Japanese Black Pine Bonsai Care [Pinus thunbergii]

Japanese black pine bonsai is extremely popular among bonsai enthusiasts. Are you looking for some info on this plant? If yes, then we welcome you to this article!

Our experts have dropped every single thing you need to know about this plant. From history and general information to care and maintenance, you will find knowledge about every aspect of this wonderful plant.

Are you ready? Let’s kick off the journey.

Scientific Name	Pinus thunbergii
Height of the plant	26 inches
Width of the plant	32 inches
Sunlight needs	Loves full bright sunlight
Flowering duration	During spring
Life of the plant	60 to 100 years
Watering needs	Does not like permanent moisture so it needs less watering
Indoor OR Outdoor	Can grow in both, indoor and outdoor conditions
Leave type	Needle-like green leaves
Maintenance level	Very easy
Origin of plant	Japan, Korea, China

Can you bonsai a Japanese black pine tree?

Are you wondering whether it is possible to convert a Japanese black pine tree into bonsai or not?

The answer is yes, you can bonsai a Japanese black pine tree.

This plant is so much famous among the bonsai community. The reason is its beauty and extreme level of endurance.

The Japanese black pine tree has very sensitive needle-like leaves that grow in pairs all the time. The needle-like leaves give a unique appearance to the plant and make it different from other plants.

The second reason why this plant is so loved is that it can survive in very rough conditions. It can tolerate ocean sprays and extremely strong winds. It can grow in soil that has low availability of nutrients, etc.

Bonsai enthusiasts love to use this plant wherever they want due to its hardy nature and beauty.

Japanese black pine bonsai history

Where did this plant come from and what’s its history?

Historically, it is said that the Japanese black pine bonsai plant is native to Japan. There it is found commonly growing in parks and gardens and architectures, etc.

However, this wonderful bonsai plant is not only found in Japan alone. It is also widely found in Korea and northeastern parts of China as well.

The reason why this plant is famous is that it looks very unique from the rest of the plants. Its delicate needle-like leaves attract the eyes of the viewers.

Moreover, this plant has the natural strength to survive in harsh environments. It will easily survive in soil that has fewer nutrients. It will easily tolerate very strong winds and ocean sprays as well.

Japanese black pine bonsai scientific name

The scientific name of the Japanese black pine bonsai plant is Pinus thunbergii.

The scientific name of a plant refers to what the scientific community calls this plant and how it is classified into taxonomical groups.

It has 2 parts. The first part of the name refers to the genus name whereas the last part of the name refers to the species name. Hence, “Pinus” is the genus name while “thunbergii” is the species name of this plant.

Keep in mind that the species name can be multiple too if there is more than one type of the same plant.

Japanese black pine bonsai care

Every day, we get messages from hundreds of people telling us that their Japanese black pine bonsai plant is dying. The reason is lack of knowledge. They don’t learn how to take proper care of this plant.

Unlock the Secrets to Thriving Japanese Black Pine Bonsai Trees

If you are planning to successfully grow a Japanese black pine bonsai plant then you need to carefully follow the care instructions that we are going to provide you below.

Japanese black pine bonsai temperature

What is the safest and suitable temperature for keeping a Japanese black pine bonsai plant?

Experts say that intense heat will harm Japanese black pine bonsai, especially if the heat is around its roots, which will be bad for the plant.

The Japanese black pine bonsai plant loves to stay in colder climates.

So, when it’s extremely hot in summer, we recommend you spray water on its foliage every day. It will help the plant cool down and stay healthy.

Overall, if you are growing the Japanese black pine bonsai in a hot region, then you will have to give it extra time and care as well.

Japanese black pine bonsai fertilizer

Fertilizing the plant is necessary. We do this for supplying the plant with essential nutrients required for its survival and growth. However, using the right quantity & fertilizing at the right time are 2 critical factors that have a direct impact on the health of your plant.

Experts suggest that you should be fertilizing Japanese black pine bonsai after every 2 to 4 weeks during the growing season.

You can fertilize the plant around the year until the temperature does not get extremely low. Usually, people do fertilization from early spring till late autumn only.

The best fertilizer for Japanese black pine bonsai

What kind of fertilizer should you give to your plant?

Experts recommend that you can either use a well-balanced liquid fertilizer OR you may also use an acid-based fertilizer for the best possible results.

Wiring Japanese black pine bonsai

The bonsai plants are wired for shaping and styling purposes. However, this process needs to be done carefully to avoid any serious damage to the plant.

Which wire to use?

Bonsai experts mostly use only 2 types of wires for wiring this Japanese black pine bonsai plant.

1. Annealed copper wire – it is used for those bonsai plants that have stronger and thicker trunks.
2. Anodized aluminum wire – it is used in younger bonsai trees or those with softer trunks.

Best time for wiring

You are recommended to only wire your plant in late winter. Otherwise, wiring at the wrong time will lead to sap leakage.

Japanese black pine bonsai repotting

All the plants including the Japanese bonsai need to be repotted occasionally to promote their health and growth.

However, repotting needs to be done at the right time & through the right way. Otherwise, you may have to pay a price in the form of damage to the plant.

While repotting, you should prefer a soil mixture of peat, coarse sand, and calcinated clay. The pot should be bigger than the traditional bonsai pot, it will prevent the roots from completely drying out in summer.

One more best thing you can do is add some Mycorrhiza fungus to the soil mixture of your bonsai plant. This fungus is a healthy symbiotic one and it helps the plant to grow.

The mycorrhiza fungus gets necessary carbohydrates and vitamins from your plant that help it to survive. In return, this fungus provides better nutrition to your plant and also protection from harmful germs, etc.

Both parties, (the plant & fungus) get benefited and no one gets harmed. Therefore, you should surely give it a try and improve the health of your plant.

Best time to repot Japanese black pine bonsai

The best time for repotting a Japanese black pine bonsai is in spring (right before the buds begin to swell).

Japanese black pine bonsai pests and diseases

Pests and diseases are responsible for killing millions of plants across the world every year.

They can also attack your plant and either kill it or stop its growth. That’s why awareness is very important.

Your Japanese black pine bonsai can be attacked by caterpillars, aphids, scales, spider mites, etc.

Your plant can also get affected by the rotting of roots and other fungal diseases.

We recommend you use specific pesticides for neutralizing the pests and diseases.

If the situation seems more complicated to you then you should consider consulting a professional because the pine trees can quickly die after the first visible symptom of a disease.

Japanese black pine bonsai soil

The most awesome thing about this Japanese black pine bonsai is that this plant can thrive in almost every type of soil available.

This quality is not found in most of the other bonsai plants and that is the reason why people love this plant.

There is no hustle of maintaining the right kind of soil for your plant’s growth.

The best soil for Japanese black pine bonsai

Now if you are thinking about which soil you should use for your plant, then let me tell you that the Japanese black pine plant can survive in loamy, sandy, clayey, and free-draining types of soils.

This plant can tolerate hard conditions very well so there’s no need to worry much about the soil type.

Anyways, we also recommend you add aggregates to the soil of your plant. It can help improve the aeration and drainage of the soil. For this purpose, you can use diatomite, akadama, decomposed granite, sand (having coarse grains), Turface, pumice, etc.

Japanese black pine bonsai watering

Your Japanese black pine bonsai does not like permanent moisture at all.

Thus, we advise you not to overwater this plant if you want to keep it healthy. You should also protect your plant from rain to avoid overwatering.

This plant can tolerate drought-like conditions and it will need good drainage to thrive.

The hardness of this plant makes it a perfect choice for those who are always traveling. You don’t need to worry because your plant will be doing well behind you as it can tolerate extreme winds, ocean sprays, lack of nutrients in the soil, and less watering. You can also plant it in so many types of soil.

Japanese black pine bonsai sunlight requirements

How much sunlight is safe & needed for the Japanese black pine bonsai?

Experts say that your plant can thrive outside in the full sun. You are also advised to turn the tree every once in a while, so the whole foliage of your plant can get enough sunlight.

Japanese black pine bonsai styles

You can wire your bonsai plants and transform them into so many cool styles that will always rock!

We will quickly take a look at the most popular ones of them:

Thunderhead Japanese black pine bonsai

This plant has a cool name & it has a very cool appearance too!

It has greenish needle-like leaves that are unique from most of the plants out there.

Kotobuki Japanese black pine bonsai

The Kotobuki Japanese black pine bonsai is also resistant to extreme conditions like drought, heat, salt, etc.

This plant has an extremely beautiful bark. Its leaves are like a dense green needle.

Overall, it is a rare cultivar of the black pine plants.

Cork bark Japanese black pine bonsai

The most special thing about this plant is that it has a very corky bark and very thick green needles.

Dwarf Japanese black pine bonsai

As the name shows, this black pine bonsai plant is a dwarf. But it has very delicate needles that are lush green and always attract the eyes of the viewers.

Is Japanese black pine bonsai evergreen?

The answer is yes!

One of the many good things about this bonsai plant is that it is extremely beautiful and evergreen. This plant likes to stay fairly dry all the time.

It can thrive in many extreme conditions and does very well in full bright sunlight.

This plant can tolerate everything, be it extreme winds, ocean sprays, lack of nutrients in the soil, or lack of watering.

It will remain lush green and look wonderful all the time!

Why are my Japanese black pine bonsai needles turning brown?

Are the needles of your Japanese black pine bonsai turning brown and now are you clueless why is it happening?

Well, it can be due to several different reasons such as:

1. The plant is unable to uptake enough water to keep the needles alive and green.
2. This plant does not like permanent moisture. So, if the drainage of your plant is poor, then its needles will start dying and turn brown.
3. Wet conditions are bad for this plant. So, overwatering can also cause the needles to turn brown and die.

Japanese black pine bonsai growth rate

How fast or slow does this Japanese black pine bonsai plant grow?

Well, it is said that this plant has a slow growth rate.

How long do Japanese black pine bonsai trees live?

What is the average life of a Japanese black pine bonsai plant?

Well, the Japanese black pine bonsai plant can live from 60 to 100 years. It also depends upon how well you take care of them.

Japanese black pine bonsai should grow indoor or outdoor?

Should you grow the Japanese black pine bonsai plant indoors or outdoors?

The answer is that this plant can be grown in both conditions, indoor and outdoor.

It is a hardy plant that can tolerate a wide range of extreme conditions and extreme environments.

Just provide it with enough light and fertilize it regularly to promote its growth.

How to grow Japanese black pine bonsai from seed?

You can easily grow a Japanese black pine bonsai plant from seeds. You have to take healthy seeds and sow them in the sand during early spring. Then you have to take care of your plant and keep it under suitable conditions.

After a while, you will see the seed start growing. Keep taking care of it and you will eventually have a fully grown Japanese black pine bonsai plant!