In September 2012, I posted about Pinus contorta v. latifolia 'Chief Joseph' AKA Chief Joseph Lodgepole Pine here . I'd seen them at a local nursery and at a few specialty sales. The chief is an expensive tree which I wouldn't have bought for myself but my sister and niece read my post and bought one for me. I've heard that it's pricey because it's difficult to propagate and grows very slowly. It was found in Eastern Oregon, needs extremely good drainage, and can be quite finicky about being moved, thus mine is still in a pot. Oh yeah, Chief Joseph needs full sun to color up nicely but if it gets too much sun, the needles will burn. Also, it can't stand anything growing on it. I let a vine crwl through the bottom branches of the one you see on the left of the picture and the needles turned brown and a couple of bottom branches died. Make no mistake, this pine is a prima donna in every sense of the world and wants you to know that! To learn more about the chief go here. Anyway, I've not yet killed my Chief Joseph but I'm wondering about this growth. Is this a bad thing or just something that happens to pines?
I know that Gold Coin has been exposed to the perfect amount of light to cause it to color so nicely. Plant sellers want to show plants at their best! We'll see what it will do over the course of a few years.
I should have found something deeply green to use as a background so that you could see that both plants are quite gold. Gold Coin is a much faster grower than the Chief and according to the person from whom I bought the tree, the needles won't burn in the full sun. I'm glad to have both of these lovely pines but I'm thinking that P. sylvestris 'Gold Coin' might just give you more gold for your buck. To learn more about Gold Coin, go here. Hey northern gardeners, this one is hardy to zone 3a!
Do you have experience growing either or both of these pines and if so, do you have a preference?
I think the growth on your Chief Joseph might be a gall, a response to irritation by insects. I've read that they don't kill the tree, but they're unsightly. And who knows, give how finicky Chief Joseph is, it might affect it badly. I need to get me a Gold Coin too, for my front bed. I should have bought one on Saturday along with you.
ReplyDeleteWow, that really galls me. (groan.) Sorry, had to do it. I'll bet that Bark and Garden will have more Gold Coins at the Seattle Show!
DeleteThat's some fancy photography skills to shoot them against a mirror and not get yourself in the reflection...
ReplyDeleteVampires have no reflections in mirrors. Also, really round guys wearing green appear to be a vast part of the landscape.
DeleteWith not one, but TWO arctic blasts this winter, I am sick of prima donnas. If only I can remember that while in the grips of spring buying frenzy. Like you have shown us here, there is usually a less picky understudy waiting in the wings.
ReplyDeleteOh, Chief Joseph can take the cold; it was found in Eastern Oregon. It does like good drainage though. I'm all for less picky understudies!
DeleteDitto with what Loree has just said, where's your reflection? :)
ReplyDeleteI have become the garden.
DeleteI always loved the Chief from afar, intimidated by its price. Now that I learned of it's finicky nature, I'll continue our long distance relationship, and find solace with my other dwarf, Hinoky cypress. My love life aside, your conifers are very beautiful, especially side by side. Would you consider repotting them, rather then planting in the ground?
ReplyDeleteI usually do better with conifers in pots because my garden is very crowded and conifers don't like plants growing all over them. Joe gets less finicky as he gets older! The little guys less than a foot tall need special coddling.
DeleteNo, I haven't grown either of them. I wonder how long they thrive in a pot.
ReplyDeleteYour pines are beautiful, but I can't be doing with prima donnas, life is too short!
ReplyDeleteOh, Peter, it's a new idea for me: to get Golden Coin for my garden. I love it!
ReplyDelete