Dwarf Mugo Pine Pinus mugo var. pumilio
A popular dwarf conifer displaying dark green needles on dense branches. A very useful, slow growing evergreen for rock gardens, mass plantings, and in mixed groupings with broadleaf plants. Makes a great container specimen.
Grows easily in enriched, loamy and well-drained soils. Water deeply and regularly during the first growing season to establish an extensive root system; reduce frequency, once established. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring.
Average Size at Maturity |
Slow growing; reaches 3 to 5 ft. tall, 6 to 10 ft. wide in 10 years. |
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Bloom Time |
Conifer; prized for foliage. |
Design Ideas |
Although Mugo Pine can grow taller with age, in the Japanese garden it is very carefully clipped into a neat mounding form. Of the small conifers, this is the easiest to grow in gardens and is often used individually or in small clusters with boulders. Has become popular as an evergreen contrast in perennial borders, but it's best used amidst other dwarf shrubs needing texture variations. |
Deciduous/ Evergreen |
Evergreen |
Foliage Color |
Dark Green |
Garden Style |
Asian/Zen, Contemporary, Rustic |
Growth Habit |
Prostrate |
Growth Rate |
Slow |
Landscape Use |
Border, Container, Mass Planting, Rock Garden, Specimen, Topiary, Woodland Garden, Wildlife Garden, Urban Garden |
Light Needs |
Full sun |
Soil Needs |
All-Purpose Plant Food |
Special Feature |
Dense Habit, Easy Care, Extreme Cold Hardiness, Showy Fruit, Waterwise, Year-round Interest, Bird Friendly |
Water Needs |
Low |
Watering Needs |
Once established, water occasionally; more in extreme heat or containers. |
Key Feature |
Year-Round Interest |