Family Pinaceae.
Originating from Japan.
Received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
- Dark and brooding, rich-green needles contrast with tan candles of new growth.
- Forms a dense and abundant crown growing in low billowing mounds.
- Hardy and easy-to-grow in any soil in full sun in pots or borders.
The Life-size Bonsai Black Pine in Your Garden
Tranquil and lush, soft and elegant. Tightly packed short needles clad the low, wide-spreading branches of this dwarf variety. Their exceptionally dark, rich-green colour makes an instantly oriental or contemporary look. Naturally forming an ancient tree-in-miniature, it makes a commanding centrepiece.
Exceptionally hardy in any UK garden, it grows to 1m tall and 1.5m wide in 10–20 years. However, the life-size bonsai Black Pine can easily be trimmed to evoke an ancient tree, controlling its size and shape. Prized in Japan for its Niwaki potential and planted around sacred Shinto temples, it symbolizes strength and longevity.
It is perfect for planting in the maritime climates of Suffolk’s exposed coastal gardens and Norfolk’s seaside terraces. Its striking evergreen form is perfect for planting in pots, placed where its serene form can be seen daily. Elevated in raised beds, around modern outdoor living spaces, or planted in mixed borders, its tranquil form is a must.
Growing Tips for Your ‘Sayonara’ Black Pine
- Soil and Sun: Plant in any soil in full sun.
- Planting: Set in spring or autumn; summer planting requires extra attention to watering. Plunge for 20 minutes to drench the root ball before planting. If planting in pots, meditate on the pine’s sublime dark colours to choose a sympathetic tone.
- Watering: Moderate; water regularly during its first summer. Tolerates dry spells once established. For pots: Drench as above and soak the whole pot after planting. Then water sparingly at the base of the stem occasionally, ensuring the new compost around its roots is not permanently sodden. After 4–6 weeks in summer (longer if cooler), slowly increase watering as its roots spread.
- Pruning: In early spring, there is a choice of techniques that can be used. Remove inner needles and weak shoots to reveal its branches and trunk. Trim candles in spring to reduce growth rate and shorten needles. Remove its central leading shoot to achieve a wider crown, or lateral branch tips to control horizontal growth.
The meditative and elegant character of the Japanese Black Pine, as a life-size bonsai specimen, is just one of its attributes. Its ability to grow in exposure and poor soil makes it a great companion for Mediterranean-style plants. It also makes a striking front-of-border specimen, its evergreen needles balancing the loss of herbaceous foliage in winter.
Planting Suggestions for the Japanese Life-size Bonsai, Pinus Thunbergii ‘Sayonara’
Dramatise and optimise columnar, architectural plants. Contrast their upright forms with ‘Sayonara’s low billowing spread of lush dark-green needles. Give an undulating base from which Cupressus sempervirens ‘Totem Pole’, Frangula ‘Ron Williams’, and Cordyline ‘Jive’ can tower.
Let the life-size bonsai loose amongst silver foliage plants, throwing them into stark relief. Astelia ‘Silver Shadow’, Yucca rigida, Nolina nelsonii, and Convolvulus cneorum shine out with the lush Japanese Black Pine nearby.
