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Dragon’s-eye Japanese red pine

Pinus densiflora 'Oculus Draconis'

PY-nus den-sih-FLOOR-ah

This pine’s needles are marked with bands of yellow and green. The buttery yellow variegation on the 3- to 5-inch needles is present year-round, but intensifies as summer turns to fall and persists into winter. The scaly, fissured bark is lovely, ranging in color from gray to rich rusty orange. This is a graceful tree when mature, with an irregular branching habit and tilted trunk.

Noteworthy CharacteristicsCombines well with deep-green conifers or any other dark background. Use as a specimen tree, or for shelter or windbreaks. May look floppy and ungainly in its youth. Grows only about 6 inches a year.

CareGrow in any well-drained soil in full sun to part shade.

PropagationGraft in late winter.

ProblemsCommon pests include sawfly, caterpillars, scale insects, mealybugs, miners, and borers. Blister rust, butt rot, blights, pitch canker, cone rusts, tar spot, and brown cubical rot.

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  • Genus : Pinus
  • Plant Width : 15 to 30 feet
  • Plant Height : 30 feet or more
  • Zones : 4, 5, 6, 7
  • Moisture : Adaptable
  • Light : Full Sun to Partial Shade
  • Characteristics : Interesting Bark, Showy Foliage
  • Growth Rate : Slow
  • Plant Seasonal Interest : Spring Interest
  • Plant Type : Trees

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