Pines have deep meaning for me. Pinus ponderosa has sustained parts of three generations of my family, and I have long revered its steadfast nature in 110°F and -40°F weather. When I moved to Maryland, I was comforted by its close kin, Pinus taeda. I did not appreciate the unrelated Virginia scrub pine, Pinus virginiana nearly as much. It seems to be confused, twisted, and unwilling to grow straight, strong trunks. Even so, there is one tall specimen along the Baltimore-Washington Parkway that I have enjoyed on thousands of commutes of my 20 years working at the U.S. National Arboretum. It is unusually tall and straight with a nicely formed canopy.
Ecologically, Pinus virginiana is a pioneer. It comes into infertile land and grows in really bad soil thanks to its association with mycorrhizae. It is programmed to fail in heavy snow and ice, and as time goes on, climax species like oaks and beech replace it. It's wood is not often used since it has so many knots and defects. I can testify to the poor quality firewood it produces; even when dry it seems to produce more soot than heat, and splitting it is an exercise in futility.
I spent a little time during my lunch break last Friday to look at the bonsai assembled for the Bonsai Festival at the Arboretum. This little bonsai caught my eye. It is the first bonsai Pinus virginiana that I have seen, and I have to say that it was one of my favorites in the show. I think the arrangement of the needles and their upright tendency give the tree a very classic feel, and the root over the rock has been done very well, as has the placement of the branches so far. It's a baby by bonsai standards, but I think it has great potential.
No comments:
Post a Comment