Trying Japanese White Pine Tree Again? April 2025

Back in the Summer of 2021, I bought and planted a Japanese White Pine that included the name "Nana" on the tag- but otherwise the cultivar was not-listed.  This small conifer tree was hanging out at the big box parking lot nursery for months and when it dropped in price, I grabbed it.  By Summer 2022, the tree was gone.  Browned out and dead.  

What caused the death? I'm not sure. Drought, likely.  But, also...could it have been 'over watered'?  Not sure, but who knows.   What about hardiness? Are they hardy down to our Zone 6a/5b borderline? I'm not sure, either. Did I plant it incorrectly? Perhaps. These Home Depot trees are typically ball and burlap and are air-pruned/rooted - I think. They usually have a large, main trunk that terminates into a cut-end that has been rooted with some small root growth. In the past, I've cut these balls open - and when I did that - I've almost always LOST those trees. More recently, I've left the burlap and twin in place and planted them. I've also planted trees - from time-to-time too LOW in the ground. Part of the issue is that very ball/burlap situation. The rootflare of these Home Depot trees is usually buried inside the burlap. If you bury the burlap, you're burying the rootflare. I've learned that they want to be planted taller. You want the rootflare to be above ground and show how the tree 'grips' the earth. I planted the Oregon Green Austrian Pine tree last Fall 'high' up and mounded the ground to allow for the rootflare to show - once the root structure establishes itself. My previous Japanese White Pine died due to likely a combination of factors. 

Watering and improper planting are both probable causes of death.

Why plant a tree (again) that died on me?

Because, as I mentioned in my previous post, there's a certain 'siren's call' that comes from this tree when it is sitting on the pallet in the parking lot. It is a stunner.

Why do I know? Because...this is what I saw this past weekend at the Home Depot parking lot nursery amongst some other conifers:

A look at the tag reveals the same name as last time:  Pinus Parviflora Nana.  

If I zoom in on the photo, the 'white pine' side of the conifer comes to life:

The name "Nana" (usually) indicates the cultivar being a dwarf, so I'm pretty sure this will be a slow-growing tree.

But, is it hardy to our zone?  Johnson's Nursery has a listing that claims Zone 5.  That's the place I went to in Wisconsin last year.  Conifer Kingdom lists other Japanese White Pines down to Zone 5, too.  

All that is certainly pushing me to bring this tree home (again).  But, where does it go?  Front yard?  backyard?  In the middle of the lawn as a focal point?  Around the pizza oven?  In the front yard to add to the 'conifer garden'?  All of them might make sense.  I suppose I should decide that - before scurrying back to try to buy this conifer tree, right?