I wanted to post this as a sort of follow up to photos I KNOW I posted once, of pine trees (Pinus sylvestris?) along the lane on the property of the condo across from my building. I think I was posting a photo of the 'Kanzan' cherries on that property, and I think @emery commented on these trees (though I'm not sure, emery, why you would have seen that posting, so maybe I dreamed the whole thing), and I even imagine I learned (well, almost learned) a new term for this kind of shaping, some word other than topiary. But I can't find the posting and can't find the photos on my computer, and I think it was only a year or two ago, would have been in the spring. Anyway, here they are now, looking very cute with a bit of snow on them.
I don't remember anything about it! But I think this kind of shaping is called cloud pruning. Happens to maples a lot also, where I'm not much of a fan, but I like it better on conifers. Cheers, -E
Almost looks like the chinese style of growing bonsai. Bonsai originated in China where they would shape full sized trees planted in the garden or park.
Can you get a close-up of the foliage (preferably without the snow!)? Also cones if present, though that's very unlikely with trimmed trees like this.
I'm so glad you asked - it's clearly not Pinus sylvestris, with needles over 12cm long. Maybe Pinus nigra. I'm reading a description in the Vancouver Trees App | UBC Botanical Garden for P. heldreichii var. leucodermis, but can't tell if it fits or not. The one close-up photo for that in the app shows lighter needles more densely packed and tidier, maybe spring colouring, not having just been supporting snow. No cones on these trees of course, and no candles yet, to see if they are silver-white, as they would be for P. heldreichii var. leucodermis, and if the new shoots are glaucous and pinkish grey. Maybe I need better photos of the branches to see how strongly they curve upwards? There is a photo in the app of P. nigra that is "cloud" pruned. The guy who looks after the garden gave me the sprig. He told me they were planted around 20 years ago.
Not Mugo Pine - those needles are supposed to be 2.5 to 7.5 cm long; these are around 12 cm long. I'm adding a couple of photos showing the branches.
Yep, Black Pine Pinus nigra. You can safely exclude Bosnian Pine P. heldreichii as that has smooth bark on young trees (as an aside, "var. leucodermis" is no longer considered distinct; the species doesn't have any infraspecific variation).
