How much do Buddhist pine seeds cost? Latest prices and a detailed guide to planting methods

Buddhist pine, also known as Luohansong, evergreen Buddhist pine, and money pine, is an evergreen coniferous tree of the genus Podocarpus in the family Podocarpaceae. Its form is lush, elegant and vigorous, with foliage that stays fresh green in all four seasons, giving a sense of strength and purity; when combined with rocks to create an eagle-claw-embracing-stone posture, it becomes even more elegant and distinctive. Now let us take a look at the price of Buddhist pine seeds and the planting methods!

How much is a jin of Buddhist pine seeds?

The price of Buddhist pine seeds is about 25 to 35 yuan per jin, but prices vary greatly depending on seed quality, variety, place of origin, market and so on. Buddhist pine generally blooms in the summer, in April, and only enters the fruiting stage after the flowering period has passed; usually by August to September its seeds gradually mature. Buddhist pine seeds are oval in shape, about one cm in diameter, and when mature the fleshy aril is purple-black.

What varieties of Buddhist pine are there?

1. Short-leaf Buddhist pine: the branches of the short-leaf Buddhist pine spread upward at an angle. The leaves are short and densely borne, 2.5 to 7 cm long and 3 to 7 mm wide, with blunt or rounded tips. It is native to Japan, and is cultivated as a garden tree in all provinces and regions of southern China; in Beijing it is grown as a potted plant. 

2. Narrow-leaf Buddhist pine: the difference between the narrow-leaf Buddhist pine and the Buddhist pine is that its leaves are narrower, usually 5 to 9 cm long and 3 to 6 mm wide, tapering at the tip into a long point, with a wedge-shaped base. It is produced in Sichuan, Guizhou, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Jiangsu and other places and used as a garden tree.

3. Column-crown Buddhist pine: the difference between the column-crown Buddhist pine and the Buddhist pine is that its crown is cylindrical, and its leaves are small, oblong-oblanceolate or oblanceolate, 1.3 to 3.5 cm long and 1 to 4 mm wide, with blunt or rounded tips and a wedge-shaped base. It is produced in Zhejiang.

Sowing methods for Buddhist pine

1. Seed collection: after collecting Buddhist pine seeds, keep them in a dry, ventilated place as much as possible; do not give too much light, as too hot and too humid conditions will also affect seed preservation, and too great a temperature difference will make Buddhist pine seeds sprout early. The best storage method is to seal them well and put them in the refrigerator.

2. Seed soaking: before sowing Buddhist pine seeds, soak them for about 4 days so they fully absorb water. You can use warm, cooled boiled water for soaking; seeds treated this way will have a higher germination rate.

3. Sowing method: when sowing Buddhist pine, sow by row spacing, with 20 cm between each row and 10 cm between each plant. Cover the seeds with soil as the standard, then cover well with grass to retain moisture, spray the seeds with water once a day, and after 8 to 9 days remove the grass cover.

4. Seedling management: Buddhist pine seeds germinate about 40 days after sowing. If they are too dense, transplant the small seedlings with soil to empty spots. Do not let the newly sprouted seedlings be rained on; when the seedlings have grown to about 6 leaves, they can be appropriately watered with some diluted biogas water.

5. Seedling transplanting: Buddhist pine seedlings grow slowly. Transplant after 1 year, with a plant and row spacing of 20*20 cm, or move them into 15 cm nutrition bags, 1 plant per bag. Transplant again after another year, with a plant and row spacing of 1*1 m. After 3 years, seedling-grown plants can be used in landscaping or continue to be grown into large plants.

Planting methods for Buddhist pine

1. Transplanting: the best time to transplant Buddhist pine is in spring, from March to April. Small seedlings need to be kept with soil, and large seedlings with a soil ball. After planting, water thoroughly; during the growing period keep the soil moist. In the hot midsummer season, keep it in a semi-shaded place for care, fertilize once every 2 months, and in winter for potted plants take care to protect against cold and reduce watering.

2. Material selection: the trunk material of Buddhist pine should have spreading roots on all four sides, and the trunk should change evenly and gracefully in thickness and curve from the base upward, with reasonable branching. The first branch point should be at 1/3 or 2/3 of the trunk, in line with the golden ratio, giving a good ornamental effect.

3. Shaping: Buddhist pine has whorled branches. According to the established momentum of the main trunk, cut off messy branches, keep 2 to 3 branches at suitable positions, and bind the branches with metal wire so that the main branches droop slightly. Its sprouting ability is not strong, so prune once each in June and July every year, and usually focus on pinching out the growing tips.

4. Watering: in summer, water Buddhist pine thoroughly once every evening or early morning and spray the leaves with water once more in the afternoon. In spring and autumn, when the temperature is below 25 degrees, generally water thoroughly once every 2 to 3 days. In winter, the pot can be buried in the ground and appropriately replenished with water according to the dry and wet conditions in the pot.

5. Fertilizing: Buddhist pine is mainly grown for its foliage, so fertilizer should be mainly nitrogen fertilizer, supplemented by phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. In spring, apply enough base fertilizer when repotting; during the growing season, apply some thin alum fertilizer water, and often apply 0.1% urea and 3% leftover beer, which can make the leaves thick and verdant.

6. Leaf removal: when planting Buddhist pine, in order to improve its ornamental value, the old leaves of the Buddhist pine are usually removed in March. When removing them, keep the leaf stalks to stimulate the axillary buds to grow new, tender and verdant foliage.

7. Pests and diseases: the main diseases of Buddhist pine are leaf spot and anthracnose, which can be sprayed with 500 times dilution of 50% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder. Pests include scale insects, red spiders and bagworms, which can be killed by spraying with 1500 times dilution of 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate.