Plant pick: Bosnian pine

Published 11:31 am Wednesday, December 16, 2009

WHAT: Bosnian pine is slow-growing pine that maintains a strong central trunk, creating a stately, tight, pyramidal form that can add an aristocratic air to a garden.

Its form becomes a little more open as it matures, showing an attractive, layered branching habit.

Stiff, upright bundles of needles are a deep dark green and feature a lustrous and rich tone.

WHY PLANT IT: It is a tough and versatile evergreen, tolerating poor soil and sunny, hot spots.

It’s great for formal settings and would be an appropriate choice for smaller gardens.

WHERE: It requires full sun with at least six hours of direct sun a day.

It will grow in a wide range of soils, including relatively poor soils and clay soils, as long as the drainage is good.

Once this pine is established, it is quite drought tolerant.

HOW: To capitalize on its rigid structure, plant it with more formal growers such as viburnum davidii or tightly sheared osmanthus delavayi.

For a softer appearance, combine it with red-flowering currant, longleaf Oregon grape or Miss Kim lilac.

It has no major insect or disease problems.

ACTUAL SIZE: It will grow to about 10 feet tall and about 6 feet wide in 10 years, and may eventually reach 25 feet tall with a spread of 12 feet.

LEARN MORE: See www.greatplantpicks.org.

Source: Great Plant Picks