Pinus thunbergii 'Kotobuki' is a moderately fast growing, narrowly upright selection of Japanese black pine with short irregular branching and shorter-than-typical, extremely prickly, dark, gray-green needles. After 10 years of growth, an unpruned mature specimen will measure 4 feet (1.3 m) tall and 2 feet (60 cm) wide, an annual growth rate of 4 to 6 inches (10 -15 cm). As is true with all Japanese pines, 'Kotobuki' is easily maintained through employing candle pruning and aesthetic pruning techniques.
'Kotobuki' is a very old cultivar that originated in Japan most likely centuries ago. L. Wansdyke Nursery, Devizes, United Kingdom first imported it and incorporated this fine plant into the European nursery trade in 1976. "Kotobuki" loosely translates into "congratulations" or "long life" in the Japanese language.
