How big does Japanese red pine grow?

About 4 m × 2.5 m after ten years (height × width). Its ultimate size is 12–18 m × 6–10 m.

What soil does Japanese red pine grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, acidic.

Is Japanese red pine hardy?

Hardy down to -29 °C (USDA zone 4, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

How far from the house should Japanese red pine be planted?

Plant it at least 6 m from buildings. Keep it at least 1.5 m from paving.

How much water does Japanese red pine need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: medium.

Japanese red pine

Pinus densiflora

Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora) is a large tree that reaches 4 m × 2.5 m after ten years. Light: full sun. Hardy down to -29 °C. Drought tolerance: medium.

Illustration of Japanese red pine — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

Nurseries sell almost only its slow-growing dwarf and small forms: the umbrella-shaped, multi-stemmed Umbraculifera (Tanyosho pine), which makes a shrub or small tree of about 2 metres in ten years and 3 to 6 metres in time, the flattened globes Alice Verkade and Low Glow, and Oculus Draconis with yellow-banded needles. Its main attractions are the orange-red, flaking bark and the bright green needles in pairs, so it works as a specimen in a Japanese-style garden, a rock garden, a front garden or a large container; the species itself is an irregular tree of 12 to 18 metres. Give it full sun and well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral soil; once established it tolerates shorter dry spells, but not waterlogging or road salt.

Watch out for

The umbrella-shaped, multi-stemmed forms are easily splayed or broken by heavy wet snow and freezing rain, so it is worth shaking deep snow off them, and wind can also damage the weeping and umbrella forms. The needles may take on a yellowish tint in winter, which is not a disease. On heavy, wet soil it dies from root suffocation, and on limy soil it can turn yellow. In Central Europe the shoot blights, needle cast fungi, aphids and spider mites that affect other two-needled pines can appear on it too, mainly on weakened plants in dry, hot summers. Shops sell almost only its dwarf or columnar cultivars, which stay a fraction of the size of the species: check the size of the cultivar you choose before you buy.

Key facts

Light: Full sun
Water need: Medium
Care: Medium
Size after 10 years: 4 m × 2.5 m
Hardiness: down to -29 °C
Foliage: Evergreen

All details

Group	Large tree
Light	Full sun
Size after 10 years	4 m × 2.5 m
Ultimate size	12–18 m × 6–10 m
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Acidic
Foliage	Evergreen
Flowering	no data
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium
Maintenance	Medium
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	at least 6 m
Distance from paving	at least 1.5 m
Litter	Fruit
Planting distance	600 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	Non-toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	no data

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 17, 2026 · How our data is made

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