A very popular landscape plant with relatively few problems when planted in an area with cooler temperatures and good drainage. A plant that is somewhat tolerant of urban conditions, the heat and humidity of the deep south do not lend to a healthy growing environment. Broadly columnar, wide-spreading branches; dense in youth; becomes flat toped with age becoming picturesque. In its native habitat can grow much larger than if grown in cultivation. Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This tree is susceptible to wind damage. More information on Pinus .
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 sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
more than 60 feet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in. | Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Pyramidal; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Blue; Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Needles; Simple
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Slightly twisted needles in bundles of 5 with a white stripe and silvery underside
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Red/Burgundy
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
Oval reddish-brown cones
Bark color
Dark Gray; Light Gray
Bark detail
Smooth, scaly bark is gray, ages to a scaly darker gray
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Japan and Korea
Wildlife value
This plant supports Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed.