Pinus parviflora 'Bergman' is a slow-growing, spreading selection of Japanese white pine, one of the more beautiful forms of this species. Its long, blue-green twisted needles make an outstanding statement. This cultivar can take on different forms depending on the understock used in the grafting process, where the scions are collected and the pruning skills of the individual maintaining it. There are four distinct forms known to exist depending on what pine understock is used for grafting. 'Bergman' is considered similar to its sister cultivar, 'Bonnie Bergman,' but grows wider. After 10 years of growth one can expect a mature specimen to stand 6 feet (2 m) tall and 4 feet (1.3 m) wide, suggesting an annual rate of growth of around 6 to 8 inches (15 - 20 cm).
This cultivar originated as a seedling selected in the early 1960s by Fred and Helene Bergman of Raraflora Nursery, Feasterville, Pennsylvania. It should be noted that the cultivar name 'Bergman' is also seen in P. mugo, P. densiflora, P. koraiensis, and P. sylvestris. Use of duplicate cultivar names within a single genus is not acceptable.
This plant was one of two selected in 2011 for inclusion into the ACS Collectors' Conifer of the Year Program.
