Pinus Species, Aleppo Pine

My mother passed away from cancer just before Christmas 2011. My son bought her a little Cmas tree and we showed it to her before she pas...Read Moresed. I told her I was going to plant it for her on the property that had been passed down thru generations in my family. I put it in a place where it gets protection from the harsh winds throughout it's young life. Hopefully it will be a long lived wonderful tree!!

Aleppo Pines...we planted three when we first moved to the desert 22 miles NW of Tucson (S. of Picacho Peak..w. of Tortolitas). They hav...Read Moree survived...but only barely in the last five years of record drought and heat...must be constantly watered now in 100+ days (about 80 of those in our summers now). All of our Eldaricas died. About six Aleppos, planted only 10 yrs ago died from the drought). Best trees now for this extreme heat/dry desert era are: Desert Willows, Oleander, Washingtonian Palms. We have an extensive 4-acre watered yard of some 200 plants. Even hybrid paloverde are now stressed.

Our allepo pine is at least 37 years old. Healthy, & misshapen but adds a touch of the forest in our backyard. Vinca grows very well und...Read Moreer it. Our problem: it hangs into the neighbor's yard and over our pool making for quite a mess. Looking for advice on how to save my tree but prune and trim it down. It is 40 feet with a codominant branch hanging in the neighbor's yard. Can we cut it off without killing it? Advice on how to reshape and prune, please. Mishapen is okay. It was $$$$ to hire an arborist.

So far this pine is doing well in my zone 9b yard.

I bought it as a table-top Christmas decoration at the local Target a c...Read Moreouple years back. I didn't expect it to be a real tree, much less plant it.

But after the holidays, on a whim, I moved it into one of those large half-barrels and put it in the backyard. I watered it. I threw a little fertilizer on it once in a while. Still not expecting anything.

A couple months ago I found it had outgrown the half-barrel and wanted space. After reading about it here, I thought maybe I'd go ahead and do an experiment and see if it would grow here in FL. I never see these anywhere down here, so I have the feeling it might not make it, eventually dying, but I have no idea what would kill it (yet).

I've got it planted in the ground now, in half-sun and half light-shade. It seems to be THRIVING so far. Has many new candles on it, etc. Looks lush and green. I see butterflies sitting on it all the time.

We'll see!