ALL bonsai should be in fast draining gritty soil, it's the proportion of organics (bark, coarse loam, etc.) that changes, and it's very hard to say which trees will do best with what percentage (beyond very basic info) because you don't know where they live, in or out, heating, what sun they get, etc. It's more important to learn each tree's needs in it's particular environment by observation than to try and use a quick fix.

I planted about 400 of them in north Louisiana over 40 yrs ago. My father had plans to sell them as Christmas trees. About 10 yrs later he had me go cut the survivors down. They did not do well there. If we pruned them at all, the pine bugs in the area were instantly attracted to them (Shortleaf and Loblolly native there) and they died withing 6-8 weeks of being pruned, every single time. I left one or two and never touched them, they were still alive 2-3 yrs ago, maybe 35' high. Next trip back will go check in on them. If you plant them, do report back on how it went.

Brian: It would be nice, for tree lovers like us, to be able to get a variety of hybrid pines, but the problem is that there is no market for them that would re-pay the investment of setting up production. The one that may, at some point, be available, is loblolly X shortleaf. The idea behind this one is to develop a tree resistant to fusiform rust, which in some areas is a big problem with southern pines, including loblolly. I am not sure if there are others that will have a commercial market worth exploiting. Another factor is that there are regular pines that are very nice. One thing holding back pitlolly is eastern white pine, which is a flat out gorgeous tree, and which is very productive. It's wood, however is inferior to the southern pines, but it does find a ready market. If I didn't already have knock-dead gorgeous white pine groves, seeming to tower to heaven, at my timberland in far western MD, I might not be "messing" with loblolly, and pitlolly, so much. Northern growers also have red pine--not my favorite pine tree, but productive. The only genus that I know of where there is a great tree fancier's interest in hybrids, is the oaks. You can find all kinds of hybrids there, and I have been sampling some. But here's an idea: if there is something you really, really want--maybe the pitch X pond, you may be able to do a search and find out who, and at what university, has worked with it, and then give that person a call. He night be able to tell you if your idea is a good one, and-- you never know--someone might be willing to send you something. --spruce

TreeFolks and the Texas Forest Service actually give out Bastrop-sourced loblolly pines. However, there's no way to know whether the larger trees you bought from nurseries are Bastrop-sourced, or if the seeds they grew from were collected elsewhere in the Loblolly pine's range (ie. Virginia, Florida, Alabama or Louisiana). Bastrop is on the westernmost edge of the species' range, and and plants from other sources will simply turn yellow and wither in the heat and frequent droughts (not to mention soil differences, too). Unfortunately, there is no commercial dealer of Bastrop-sourced seeds other than TreeFolks and the Texas Forest Service. I suggest you contact them. You can also try collecting seeds yourself from the unburnt trees in your area and growing them for one or two years in containers. Or if you're really passionate, you can start a seed orchard of this very special sub-population and sell the seeds/seedlings yourself.