Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: Pinus wallichiana, 1 by malusman

malusman wrote:
Scott,

I have ran into a number of out of zone plants labeled P. wallichiana and the conifer guys from across the Pond always ID them as P. x schwerinii, the hybrid. One of the ways that they can tell is how the scales are arranged on the cone. Google 'phyllotaxis' if you are bored. Foliar characteristics are very similar to P. wallichiana and even the cone size can be larger than what the hybrid is supposed to make but they always say "hybrid." I have a pile of cones sitting in my living room from (single guys can get away with this) plants that I have seen at in NY, Bluebird Nursery, Spring Grove, and from more southernly sources that try to compare to see if I can see a difference. I write it off as a big mess and will believe them until some official documents are published. Or perhaps there is a vast European conspiracy trying to cheat us out of our rightful pleasure of growing the plant where it's not supposed to grow? Who cares? The foliage is nice enough on some of them to grow it without the name.

Regards,
Ernie