Douglas Justice's April blog, April in the Garden 2023 - UBC Botanical Garden, continues his examination of conifers at UBC Botanical Garden, none of which have I posted. It wasn't really entitled "In the Pines", but that's the name of a song that Leadbelly might have been the one to popularize (in certain circles): Lead Belly "In the Pines" - YouTube. The other blogs in this series are: March in the Garden 2023 - UBC Botanical Garden (Abies) February in the Garden 2023 - UBC Botanical Garden (Western North American Cupressaceae) January in the Garden 2023 - UBC Botanical Garden (South American conifers) December in the Garden 2022 - UBC Botanical Garden (temperate Australasian conifers). I did post some photos from that one, at December 2022 in the garden - temperate Australasian conifers | UBC Botanical Garden Forums Fortunately, timing is not the same issue as when trying to photograph cherry blossoms. On the other hand, I could have done better with timing than to visit when it was 6C degrees and raining. So of the four-page article, I only got to the first two trees, the ones in the Asian Garden. If I hadn't got so distracted by cherries and rhododendrons, I might have got a little farther before my hands froze up. There are good photos in the blog. Here is Pinus armandii subsp. mastersiana, Taiwan white pine. I was impressed by how delicate these needles are, and also by the great trunk colour in the rain. [Edited] For a less misleading needle photo, see posting 4. Pinus densata has much heftier needles.
For clarification, the needle close-up is a bit misleading, as it shows an old fascicle which has shed two of its needles; in fresh fascicles they are in 5s in Taiwan White Pine.
Here are new needle photos of the Pinus armandii subsp. mastersiana. I moved the non-pine posting to a new thread at (1) April 2023 So many distractions | UBC Botanical Garden Forums, will keep this thread for Pines. This is going slowly. The garden closes before I get anywhere. Anyway, there are lots of photos in the blog and stuff more interesting to read.
Here are two pines from the Asian section of the Alpine Garden. Pinus parviflora - characteristic are the short cones and twisted short needles in bundles of two to five - see the blog for why Glauca Group. This is Pinus thunbergii 'Sayonara'.
Just bundles of five; as above, any lower number refers to senescent bundles that have shed some needles.
