Habitat

• native to mountainous areas in Central and Southern Europe
• cold hardy to zone 2

Habit and Form

• evergreen dwarfed tree
• dense shrub growth habit to multi-trunked tree
• varies in size from 5 to 20', with equally varying spread
• some specimens have reached 50' tall
• medium texture
• slow growth rate

Summer Foliage

• rigid and slightly curved needles
• needles in fasicles of 2's
• margins serrate
• needles 1 to 2" long
• bright green color

Autumn Foliage

• no fall color (remains green)
• needles persist 5 years

Flowers

• monoecious
• no ornamental value

Fruit

• dark gray cone
• ovoid, 1 to 2" long
• held in clusters of 2 to 4, or found alone
• tip of cone surrounded by a darker ring

Bark

• gray
• plated appearance, but does not peel
• when leaves abscise, rough protuberances are left

Culture

• prefers a deep, well-drained, loose soil, but also quite adaptable
• sun to partial shade
• easily transplanted
• part of the new candles (spring growing shoots) can be removed to slow size increase and change shape; removal of older tissue by direct pruning yields varying results

Landscape Uses

• groups or mass planting
• possibly a good specimen
• foundation planting
• evergreen border
• one of the few pines tolerant of some shade

Liabilities

• scales can be a pest problem
• shoot tip moth damages new candles
• although often considered a dwarf, actually variability in size, so cultivar choice is critical

ID Features

• needles in 2's, stiff and curved
• protuberances left by abscised leaves
• generally dwarfed appearance
• small resinous buds, which are hard to see
• dark ring around cone tip
• bark is scaly

Propagation

• by seed, no treatment or dormancy is needed for good germination
• cultivars are grafted on seedlings or by cuttings

Cultivars/Varieties

var. mugo (also listed as var. mughus) - This is a low-growing variant that reaches 8' tall and up to twice as wide. Thus, small container plants carrying this name at nurseries will not stay small.

var. pumilio - A prostrate, open growing plant, this form can reach 10' wide and only a few feet tall. Small plants purchased under this name can be expected to grow large in time.

'Amber Gold' (perhaps the same as 'Pot O' Gold') - A mounding selection that is compact and slow-growing, this plant truly shines in winter. The needles turn orange-yellow in the cold months, fading to green once again as spring commences. This novel habit adds interest to the winter landscape.

'Mops' - A popular dwarf form (to 3' tall), this plant remains very tight and small naturally without pruning.

'Slowmound' - Another popular true dwarf selection (to 3' tall), this cultivar forms a dark green, dense mound and won't outgrow its planting space. Similar true compact clones include: 'Paul's Dwarf', 'Sherwood Compact', 'Valley Cushion' and 'White Bud'. The latter has bright white, resinous winter buds.

'Tannenbaum' - A larger grower, this plant forms a nicely pyramidal "Christmas Tree" shape with dense habit and deep green needles. It grows 10' tall with a spread of 6'. Its extreme hardiness, to USDA zone 2, makes it a good choice for a dwarf pine in cold areas.

'Teeny' - Perhaps the smallest form available, this selection exhibits very short needles and short growth to form a compact bun.