The Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora) is a slow growing medium size conifer tree. It is native to Japan. Young tree have a conical shape while older trees can become flat topped with have picturesque shapes. Often twisted needles grow in groups of five and look like tufts on the branches. The tree has oval cones and the bark of mature trees becomes gray and scaly. The Blue Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora ‘Glauca‘) is a common variety of the Japanese white pine that has long twisted needles with bright blue color. As this tree has small needle it has been very useful in Bonsai constructs. This variant can grow to 45’ in height.First described as a species in 1844.

MP #536. Pinus parviflora Siebold & Zuccarini ‘Glauca’

Marquand Park Specimen Label and Coordinates: MP #536.

Specimen Provenance:

Common name: Japanese White Pine

Species Origin: Japan – Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku

New Jersey Status: USDA Unreported

Habit: 25 – 59’; large shrub small tree. Broadly columnar.

Habitat: Zones 4 – 7; mountains on stony soil.

Trunk/Stem: Hardy, straight stemmed tree. Bark gray, scaly with deep fissures.

Leaves: Evergreen, needle-like leaves in cluster of five. Needle-like, slightly twisted short, 2 – 2 ½” long in clusters of five; outer surface green or blue green; inner surface blue-white on greenish shoots. Needles held for 3 – 4 years.

Flowers: Monoecious. Male flowers purple-red opening yellow below shoot tip; female flowers red at tip of shoots in separate clusters on same plant.

Fruits and seeds: The cones are smaller than other white pines. Cones are egg-shaped 2 ½” long green ripening to red-brown with leathery scales.