Some say it cannot be done…..

Here at Shibui Bonsai I’ve often found that much of what ‘they’ tell us is not completely true so I’m often putting aspects of bonsai wisdom to the test.

Pine seed is currently very difficult to obtain here in Australia so many growers are looking for alternative ways to propagate pines for bonsai so even though the ‘experts’ tell us it cannot be done I’m trying to grow more pines as cuttings.Many years ago, before I knew it was ‘not possible’, I took home a piece of Japanese white pine that had been pruned during a club workshop and put it in as a cutting which proceeded to root and grow. We also know that Japanese bonsai growers propagate a variety of Japanese White Pine called ‘zushio’ exclusively from cuttings so I know it is possible to grow white pine cuttings. More recent tries at striking white pine have failed so I was on the verge of agreeing with the experts but a challenge was issued so I made one last attempt.

7 small hard wood cuttings from my JWP seedlings were prepared, treated with rooting gel and placed into the propagating bed sometime in late winter.

JWP cuttings showing signs of growth

In November roots were showing at the bottom of the pots.

Roots!

I’ve left these a little longer in the hope that a couple more might also root but this week curiosity finally won out and I turned them out to be potted up.

2 healthy rooted JWP cuttings

Admittedly, 2 out of 7 is not a great strike rate but it is far better than nothing at all and the remaining 5 cuttings all have healthy callus at the base so there’s still hope for a few more trees from this experiment.