Pinus virginiana 'Wate's Golden'
   
Common Name: Virginia pine
Type: Needled evergreen
Family: Pinaceae
Zone: 4 to 8
Garden Location: Bank of America Family Vegetable Garden
Height: 15 to 30 feet
Spread: 10 to 20 feet
Bloom Time: Non-flowering
Bloom Description: Non-flowering
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Leaves: Colorful, Evergreen
Fruit: Showy Fruit
Other: Winter Interest
Wildlife: Attracts Birds
Tolerates: Deer

Culture

Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun. Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions including both heavy clay soils and poor soils. Prefers clay or sandy loams with moderate to good drainage.

Noteworthy Characteristics

This Virginia pine cultivar is an irregular, slow to medium growing, somewhat scruffy looking, needled evergreen tree that is most noted for its outstanding golden foliage in winter. Typically grows 15-30' tall in an open, somewhat pyramidal habit with spreading branching and a rounded to flat-topped crown. Features needles (1-3" long) in bundles of two. Needles emerge yellowish green but turn a bright gold in cold winters. Spiny-scaled cones to 3" long are usually not produced in the first 8-10 years. Species is native to the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Some susceptibility to pitch canker.

Garden Uses

Small to medium-sized evergreen tree for the landscape. Good winter accent.