Many thanks, Bill. I shall forward your answer to my fellow club members,
one of whom is a bonsai nurseryman. They will no doubt be very interested.
I'll also send it to the Melbourne groups.
Your explanation concerning the grafting method of the West once more
brought it home to me how difficult it can be to grow bonsai from ordinary
nursery material. The long, and comparatively coarse, Pinus thunbergii
understock contrasts i.m.h.o. quite unpleasantly with the smoother bark and
more slender trunk of Pinus parviflora. I have tried to make the transition
from the one to the other less obvious by scoring the trunk just above the
graft, hoping that the scar tissue would simulate the rougher bark of the
stock, but so far with no satisfactory result. I guess the only remedy is to
hide the graft by bringing down the foliage.
Lisa
"William Valavanis" wrote in message
...
Hello Lisa:
Japanese five-needle pine (name used in the bonsai world), is also
called Japanese white pine (name used by horticulturists in Western
countries), Pinus parviflora, (which has five needles per fascicle) is
generally compatible with pines with two needles per fascicle. As far
as I know, the cutivar 'Zuisho' is not compatible with pines with two
needles per fascicle. In Japan 'Zuisho' is always grafted on to
seedlings of Japanese five-needle pine, NOT Japanese black pine. I have
tried this here in the US and found when Japanese black pine is used,
the resulting small plants die quickly, while plants grafted on to
seedlings of Eastern white pine, (Pinus strobus) grew fine. Obtaining
seedlings of Pinus parviflora is difficult and expensive.
Historically, the Japanese five-needle pine has been grafted in Japan
for well over 300 years for bonsai and gardens. The Japanese have
selected cultivars for many characteristics such as needles, bark,
growth habit, etc. Normally, Japanese five-needle pine is grafted on to
Japanese black pine, Pinus thunbergi, which has two needles per
fascicle for bonsai in Japan because it is more vigorous, cheaper and
easier to find than seedlings of Pinus parviflora. The Japanese have
even used Japanese red pine, Pinus densiflora for understock as well.
Generally, there is no incompatibility with Pinus parviflora with Pinus
thunbergi. However, 'Zuisho' is not compatible. Also, there are,
perhaps 100 dwarf cultivars (called Yatsubusa) in the bonsai world).
Nearly all of them are grafted on to Japanese black pine in Japan,
while the same cultivars propagated in Western countries are grafted on
to Pinus strobus. Both grow well.
In Western countries most propagators ALWAYS graft pine with two
needles onto pines with two needles and pines with five needles on to
pines with five needles. This is what has been done, and it works, why
change it. Well the Japanese bonsai propagators also have the same
attitude, and have been using Japanese black pine for understock for
centuries.
I have not seen any of the grafted Pinus parviflora die after 15 to 20
years as your horticulturist stated, but I have only been growing and
studying bonsai for 40 years.... How long has he been studying the
compatibility of these two pines?
As far as why graft and to grow seedlings, we use cultivars of Pinus
parviflora because they are far superior to the seedlings which vary
tremendously. Most have twisted needles, which are not the best for
bonsai.
Grafted bonsai are often sought from Japan, not only because of the
shape and rare cultivars, but because of the graft union (place where
graft is made). In the bonsai world, both in Japan and the US, bonsai
propagators make the graft union in the crown of the plant, directly on
the roots to avoid an ungly graft scar. Yes, I know, some commercially
made grafted bonsai in Japan are made much higher, sometimes up to the
first branch. But, you have to realize that these commercially bonsai
are NOT used in Japan, they are always exported to Western countries,
where they are highly prized. In Japan they are not accepted and only
grown for export and often also used as disposable holiday gifts for
the New Year Season in January. These bonsai are generally disposed of
after the holidays. Westerners like them so the Japanese export them
because they can make money from them. Look at the bonsai exhibited in
Japanese shows, how many grafted Pinus parviflora do you see?
In Western countries propagators graft up higher on the understock
because it is easier, and that is how they were taught from European
grafters who eventually taught all the US grafters. It was far too time
consuming to find the roots, then graft that far low. Besides, who
cares about the "graft union" because the plants are going to be in a
garden. Remember these are propagators for garden use, not bonsai
propagators.
Hope this helps!
Bill
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