Pinus thunbergii

Name: Pinus thunbergii

Common Name: Japanese black pine

Description: Its spreading, loosely swaying branches are orange-yellow and form an irregular silhouette. The blackish-gray bark is furrowed into irregular plates. Its evergreen foliage consists of bright green bundles of two stiff, sharp-pointed needles that are 3-5 inches long. After four or five years, nut-brown, short-stalked cones appear.

Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 5-8.

Landscape use: This pine is adaptable and will grow on a wide variety of soils under adverse conditions. Japanese black pine exhibits excellent drought tolerance but poor shade tolerance; it tolerates moderately well-drained soils. This pine is more salt-spray resistant than any of the native pines. Depending on the location, it grows 20-80 feet tall.

Pest and disease problems: Watch for European pine shoot moth in young trees. It’s also susceptible to red-pine scale.

Source: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service