Cork bark black pine from graft – removing the original foliage

Three years ago I grafted cork bark black pine scions onto several young, non-corking, black pines. Once the grafts took hold, I gradually reduced the foliage of the understock. Now that the desired foliage is strong, it’s time to remove the original foliage.

6 year-old cork bark black pine – the tallest branch is the last of the original foliage

After removing the last of the original foliage

That’s all there is to it at this point. After making the cut, I sealed the wound with cut paste.

Wound where the original trunk was cut

After sealing the wound with cut paste

The other two trees from this batch received the same treatment.

6 year-old black pine

After removing the original foliage

Cork bark black pine

After making the cut

Although getting to this point from seed required six years, in many ways this was the easiest part of the process. Cork barks can’t be bent like regular black pines which means I have one chance to get the wiring and branch selection right. At some point within the next year, I’ll thin these trees, select leaders, and wire the branches. In the meantime, I’ll make sure they get plenty of sunlight, water and fertilizer.

For more on the story up to this point, see:

• Creating cork bark black pine

• Encouraging grafted foliage
• Cork bark black pine from graft follow-up
• Repotting young cork bark black pines