Japanese umbrella pine

Japanese umbrella pine: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Narrow, conical tree, up to 8–10 m tall and 4–5 m wide, but only after several decades.

Leaves

‘Needles’ 8–12 cm long, glossy dark green and leathery, in whorls of 10–30 at the shoot tips.

Cones

Egg-shaped cones 6–11 cm long, green at first, later brown; they only appear on older trees.

Bark

Reddish-brown, peeling in long, thin strips.

Roots

Fine and fibrous. It dislikes being moved: choose the right spot straight away.

Plants: April–May and September–October · Pruning: April

Why grow it?

• Unique needles in whorls: no other garden conifer looks like it.
• Evergreen and dark green: a calm focal point in the garden all winter.
• Grows slowly and stays compact for years, so it also suits a smaller garden or a large pot.
• Low maintenance: hardly any pruning and few problems with diseases or pests.
• Reddish-brown bark that peels in strips on older trees.

Japanese umbrella pine: where does it grow best?

• Sun to partial shade; ideally morning sun and some shade during the fierce afternoon sun, especially in dry spots.
• Acid to neutral, humus-rich sandy or loamy soil. Improve poor or heavy soil with leaf mould. Avoid chalky soil: the needles turn yellow.
• Moisture-retentive but well-drained: the soil must never dry out, but should not be waterlogged either.
• Shelter from cold, dry east winds. Allow 4–5 m of space.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Normal

Size

10 m tall, 5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Japanese maple: Fine, often red foliage that contrasts with the dark needles.
• Rhododendron: Likes the same acid, humus-rich soil.
• Hosta: Large leaves in the light shade at the base.
• Ferns: A fresh, green underplanting for moist shade.
• Azalea: A low, acid-loving shrub that flowers in spring.

Japanese umbrella pine: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May and September–October.

1. Plant in April–May or in September–October, when the soil is neither too dry nor frozen.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Mix the excavated soil with leaf mould or acid compost (ericaceous compost).
3. Plant at the same depth as in the pot: the root collar stays at soil level.
4. Keep 4–5 m from buildings and other trees; as a specimen it looks best.
5. Water in at once with 10–15 litres.
6. Spread a 5–8 cm layer of leaf mould or pine bark around the base, keeping it clear of the trunk.

Care

Water

In the first year, weekly in dry spells. Keep the soil lightly moist at all times and give extra water in a dry summer, also later on.

Feeding

In March–April, sparingly, use a fertiliser for acid-loving plants or organic feed.

Mulching

Every year a layer of leaf mould or pine bark: the roots stay cool and moist.

In a pot

Use a roomy pot with drainage holes and acid, humus-rich compost. Move to a larger pot every 3–4 years. Keep the pot moist in summer.

Moving

Preferably not: it roots poorly again after transplanting. Only do it with a young plant.

Tip: Put it in a sheltered spot with acid, humus-rich soil and give extra water in dry summers. It grows slowly: buy a slightly larger plant from the start rather than hoping for fast growth.

Japanese umbrella pine: when to prune it?

Pruning months: April.

When: It needs hardly any pruning and forms a handsome conical tree by itself. Do the small jobs in April.

How:

• Remove dead or damaged branches back to the trunk.
• If there are two leaders, choose one and remove the competing top in spring, while it is still young.
• Do not cut into bare wood: conifers usually do not shoot again from it.

Caution: Do not remove the top: you would lose the typical conical shape.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Sow in October–November in a tray of acid, sandy seed compost and leave the tray outdoors over winter. The seeds germinate slowly, sometimes only after a year, and the seedlings grow slowly.

Cuttings

Cuttings root with difficulty. This is a job for nurseries: it is better to buy a plant.

Japanese umbrella pine: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Hardy to about −25 °C: mature plants need no protection in Belgian winters.
• Shelter young plants from cold, dry east winds and strong winter sun, for example with a hessian screen; otherwise the needle tips can turn brown.
• In a pot: wrap the pot in hessian or stand it against a wall, and water in frost-free weather.

Diseases and pests

• Brown needle tips: Caused by dry wind, drought or winter sun. Choose a sheltered spot, mulch and water in dry periods. Brown tips usually grow out.
• Yellow needles: Chalky soil or a lack of nutrients (chlorosis). Mulch with leaf mould and use a fertiliser for acid-loving plants. On chalky soil, choose a pot with acid compost.
• Root rot: In soil that is too wet the plant wilts or turns yellow. Plant in free-draining soil; give a pot drainage holes.
• Slow growth: This is normal: it is naturally slow. Acid, moisture-retentive soil and patience help.

Through the year

• March: Feed sparingly with a fertiliser for acid-loving plants. Check for winter damage.
• April: Plant. Remove dead branches or a double leader. Mulch.
• May: Plant. Water regularly.
• June: Water in dry weather.
• July: Water in dry weather. Top up the mulch.
• August: Water in dry weather.
• September: Plant. Water in dry weather.
• October: Plant. Mulch. Sow seed.
• November: Shelter young plants from east winds.

Did you know?

• It is the only species in its family (Sciadopityaceae): it has no close relatives left.
• Fossils of related trees have also been found in Europe, which is why it is called a living fossil.
• In Japan it is called kōyamaki and is often seen at temples and in gardens.