Multi flush pine buds

Horticulture
1

Gday all.

Im down in subtropical qld Australia and its the first month of spring atm. All my black pines are starting to throw candles quite typically. I have what i think is a red pine. Where I want shoots and candles it seems all im getting is these weird clusters of buds and needles kinda everywhere. I obviously want clarity in the shoots and candles and the needles on each but all I have is a mess. Can anyone shed some light on whats happened and what I should do.

The last pic is where the tree is at the moment. The first pic is how It started when it was given to me. A really tall spindly thing and I chopped it at the first branch. Im looking at tilting it to the left and building the canopy with the first branch and stepping the other branches down as it goes towards the tip. Thought id mention the design goals incase that helps with advice.

Thanks heaps

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2

I ‘believe’ most of what you are seeing are ‘flower’ clusters, with a single needle bud in the middle.

The needle bud will extend beyond the flowers, usually very long. I have tried gently removing the flower buds early; and, after they bloom and dried up. Did not seem to improve the elongated bare section of the future stem.

Luckily Red pine is multi-flush, and you can balance bud extension and future growth…

Surely, some one out there has more experience and guidance on handling this on a very small Red Pine than I.

Bonsai On!

KurtP

1 Like
3

Crazy, I havent heard of flowers on pines. Just cones onviously. Thanks for that