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Dragon's-eye Pine

Pinus densiflora (PY-nus den-si-FLO-ra)

Family: Pinaceae Unknown Canopy (>40 ft)

This dwarf specimen is often grown as a small tree or shrub with an umbrella crown. The variegated needles have bands of yellow alternating with green. It appears to resemble the eye of a dragon when viewed from above. As the tree ages, its bark cracks to reveal orange-colored bark. It has an open pendulous habit when young, with age it develops a twisted trunk and flat top, spreading crown, with an irregular form. Trunks often lean. The needles may yellow in winter. Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This tree is susceptible to wind damage. More information on Pinus densiflora .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 37 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub; Tree
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in. | Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Multi-trunked; Open; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
3 to 5 in. slightly twisted variegated needles in bundles of 2. Has 2 yellow bands on each needle that fade in winter
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Plentiful oval to oblong cones
Bark color
Orange; Red/Burgundy
Bark detail
Bark mature to gray-fissured at the base.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn; Meadow; Patio; Woodland
Design feature
Accent; Foundation Planting; Mass Planting; Specimen
Garden tags
#evergreen #deer resistant #picturesque #conifer #bonsai #multitrunked #fall interest #wind damage prone #variegated
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Pests of Conifers
Resistant to
Deer
Propagation
Grafting

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.