Slash pine tree seedlings (growing, palms, trees, spring)

[Tennesseestorm]

I live in zone 7a (on the 6b border) and have bought some Slash pine seedlings and wonder when would be the best timt to plant them. It will probably be very early March before they got here, so wondering if thats a good time. I THINK I have planted pine tree seedlings around that time with success. My memory is failing me in my young age. Thats bad I know.

Thanks.

[southernnaturelover]

I think that would be okay. If the temperature gets really cold (single digits) you might want to cover them with a bucket or something.

[Tennesseestorm]

Thanks. I will give them a whirl.

[southernnaturelover]

Just to add, I have noticed that Slash pine seedlings will turn brownish during the winter, but they turn back green as soon as spring arrives. They grow out of that after a year or two.

[Tennesseestorm]

Thanks for that! I would definitely be alarmed next winter when that happened. My current Slash pine is about 9 ft tall, but it was a potted tree when I got it as well. It has not turned brown the past two years I have had it, but it was out of its seedling stage too.

I have a Sand pine seedling too and this seems to be a native Florida tree. Its doing well, but some of the needles have browned on it too. Hopefully it will be OK. It grew very little this summer, but I understand that they are slow growers.

I also have a Pond pine... I do not know of any others around these parts, but mine has done very well.

[si33]

Tenness

Since it sounds like you're experimenting with newer-to-your area pine species,..There is a species from around here you might consider researching..

Digger or "grey" pine (Pinus sabiniana) A rather airy, blue grey/green needled species which produces huge cones..Its reported to survive to zone 6..or even 5.. and may be one of the few CA species which seems to tolerate the humidity back east. Out here, you see at least 3 different forms of this species, depending where it is growing..with the forked trunk/oak tree like growth habit being the most common form...I myself are planning on taking seed of this species with me when i move to FL later this year..

In the wild, this species has a very open crown but when grown here in the valley,..seems to have a lusher,fuller looking shape..Regardless..it's a wonderfull tree.

Coulter pine (Pinus Coulteri) is another species worth looking into..but this one would be highly experimental because it is only supposed to be hardy to zone 8 or 7b.. Whats interesting about that is that the species grows to elevations of 6,000' in areas of it's range where it often sees snow cover in winter..i wouldn't doubt that someone in 7a might succeed with it if seed from specimens at higher elevations were collected and tried..as they should have genetics on their side hardiness wise..

Whats neat about this species is it produces the largest cones of any pine except the sugar pine..and they can weigh as much as 4+ pounds..It's sometimes called the "widow maker" here because of how dangerous the cones can be when they fall.. believe me, i was surprised by how much the cones can cut up ungloved hands while collecting them off some nearby trees ..they truely rival coconuts in size and mass..

The tree itself looks like a rugged oak and might only reach 30' tall or it can soar to 60+ feet ..A neighbor a few houses down just had one removed after it suddenly died out..it was easily over 50'..only a few nearby Mexican fan palms were taller..and this is in the middle of suburban sprawl...i thought the tree was a Ponderosa or Jeffery pine until i got a closer look at it..(and saw the massive cones hanging all over it)..This is another species ive collected seed for..to take along when i move..like to see how it handles Florida's climate..

[southernnaturelover]

si33, you're biggest concern with trying those pines in FL will probably be the humidity. Many plants from out west prefer dry air and end up having a problem with powdery mildew here in the southeast.

[si33]

SouthernNaturelover,..

You're right..this is why many people back east have trouble attempting other species like Sugar and Jeffery pines..but my biggest question will be to see if starting with seed might have some sort of impact since ive read that some people back east, who have attempted digger pine, have had unexpected success.Plants have some very strange genetic capabillities which is perhaps one reason both Canary island and Mexican fan palms have found a fair amount of success in both areas..

There was a time when some of Florida's plant communities resembled this part of Ca's..infact, the Florida scrub jay is a decendant from a time when the "chaparral" scrub type plant community stretched around the gulf coast and up into California..


Pinus maximartinezii from Mexico and a sub species of Torrey pine found only on Santa Rosa Island are two additional species which id also like to test under Florida's climate..It will be an neat experiment regardless of the outcome..especially sine the only investment made will be via seed..

Whats interesting is lately ive seen southern live oak being planted along side our own..wonder if anyone has attemped either 3 of our live oak species back there..hmmm

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by si33

Whats interesting is lately ive seen southern live oak being planted along side our own..wonder if anyone has attemped either 3 of our live oak species back there..hmmm

That is interesting. There is a distinct population of Live Oak in central Texas known as Q. virginiana var. fusiformis (Texas Live Oak) which is probably better adapted to a California climate. I wonder if it could be those? They're all lumped together as "Southern Live Oak".

[si33]

SNL,

Its quite possible that the trees im seeing might come from such a source,..Ive also seen Bur oak offered at several nurseries..Its probably one of my favorite oaks next to our blue oak..and the post oak..