Pinus parviflora, also known as five-needle pine,[1] or Japanese white pine, is a pine in the white pine group, Pinus subgenus Strobus, native to Japan.
It is a coniferous evergreen tree, growing to 15–25 m in height and is usually as broad as it is tall, forming a wide, dense, conical crown. The leaves are needle-like, in bundles of five, with a length of 5–6 cm. The cones are 4–7 cm long, with broad, rounded scales; the seeds are 8–11 mm long, with a vestigial 2–10 mm wing.
The Latin specific epithet parviflora means "with small flowers".[2]
This is a popular tree for bonsai, and is also grown as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens. The cultivars 'Adcock's Dwarf' and 'Bonnie Bergman'[3] have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[4] [5]