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Black-and-white botanical line drawings on a white background with a red circular badge reading “Image Coming Soon,” surrounded by sketches of leaves, flowers, an oak sprig with acorns, and a pinecone with needles.

Thunderhead Japanese Black Pine

Pinus thunbergii 'Thunderhead'

$1,345.00 USD
Sale price  $1,345.00 USD Regular price 

Shipping Calculated at Checkout

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A bold, compact black pine with dense needles and a broad, cloud-like silhouette that looks sculpted year-round

FEATURES: 

  • Compact, broad habit with a stout, “cloud-like” pine silhouette
  • Dense, dark green needles for bold evergreen texture
  • Thick branching that creates a full, substantial profile
  • Naturally sculptural form that develops dramatic character with age
  • Shorter, tighter needle look for a refined, tidy appearance
  • Strong winter interest with evergreen color and architectural structure
  • Hand Selected; Fresh from the Grower
  • Ships on our trucks because the size of the tree - does not fit in a box.

Bower & Branch Landscape Design Tip: 

This is a “shape” tree, so design around the silhouette. Keep the base clean and the neighbors low. When the outline stays visible, the whole bed looks more curated, like a garden with a point of view.

Growth Facts

Hardiness Zone 5-9
Mature Height 8-12' tall
Mature Width 10-15' wide
Exposure Full Sun
Spacing 10-15' apart

Why Plant Thunderhead Japanese Black Pine?

Bold and billowy like a storm cloud, Thunderhead Japanese Black Pine will have a dramatic presence in your landscape. This sturdy conifer forms a wide-sweeping mass of shining, deep forest–green needles held in stiff, upright clusters. In winter, the dark foliage sets off the silvery white candles beautifully, and when the candles extend in spring, the effect is enhanced. Who says you need flowers to put on an amazing display? Eventually the candles become more of that impeccable foliage. Let Thunderhead be the backdrop to all your fair-weather outdoor fun! The Japanese Black Pine is a rugged tree that grows on the wave-battered shores of Japan and South Korea. In this challenging environment, the picturesque trees may reach only 20 feet tall; further inland, on more hospitable sites, they can soar to 100 feet. In the past, these taller trees were one of the most important sources of lumber in Japan. For hundreds of years they were popular in construction. Thunderhead Japanese Black Pine originated in the United States. This compact version arose from a crop of seedlings at Angelica Nurseries in Kennedyville, Maryland, in the mid-1980s.

How to use Thunderhead Japanese Black Pine in the landscape?

This is no dainty foundation plant! Although you can keep Thunderhead Japanese Black Pine small through diligent pruning of the candles every year, this plant really wants to spread its wings. Give it room to shine and let it do double duty as a handsome, large privacy screen or a divider between one outdoor “room” and another.

How To Plant Thunderhead Japanese Black Pine

The Thunderhead Japanese Black Pine is easy to please. Plant this tough evergreen beauty in full sun and in soil that drains freely. Water regularly to get it established; after the first year or two, it will be quite drought tolerant. Thunderhead prefers moderate temperatures and does best where it isn’t subjected to brutal winter cold or extreme summer heat. It flourishes on the coasts and copes well with the salt spray there. It also handles pollution, and strong winds are no problem as long as they aren’t accompanied by icy-cold temperatures.

How Does Shipping Work?

Bower & Branch Trees, the real BIG trees, don’t fit in a box! Our big trees, sizes XL and bigger, require expert delivery and care, that means our extra-large trees are shipped on Bower & Branch trucks. We are the only ones who know how to ship our big and bigger trees and plants with tender loving care. We deliver your trees and plants directly to you. Ask Bower & Branch about planting services – we'd be happy to assist in installation.

*For Big trees and Shrubs, Size XL and bigger: Review our Seasonal Shipping Timelines and Policy here.

Your trees and plants are grown across the United States at various Bower & Branch Growers. Depending on your location, your plant orders may be shipped from various locations. Please expect orders with multiple items to be delivered over a number of days as a result. Orders made up of numerous items or selections will not arrive at your home on the same day.

Shipping Delays:

From time to time, Bower & Branch Growers may determine to delay order shipment based on various factors for plant health. Weather in your region, as well as, where your plants are grown, is always considered when shipping. Extreme weather conditions may delay some or all of your order. Bower & Branch allows our Growers to make final shipping decisions based solely to benefit your trees and plants’ health and success.

How Does Sizing Work?

The size of our trees have nothing to do with the container size like you may find elsewhere–big doesn't mean just height - it’s also vigor, age, and overall health. Other online retailers are going to tell you that a plant is a seven gallon, that means nothing to your tree or plant (or you.)

Our trees for sale online are graded on large, x-large, and even bigger sizes. This is because our trees are sized by their age—the higher the letter, the more mature the tree. The age determines the trees’ overall height, size of the trunk and the overall branch density.

All of these characteristics are what you should be looking for when choosing a tree for immediate impact and instant curb appeal. Our extra-large tree and plant sizes are sure to wow you and your neighbors!

See the size guides below.

How Trees are Shipped
Size 4XL D Trees Size 3XL C Trees Size 2XL B Trees Size XL A Trees Size LARGE AA Trees

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