I can confirm one thing. Winter color is not correct.

Dave

The buds ain't right either for Pinus contorta...
Do you've a pic for us of the whole specimen?

The mix of silvery and yellow leaf color would fit one of the forms of Pinus sylvestris that turns yellow during cold weather. Maybe somebody involved in the process leading up to you getting the tree thought that if it is a short-needled pine that turns yellow it must be 'Chief Joseph'. Cultivars of ornamental and fruiting plants that become widely known are subject to the wrong item being sold under their names - not every nurseryman or nursery worker really knows their plants, by any means.

Here's a 'Chief Joseph' bud/winter scion for you:

Last year i paid online for a 'Chief' and recieved a Pv 'Wates Golden'.

Al

All, thanks for the feedback.

Couple things got me thinking...

As Dave eluded to the color. My other winter gold Scots pines aren't gold yet.

Unpro, your pic shows the more undulating needles and longer, more tubular buds similar to that of my 'Taylor's Sunburst'

Edwin,
I'm going to have to get a better pic when the snow goes down. Its was difficult to clean up that shoot as we just got sleet then 7" of snow. After all I'm going to have to identify the Scots cultivar. I'm thinking its 'Gold Coin' thats on crappy rootstock as its been growing very slowly. Its less than 1' tall and is 4 years old. It was just as gold as the Chief last year.

Here are better pics, considering the timing.

Do you think its simply 'Gold Coin' with perhaps low rootstock vigor or potentially a different cultivar?

Edit: Should have added that none of my wintergold pines are actually gold this year thus far with the exception of one P.m 'Carstens'.

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This post was edited by whaas on Tue, Jan 14, 14 at 18:51

Here are some examples of what 'the Chief' should look like.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Chief

That is definitely a Pinus sylvestris.. which cultivar, I do not know.

-Sam

Yep, that's a Pinus sylvestris for sure.
Like Sam said, at this moment it's hard to see what cultivar it is.
This is because of it's needle length which is very various for this specimen.
'Gold Coin' could be possible, it has the shortest needles in comparison to 'Aurea' and 'Gold Medal'...

Thanks guys, I'll give it a couple more years for identification.

Probably the most expensive golden Pinus sylvestris I got!

Vendor basically said pound sand in a way.