarf-sized with small needle shaped leaves. The seeding variety is cultivated completely from seeds while the other two varieties are produced by the process of cuttings or grafting.

The Japanese black pine is one of the better varieties which can be produced from seeds. This variety is famous for its deep flakes and fissures and deep blue colored bark. At times the bark starts to show ridges and crack after about four years. This property makes it an excellent option if you want to use it for bonsai.

Japanese Black Pine Tree
The Japanese black pine are pyramid shaped and of medium height. It is mainly used for decorating the landscape and are planted around shorelines. The buds of this variety of pine are silver colored and are about ½ to ¾ inch long. As it can resist the presence of salt in the soil, they grow well on sea beaches thereby making the landscape scenic. The tree grows best if the soil pH value is in the range of 5 to 6.5 with enough moisture and excellent drainage. Even though this variety can resist any temperature conditions, but if it falls below -10 °F, it may be harmful.

Austrian Black Pine Tree
The Austrian pine tree is another variety of pine which is found in abundance in most parts of Europe. They mostly grow at a height of 2,000 meters above sea level. They have dark green leaves which are about four inches long. Mostly used as a decorative tree, the Austrian pine can grow up to 50 feet high but mostly, the trees grow to around 30 feet.

Similar to other pine trees, the Austrian black pine trees are easy to grow for the first 25 to 30 years of their lives. However, maintaining them becomes a bit difficult. Their capacity to resist diseases decreases and the most common ailment which occurs is the needle-cast disease and diplodia blight, kinds of fungal disease. It begins at the base of the plant and effects the older needles initially and then going on to infect the newly grown ones.

Caring for Black Pine Tree
If you want to plant the tree in your garden make sure that you transplant them in early spring when the buds start swelling. This may start from the latter half of February and go on till middle of April. Once you have transplanted the tree, you should protect it from freezing. The soil conditions may vary, but it should provide excellent drainage. You can use haydite, fragmented granite, pine bark chips or surface soil mixes while planting.

Black pine trees can tolerate water which makes it a great option to plant in regions where there is excess of soil water. This is in complete contrast to other pine species which can't tolerate too much water. So, try not applying water much, even though, they can tolerate water, as it may harm your plant. Thus, black pine trees are an excellent option you have in order to decorate your garden.