Contorted Jack Pine

‘Uncle Fogey’ is a named Jack pine selection, Pinus banksiana ‘Uncle Fogey’, with irregular, pendulous branches and dense green foliage. The University of Minnesota describes its habit as prostrate and drooping and notes its hardiness to Zone 2; nursery references give different mature dimensions, so check the form offered by the grower. ## Form and placement Use this distinctive pine as a low, spreading or weeping accent where its branching can be seen from several angles. Leave open space around it and preserve the cultivar label: published seller dimensions vary, from a 6-foot-high, 10–15-foot-wide form in a current catalog to a 12-by-6-foot listing in an earlier catalog. The University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum identifies it as a Jack pine cultivar introduced by the university. ## Growing conditions Plant it where the spreading crown has room and its evergreen foliage can add structure through the year. The Minnesota Hardy reference describes Jack pines as able to grow on impoverished, sandy, acidic sites and reports that ‘Uncle Fogey’ also performs in urban settings. ## Maintenance Water while establishing and during extended drought. Remove broken branches with clean tools, but retain the characteristic irregular, pendulous structure. [Minnesota Hardy: Evergreen Trees](https://mnhardy.umn.edu/evergreen-trees) · [Bachman’s 2026 wholesale nursery catalog](https://www.bachmanswholesale.com/site/Wholesale%20Documents/2026%20Wholesale%20Nursery%20Catalog%20-%20No%20Price%20%28Compressed%29.pdf) · [Bachman’s 2019 catalog](https://www.bachmanswholesale.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/1-Bachmans-Catalog-with-Wholesale-Pricing.pdf)