Images Depict Mature Plants
Japanese Umbrella Pine
Sciadopitys verticillata
Umbrella Pines have long been a favorite. They are slow growing but a mature specimen of Umbrella pine is like no other plant. The have the look and feel of a prehistoric plant in all aspects. You'll love this plant so much as it grows.
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Umbrella Pine Trees for Sale Online
Japanese Umbrella Pine Trees or Sciadopitys veticillata gets its common name from the umbrella-like whorls of needles that grow at the ends of the branches.
Each whorl contains 20 to 30 soft, flattened, dark green needles up to 5" long that radiate outward in a manner that resembles the ribs of an open umbrella. In its native habitat in Japan, this evergreen conifer may grow to 90’ tall. In cultivation in the U.S., however, it typically matures to 25-30’ tall over many years. It is a very slow grower.
| Hardiness Zone: | 5-8 |
|---|---|
| Mature Height: | 25 to 30 feet |
| Mature Width: | 15 to 20 feet |
| Sunlight: | Full sun |
| Foliage color: | Dark green |
| Soil Conditions: | Well drained |
| Water Requirements: | Average |
| Growth Rate: | Slow growing |
How to Care for Japanese Umbrella Pine
Before you buy a Umbrella Pine Tree, make sure to read about the care instructions that are required and recommended to keep this plant healthy and flourishing.
How do I plant an Umbrella Pine Tree?
Never plant trees deeper than originally planted in the pot. Doing so can cause rotting of the stem and death to the tree. Umbrella Pine Trees are very drought tolerant, however they grow very slow without adequate water. Staking young trees is recommended. When tying trees to stakes remember the tree will continue to grow. Loosely tie the Umbrella Pine with several twist ties to allow for growth. Check trees every three months and loosen as needed. If this is not done, the twist tie will grow into the tree causing injury. The one question that comes up often, “when is the best time to plant.”? For the most part, container trees can be planted year around, provided the ground isn’t frozen. Below Virginia many nurseries and Christmas tree growers field plant year around, weather permitting. When planting a potted Pine, remember the only water source the tree has, is its small root ball, and all the water the tree uses must come from there until new roots can grow into the surrounding soil.
How do I water the Umbrella Pine Trees?
After back filling and lightly compacting the 50/50 mix of existing soil and compost give the Umbrella Pine Trees a good deep watering. This is not to be rushed. most of the water you put on the plant at first will run away from the plant until the soil is soaked. A general rule of thumb is to count to 5 for every one gallon of pot size. For example a one gallon pot would be watered until you count to 5 a three gallon pot would be 15 and so on. Check the plant daily for the first week or so and then every other day there after. Water using the counting method for the first few weeks. More plants die from being over-watered rather than under-watered. Gator Bag Jr can be used to help aid in this process and also provide plants with a good soaking due to the slow release of the water into the root-zone of the plant. Soaker Hoses can also be used to water when planting a Number of plants in the same location.
How do I mulch the Umbrella Pine Trees?
We highly recommend that you mulch your Umbrella Pine Trees with either a ground hardwood mulch or a ground cypress mulch depending on your local availability. Any type of mulch will do but cypress or hardwood mulch will be of a higher quality and provide better nutrition overall as they breakdown. Mulching helps to keep weeds away which will compete with your new investment for water and nutrients. A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch is sufficient but remember to take care not to cover any part of the stem of the plant with mulch. Its better to leave a one inch gap of space between the mulch and the stem or trunk of the plant. as the tree begins to mature you'll find it will start to produce its own mulch in the form of fallen needles or "Pine Straw". In September and October, this pine “sheds “all of its needles that grew out the previous year. This is normal and is actually a sign of a healthy Umbrella Pine Trees. These needles make excellent mulch and can be either left in place or raked up and used to mulch other acid loving plants.
How do I fertilize the Umbrella Pine Trees?
We recommend when planting your Umbrella Pine Trees to use Bio-tone starter fertilizer by Espoma. We have tried many so called “starter fertilizers” over the years and have come to rely on Bio-tone exclusively for our own use. Simply mix the recommended amount of Bio-tone into the back-fill soil and water in generously when back-filled. Bio-tone® Starter Plus is an all-natural plant food that is combined with a stronger concentration of our beneficial bacteria along with both endo and ecto mycorrhizae. Basically the “good” fungus in Bio-tone colonizes on the growing roots of your newly planted plant and does not allow disease causing fungus to attack the new roots. It has also shown promise in stimulating the growth of the new roots which means quicker establishment for you plant. After establishment and during the following years we recommend Holly-tone used at the recommended rates. It is also organic and slow release which will feed your trees the proper amount of nutrients over a period of time rather than all at once which can burn the root tips and actually have the opposite effect of slowing down plant growth. It also will help to maintain the acid level in the soil that Umbrella Pines need to thrive.
