Dragon's Eye Japanese Red Pine in Pom Pom Shape

Dragon’s Eye Japanese red pine is a needled evergreen selected for green foliage marked with two yellow bands and orange-brown bark. This record describes the Pom Pom trained form of the named cultivar; it remains distinct from the untrained Dragon’s Eye pine entry. ## Form and Placement The Pom Pom form is sold and listed as a shaped Dragon’s Eye Japanese red pine, while the cultivar itself has a naturally open, spreading form. Use the trained plant as a focal specimen where its carefully maintained outline can be seen; the inventory listing reports nursery stock sizes rather than a reliable mature landscape size. [North Carolina State Extension](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pinus-densiflora-oculus-draconis/) describes the cultivar’s banded needles, orange bark, and mature form, and a [nursery inventory](https://www.scribd.com/document/817057522/Availability-24-25) lists Dragon’s Eye and Oculus Draconis Pom Pom as shaped stock. ## Growing Conditions Give it full sun and well-drained soil. The cultivar is listed for USDA zones 4a–7b; provide room for the selected form and protect exposed plantings from damaging winds. ## Maintenance Keep the Pom Pom outline with selective, regular pruning, and avoid cutting into old wood without green needles. Water during establishment and extended dry spells, while allowing the soil to drain between waterings.