Dwarf Mountain Pine Pinus mugo 'Mops'
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- PY-nus MOO-go maaps
- Description
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The dwarf mountain pine is a slow-growing, woody, needled evergreen shrub in the Pinaceae (pine) family. It grows 3 to 4 feet high and 2.5 to 3 feet wide.
It prefers full sun with well-drained loamy soil but can tolerate partial shade and is adaptable to other soil types and ranges of pH. It prefers cool summer climates and is tolerant of urban conditions. Pruning annually in late winter will help to retain its compact size. Spring pruning will thicken the plant and also assist in maintaining a dwarf form.
Its needles are very short and may turn yellow in winter for added interest.
The dwarf mountain pine has many landscape uses: bordering a patio, pool, or walkway; mass planted in a naturalized area; in rock or winter gardens; as an accent in the lawn, small spaces, or in a container.
Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: It is susceptible to wind damage, pine needle scale, and sawflies. Moths and borers are a lesser issue. It is somewhat susceptible to tip blight, rusts, and rots.
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Pinus
- Species:
- mugo
- Family:
- Pinaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Dense
- Mounding
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Needles
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 1" to 2" long needles grow in bundles of two, may yellow in winter
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Bark Description:
- Scaly bark
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Multi-stemmed
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Lawn
- Naturalized Area
- Patio
- Pool/Hardscape
- Small Space
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Rock Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Urban Conditions
