Looking lovely in the gardens this month is the dwarf Japanese black pine, Pinus thunbergii ‘Banshosho’. Our five year old plant is now 2′ tall x 4′ wide. Most catalogs list this Japanese selection as maturing at 3′ tall x 5′ wide, but based on the growth rate we’re seeing, that seems to be quite an underestimate. According to on-line sources, the cultivar name translates to “blackboard book”….hmmm. Hardiness Zone 5-8, at least.
She’s a beauty.