Plant, Tree & Shrub Library

Other Names:  Short-Needled Japanese Blue Pine

Description:

A stately pyramidal evergreen with beautiful stunted blue foliage and an upright habit; mildly salt tolerant and will prosper in most soils as long as they have good drainage; a picturesque and regal tree for the perfect garden accent

Ornamental Features

Parviflora Grauca Brevifolia Pine is primarily valued in the landscape for its ornamental globe-shaped form. It has attractive bluish-green evergreen foliage. The small twisted needles are highly ornamental and remain bluish-green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Parviflora Grauca Brevifolia Pine is a dense evergreen tree with a strong central leader and a more or less rounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a high maintenance tree that will require regular care and upkeep. When pruning is necessary, it is recommended to only trim back the new growth of the current season, other than to remove any dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Parviflora Grauca Brevifolia Pine is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade

Planting & Growing

Parviflora Grauca Brevifolia Pine will grow to be about 40 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 30 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 5 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live to a ripe old age of 100 years or more; think of this as a heritage tree for future generations!

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.