A moderately fast growing, narrowly upright selection of Japanese black pine with short irregular branching and shorter-than-typical, extremely prickly, dark, gray-green needles. After 10 years of growth, an unpruned mature specimen will measure 4 feet (1.3 m) tall and 2 feet (60 cm) wide, an annual growth rate of 4 to 6 inches (10 -15 cm). As is true with all Japanese pines, ‘Kotobuki’ is easily maintained through employing candle pruning and aesthetic pruning techniques. Salt tolarent