Pinus parviflora Glauca - Japanese White Pine

Pinus parviflora 'Glauca' is a very beautiful form with a twisted silhouette and grey-blue foliage of the Japanese white pine. Slow-growing and of medium stature, it is only after many years that it will adopt its characteristic, widely conical and irregular habit. It is also appreciated for the beauty of its foliage with strongly twisted needles that form like grey-blue brushes on its short branches. This variety will be able, from a young age, to produce pendulous and decorative cones that will persist for a long time on the plant. This conifer deserves a prominent place in the garden, as a solitary specimen.  Undemanding, it prefers sun and well-drained soils but tolerates mediocre soils and withstands drought fairly well once established.

Pinus parviflora, also known as Japanese white pine or five-needle pine, is a plant of the Pinaceae family native to forests located at altitudes between 1300 and 1800 m (4265 and 5905ft), in the Japanese islands. In its natural environment, this species exceeds 20 m (66ft) in height and has a pyramidal habit, often as wide as it is tall, bearing a dense conical crown. Appreciated for its wood in Japan, this elegant species has given rise to very beautiful forms, often shaped into bonsai.

Discovered in Germany in 1909, the 'Glauca' variety, derived from this species, is distinguished by its more modest growth, its beautiful foliage with blue-silver reflections and unique habit. This small tree has an elongated silhouette during its early years. Over time, it develops a spreading and asymmetrical habit: its somewhat twisted crown is semi-open. Its growth is slow, so that at 20 years old, it will not exceed 6.50 m (21ft) in height on average with a 4 m (13ft) spread. The trunk is covered with a smooth bark of a grey-purple colour, which darkens and exfoliates over the years. The branches are short, brown-green, sometimes slightly downy. They bear medium-sized needles that measure from 4 to 6 cm (2in) long. They are slightly curved, grouped in fives and arranged in dense tufts, arranged in a helix. In spring, the young shoots have a blue-silver colour, emerging from a darker green-silver foliage. The colours seen are due to the presence of blue and silver lines on their green background. The young plants flower and produce green-blue cones that somewhat resemble tightly packed long artichokes. They are solitary or grouped in small clusters, pendant, suspended on a peduncle.

Japanese white pines are relatively unknown to gardeners: easy to grow, they are resistant to cold, tolerate some drought, and are very accommodating regarding their soil as long as it is well drained. Pinus parviflora Glauca will find its place in all gardens, as its Japanese origins do not prevent it from thriving under very different climates. This timeless small tree will look good as a solitary specimen and will also bring splendour to a medium-sized garden. With its moderate growth and very Japanese-like silhouette, it will certainly form a magnificent subject in a Japanese garden. It goes well with large stones, the geometric lines of swimming pools, and architectural features. It can be associated with bamboos and Japanese Hakonechloa macra grass, in a very 'zen' spirit. The real graphic qualities of conifers naturally impose themselves in the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes, and textures to many flowers. These plants add structure to a flower bed, mark paths and enhance the garden in winter. The key is to play with volumes and colours.