Why corticosa? - A black box of a Pinus thunbergii bonsai

Why corticosa? - A black box of a Pinus thunbergii bonsai always looks empty before opening. They are empty because if you ask someone why it is better than other Black Pines then we will admit that apart from its interesting bark, not much else comes to mind. It's still there, please!

About black pines in general

Black Pines are virtually in the carefree pine bonsai category if we stick to a little thing or two. They are not delicate, they can withstand the winter frosts, the summer drought and it is quite difficult to dry them out so they do not die of thirst even when they have to be taken down from a deciduous tree ... we understand why, in addition to their evergreens, they are also symbols of permanence in both Asian and European culture.

... but 'Corticosa'! Never over water!

The corkbarked Japanese black pines are a little different from the world - but of course only through bonsai fan glasses. Although they are not delicate, they react poorly to over-irrigation sooner than their European "rude" counterparts (Pinus nigra) and it is difficult to extract the yellowing foliage from the "wet" state. They also tolerate winter frosts and summer heat, but over-irrigation should not be avoided only in the root zone. Too much water not only covers the optimal water balance of the soil but also triggers the mossing of the soil surface, which sounds good at first but no longer at second. If the moss starts to climb on the rustic and beautiful bark, it is very difficult to remove from there and the water retained by the moss also weakens the surface that has developed over the years. Excess water, at the same time, encourages the plant to "circulate" itself, and the growing need for an evaporating surface cannot be solved by the plant otherwise than by needle growth. This growth can result in needles up to 10-12 cm long, which we admit is no aesthetic and also covers the buds, which then cannot ripen properly in summer and in spring do not form the candles at the same pace and extent as in the plant - in fact, in critical cases it can even cause branch loss.

The corkbark is the black box of the thunbergii

The black box of Japanese bark black pines, unlike airplanes, does not contain the recorded data from which events can be reconstructed, but rather the current condition of the tree and, consequently, its future. In IT terms, this means a sensitive data set - that is, a very thin and consequently sensitive living part under the chunky crust. It is a property of Pinus thunbergii 'Corticosa' pines that the sensitive and thin living part during the chunky appearance greatly influences the bonsai shaping possibilities and this of course has a significant effect on the wiring. At the same time, instead of branch bending constraints, we get another advantage - because the bonsai god is also such that if he loses with one hand he gives with the other - the plant can produce a very large number of new buds if its needles do not stretch. What is important is to never open this black box, leave the secret in it, treat it like a special firewall.

Their shaping and wiring

Unlike other pines, the corkbark is difficult to shape and wire. That's a big downside, which is ... if you think about it, you're not sure! What do we mean then? The answer is banal. For continuity. But why is shaping difficult? Because wiring is virtually impossible without damaging the porous bark parts, it only makes sense to wind wire on one-year-old shoots. Year after year, we have to constantly shape it tiny, if we don’t want to lose its shape. If you want to change the angle of each branch, you may want to think about pulling down the branches instead. It is true that this method takes a year or two more time for everything but at least it doesn’t interrupt life in that branch and if we achieve our goal then the result is a truly exceptional and unique bonsai.

Soil and nutrients

Their soil and nutrient requirements are the same as those of long needles pine. There is no difference here, one point is not to overfeed the plant. It is worth noting that if Biogold, Aburakazu, Green King, Saidung, Bonsai Master or other natural nutrients that decompose in contact with the soil are used, it is difficult to overfeed the plant due to their nature. Therefore, we should always think about this topic in a relaxed way and it is enough to achieve the optimal nutrition without using fertilizers in their case.

The soil should be slightly acidic and loose in texture. This is important. Perhaps the best decision for this is to use a mixture of 1/3 Akadama, 1/3 Kiryu, 1/6 fine-grained coal, and 1/6 Keiseki for repotting. In this way, we achieve a water balance that creates an optimal medium not only for the plant but also for the symbiont fungi living in the soil.

Must have!

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