Mugo Pine / Mountain PinePinus mugo
Pinus mugo subsp. uncinata
in their native French Pyrenees.
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Mugo pines are a mysterious European species of pine, native to central and southern
European mountain ranges. In their native habitat they can reach 80ft tall, but most of the
varieties available in the United States have been selected for their dwarf forms.
Even as a dwarf, there is much confusion as to what a dwarf actually is. In the strictest
sense, dwarf means smaller than their 80ft tall ancestors! A home gardener might purchase a
"dwarf" mugo expecting the nice dense mound of needles to stay a nice dense mound of needles
only to discover 10 years later that the dwarf is 8ft tall and showing no signs of slowing.
Old plantings in city parks and arboretums across the country often have mugos reaching 20ft
tall, which by definition are still dwarfs but are much too large for neat, tidy residential
landscaping.
Mugos are difficult to propagate commercially and are often produced by seed, which means
they grow to different sizes with different forms and needle appearance. These mugos can be
trimmed religiously on a yearly basis to keep them in check, but there are some actual
landscape appropriate dwarf varieties on the market.
Iseli Nursery in Oregon has
had some success with rooting mugo cuttings and have created a line of truly dwarf mugos that
have been trademarked as the "TRUdwarf®" line with most of the varieties staying under 3ft-4ft
tall and wide after 10 years of growth.
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Info on Mugo Pine from Wikipedia:
Mountain Pine
 Mountain Pine or Mugo Pine (Pinus mugo) is a high altitude European pine, found in the
Pyrenees, Alps, Erzgebirge, Carpathians, northern Apennines and Balkan Peninsula mountains
from (mostly) 1,000 m to 2,200 m, occasionally as low as 200 m in the north of the range in
Germany and Poland, and as high as 2,700 m in the south of the range in Bulgaria.
There are two subspecies:
* Pinus mugo subsp. mugo in the east and south of the range (southern & eastern Alps,
Balkan peninsula), a low, shrubby, often multi-stemmed plant to 3-6 m tall with symmetrical
cones.
* Pinus mugo subsp. uncinata in the west and north of the range (Pyrenees northeast to
Poland), a larger, usually single-stemmed tree to 20 m tall with asymmetrical cones (the
scales are much thicker on one side of the cone than the other). The two subspecies
intergrade extensively (hybrid subspecies rotundata) in the western Alps and northern
Carpathians. Some botanists treat the western subspecies as a separate species, Pinus
uncinata, others as only a variety, Pinus mugo var. rostrata.
Both subspecies have similar foliage, with dark green leaves ('needles') in pairs,
3-7 cm long. The cones are nut-brown, 2.5-5.5 cm long, symmetrical, thin-scaled and
matt texture in subsp. mugo, asymmetrical with thick scales on the upper side of the cone,
thin on the lower side, and glossy, in subsp. uncinata.
The species is highly valued in horticulture, particularly the smaller subsp. mugo.
An old name for the species Pinus montana is still occasionally seen, and a typographical
error "mugho" (first made in a prominent 18th century encyclopedia) is still repeated
surprisingly often.
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'Mops' Mugo Pine |
Pinus mugo 'Mops' is one of the TRU-dwarf® varieties.
This is the
quote from the Iseli
webpage about 'Mops':
"A gardening breakthrough, 'Mops' is a TRUdwarf® mugo pine that won't outgrow the landscape.
It stays very compact and dense without shearing. This hardy, durable pine forms a low,
dense mound that is excellent for use in foundation plantings, rock gardens, and in any
confined area requiring a very dwarf plant."
And a quote from Iseli's Mugo page:
"'Mops.' Selected in the Netherlands in 1951, this cultivar reaches 3 feet high and wide at
maturity. It has 3/4 to 1 inch, dark green needles that can change to light green or almost
yellow in winter. It normally produces multiple buds."
Mops Mugo
4" globe = $9.99
SOLD OUT
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'Slowmound' Mugo Pine |
Pinus mugo 'Slowmound' is one of the TRU-dwarf® varieties.
This is the
quote from the Iseli
chart of P. mugo varieties:
"'Slowmound' is a TRUdwarf® mugo pine that won't outgrow the landscape. This hardy
durable pine forms a low dense mound with an informal appearance. A breakthrough for
gardeners as its stays very compact and dense without shearing."
And a quote from Iseli's Mugo page:
"'Slowmound.' This was a seedling selection from Iseli Nursery in 1981. The cultivar name
describes the plant's growth, which is only 1 ½ -2 inches per year. Needles are ¾ to 1 inch
long and dark green with a slight twist. It produces single buds."
Slowmound Mugo
4" globe = $9.99
SOLD OUT
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'Teeny' Mugo Pine |
Pinus mugo 'Teeny' is one of the TRU-dwarf® varieties.
This is the
quote from the Iseli
webpage of mugo cultivars:
"Selected especially for planting in rock-alpine gardens or
troughs, this TRUdwarf® pine adds rich green color and form that will be enjoyed for years
without over growing even the smallest most restrictive space."
And a quote from the Iseli wholesale catalog:
"'Teeny' lives up to its name with its tiny needles
and short growth, rich green color and a tight globose shape. Another of our cutting-grown
mugos with predictable uniformity. Can be enjoyed for years without overgrowing even the
smallest garden space."
Teeny Mugo
4" globe = $9.99
SOLD OUT
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'Valley Cushion' Mugo Pine |
Pinus mugo 'Valley Cushion' is one of the TRU-dwarf® varieties.
This is the
quote from the Iseli
webpage of mugo cultivars:
"'Valley Cushion' is a TRUdwarf® mugo pine that has
uniform compact growth. The medium green color of the short small needles, the mounding
shape and slow growth all bring things into scale in your favorite trough or railway
garden."
And a quote from the Iseli wholesale catalog:
"This dwarf selection of mugo pine is an excellent choice
for a small mounding plant in cold areas of the country. Growing slightly wider than tall,
'Valley Cushion' is a medium green all year round. Selected at the North Willamette
Research Station, Aurora, Oregon."
Valley Cushion Mugo
4" globe = $9.99
SOLD OUT
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Growth = 3"-5" per year
10 year size = 2ft-3ft
Form = Natural globe
Light = Full sun
Hardiness = -50°F to -40°F
(USDA Zone 2)
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Our apologies, we don't yet have a decent picture of a mature Valley Cushion.
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'White Bud' Mugo Pine |
Pinus mugo 'White Bud' is one of the TRU-dwarf® varieties.
This is the
quote from the Iseli
webpage of mugo cultivars:
"This TRUdwarf® mugo pine is a reliable selection that
will remain compact without the need for shearing. This makes it an excellent choice for
the rock garden, entry way or border planting. 'White Bud' gets its name from the white
resin that forms on the buds in late winter."
And a quote from the Iseli wholesale catalog:
"'White Bud' lives up to its name with its tiny needles
and short growth, rich green color and a tight globose shape. Another of our cutting-grown
mugos with predictable uniformity. Can be enjoyed for years without overgrowing even the
smallest garden space."
White Bud Mugo
4" globe = $9.99
SOLD OUT
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