Meet the plant
The Japanese Black Pine tree is an intriguing sight to see in the form of a bonsai tree. After all the intricate work involved to keep an adult tree so small while maintaining natural proportions, the Japanese Black Pine bonsai tree looks like a miniature version of the actual tree (Figure 1). Even more intriguing is the amount of time required to maintain such a bonsai tree. The specimen in Figure 1 has been maintained since 1975, for a total of 39 years of maintenance.
Figure 1: Japanese Black Pine Bonsai Tree
About the plant
- Scientific Name: Pinus thunbergii
- Family: Pinaceae
- Native Range: Coastal Areas of Japan (Honshou, Shikoku and Kyushu Islands) and South Korea
- Non-Native Range: Eastern United States and California
In its native habitat, the Japanese Black Pine tree (Figure 2) grows along coastlines where it is very hardy among the cold winds, salty sprays, and soil with a lack of nutrients. Along the coastlines, the Japanese Black Pine serves as an aid in preventing beach erosion because their roots hold the topsoil in place and blocks strong winds from blowing away the sandy topsoil. From the coastlines, the Japanese Black Pine can extend up to one kilometer inland, forming the canopy layer of the forested area they create. When growing inland, the Japanese Black Pine tree tends to grow in rock outcrops on mountain ranges as high as 1000 meters in elevation (2004).
Figure 2: The Japanese Black Pine tree as it grows in the wild
Relationships with other species
The Japanese Black Pine tree is susceptible to being attacked by the Pine Wood Nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilis) (Figure 3). The Pine Woods Nematode is a parasite that can live on the bark of the tree, causing the pine needles to shed and the entire tree to die 30 to 90 days after it begins to manifest the symptoms of infection (Grand, Hodges and Jones 2007). The Pine Wood Nematode is thought to have come overseas to Japan where it killed over 8 million pine trees in 1978 alone. In recent years, over $35 million has been dedicated to keeping the Pine Wood Nematode from infecting the Japanese Black Pine tree (Nickle, Golden, Mamiya, and Wergin 1981).
In addition to the Pine Wood Nematode, the Japanese Black Pine tree can also fall victim to the European Pine Shoot Moth (Rhyacionia buolinana) (Figure 4). The European Pine Shoot Moth feeds on the young Japanese Black Pine plants and results in deformed growth in the affected specimen.
Figure 3: Pine Wood Nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilis)
Figure 4: European Pine Shoot Moth (Rhyacionia buolinana)
When in close proximity with the Japanese Red Pine tree (Pinus denisflora), the Japanese Black Pine tree will hybridize. The resulting hybrid is known as the Japanese Red-Black Pine (P. x densi-thunbergii). The Japanese Red-Black Pine is known to have the reddish bark of the Japanese Red Pine and the dark, thick needles of the Japanese Black Pine.
Relationships with me and other people
The wood of the Japanese Black Pine tree is generally used today for construction. The wood is used for lumber to build fences, crates, poles, and wood pulp. In South Korea, the Japanese Black Pine was used to build shrines, however because of the amount of deforestation that has occurred because of the heavy use of the Japanese Black Pine, it is no longer used as often for these purposes (2004). People plant the Japanese Black Pine for ornamental purposes and as a wind breaker in regions where the topsoil is susceptible to wind erosion.
The Japanese Black Pine (Figure 5) is often used as a bonsai tree and is the most common type of bonsai tree. Historically, the Japanese have been using the Japanese Black Pine to make bonsai trees as early as the 17th century. The oldest Japanese Black Pine bonsai specimens in the Japanese Imperial Collection are as old as 400 years. In the early 20th century, Japanese immigrants brought the Japanese Black Pine tree to California where they continued to practice the art of making bonsai trees. In addition, the Japanese Black Pine tree became apart of Californian landscapes as a result.
Figure 5: Japanese Black Pine bonsai tree
Seeing a Japanese Black Pine bonsai tree in person was a very special moment because I recalled wanting to have one of my own ever since I saw Mr. Miyagi’s bonsai tree in The Karate Kid. It was very interesting to see the exact same species of tree formed into a bonsai tree right before my very eyes. In learning more about the species itself, I see that it has a rich history in Japanese culture, and is still appreciated as a bonsai tree subject into the present day. Although I do not know how to care for a bonsai tree myself, I would like to someday have a Japanese Black Pine bonsai tree for ornamental purposes because they are generally beautiful specimens.
Final thoughts
Before taking this class, I never really thought about my relationship to plants in general. I acknowledged that they play a crucial role in the environment and overall health of the world, but I never really thought that I had any kind of connection to plants in general. After seeing the Japanese Black Pine bonsai tree in person, I realized that I do have somewhat of a connection with plants. While I do not have the desire to experience plants in nature, I realize that I do have an appreciation for plants for their ornamental value. Plants have the ability to change the atmosphere of a room based on their color, shape, smell, and taste, all of which I find very interesting considering the diversity in the plants of the world
References
Nickle, W. R., Golden, A. M., Mamiya, Y., Wergin, W. P. 1981. On the Taxonomy and Morphology of the Pine Wood Nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner & Buhrer 1934) Nickle 1970. Journal of Nematology 13: 385-392.
Pinus thunbergii, the Japanese black pine tree. December 13, 2014. http://botanyboy.org/pinus-thunbergii-the-japanese-black-pine-tree/
Grand, L. F., Hodges, C. S., Jones, R. K. 2001. Pine Diseases. December 13, 2014. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/Ornamental/odin19/od19.htm
http://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_pith2.pdf. December 13, 2014. http://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_pith2.pdf
Black Pine Bonsai | kuromatsubonsai.com. December 13, 2014. http://kuromatsubonsai.com/evergreen-bonsai/black-pine-bonsai/
Pinus thunbergii (Japanese Black Pine). December 13, 2014. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/42423/0
Meet the plants! 