35+ Year Old Japanese Black Pine – Grown from Seed by Gerald Rainville
Every once in a while, something truly special shows up at NEBG—and this is one of those moments.
This Japanese Black Pine (JBP) isn’t just any pine. It’s over 35 years old, grown patiently from seed by the legendary Gerald Rainville. These trees carry history in their bark, strength in their trunks, and endless potential for the right bonsai artist.
We bought every last one of these mature Shohin-Size JBPs from Gerald during our most recent trip north. Once these are gone—that’s it. No restock. No second chance.
Japanese Black Pines are prized for their rugged bark, strong needle growth, and their ability to embody the essence of bonsai. To find one with this much age, movement, and character—already in a pot—is rare. To find one with Gerald’s name attached is even rarer.
If you’ve been waiting for a true collector’s tree… this is your moment.
At a Glance
- Species: Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii)
- Height: 13" from table to apex
- Spread: 11"
- Pot: 10" Exhibition Quality Yixing Ceramic
- Stylist: John Romano (08-27-2025)
- Age: Mature, well-developed specimen (35+ years old)
- Availability: One-of-a-kind – once sold, it’s gone
- Ships from: Our Massachusetts nursery
- Images taken on: September 16, 2025
Why This Bonsai
Owning a tree like this is more than just adding another bonsai to your collection. It’s adding a living piece of bonsai history—a tree shaped by decades of care and patience. Japanese Black Pines are foundational bonsai species, and this specimen has the age, trunk character, and branching potential to be a showstopper.
Please Note
- All trees are sold as-is
- All sales are final – no refunds, returns, or exchanges
- Once the tree leaves our nursery, care is your responsibility
- Have questions? Just reach out—we’re always happy to help.
About Gerald Rainville
Gerald Rainville is a renowned bonsai practitioner from Canada, with over three decades of experience in growing and refining Japanese Black Pines. He began cultivating them from seed in 1988, dedicating years to their development with patience and precision. Gerald’s journey includes influential time studying in Japan, where his passion for bonsai deepened and his eye for refinement sharpened.
Today, Gerald’s trees are considered rare and highly desirable, recognized for their quality, health, and character. Each one is a living testament to his expertise, and opportunities to acquire his work are increasingly limited.
Learning Resources and Bonsai Tree Care Guides:
Bonsai trees are not all the same - and neither is their care. Read our specific care sheets for individual bonsai species. Read the Bonsai Care Guides
Shipping Bonsai Trees:
Bonsai trees are generally shipped on Mondays & Tuesdays to avoid having them stay in the boxes for any extra time over the weekends.
Shipping Non-Tree Items
All non-bonsai items such as bonsai pots and bonsai supplies are shipped within 48 hours of receiving payment. Most orders are shipped either the same day or the next day, depending on the time of day the order is received.
Important Guidelines:
** We cannot ship to a FPO, APO, P.O. Box or to locations in Alaska, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hawaii or anywhere internationally.
** All Bonsai are shipped direct from the nursery and may ship separately from other items purchased via the Bonsai Outlet.
** If extreme weather is expected, we may delay shipping your Bonsai tree to guarantee a healthy arrival; in such a case we will contact you. We are shipping living trees and must be conscious of the temperature conditions to the delivery address, as well as, while in transit. That said, we reserve the right to hold the tree(s) to guarantee a healthy delivery. We will Hold Your Tree Until It is Safe to Ship.
