Pine, Mugo or Swiss Mountain
Pinus mugo
Pinaceae - Pine
Description
Leaves: Needles in bundles of 2; 1-1/2" to 3" long; stiff; medium green; evergreen, remain on tree 5 or more years.
Twigs/buds: Green during first year, turning brown or blackish-brown, hairless; short, oblong to egg-shaped; prominently ridged and grooved. Buds reddish-brown; cylindrical, resinous; scales pressed close to twigs.
Flowers/fruit: Monoecious. Fruit a woody cone; 1" to 2" long; ovoid, with an uneven base; no spine on the tips of the scales; little or no stalk; gray-black when mature.
Bark: Scaly; gray-brown; not orange on upper trunk like Pinus sylvestris.
Wood: Unimportant; undesirable for timber due to its shrubby habit; used for firewood; little information available.
General: A shrubby tree native to mountains of central and southern Europe. Tough and tolerant of a variety of conditions, including cold, alkaline-soils, and some drought. Shade intolerant.
Landscape Use: A very common shrub planted throughout Utah, though some varieties can get quite large and almost tree-like. Usually used in mass plantings and rarely planted with enough room for its eventual size. If planting in a small area be sure to use true dwarf cultivars. Zones 2-8.
Cultivars: 'Amber Gold', 'Aurea', 'Gnom', 'Mops', var. mugo, 'Ophir', var. pumilo, 'Sherwood Compact', 'Slavinii', var. uncinata, 'Valley Cushion'.
Characteristics
General
Family | Pinaceae - Pine |
---|---|
Cultivar Availability | Yes |
Hardiness Zone | 2-8 |
Type | Conifer |
Utah Native | No |
Growth
Growth Rate | Medium |
---|---|
Mature Height | Low |
Longevity | Medium |
Is Good Under Power Lines | Yes |
Crown Shapes | Shrubby |
Ornamental
Bark | No |
---|---|
Fall Color | No |
Flowers | No |
Foliage | No |
Fruit | No |
Tolerance
Shade | Low |
---|---|
Salt | Medium |
Drought | High |
Poor Drainage | Medium |
Alkalinity | High |
Transplanting | High |