Plant, Tree & Shrub Library

Other Names:  Mugho Pine, Swiss Mountain Pine, Dwarf Mugo

Description:

A natural unsheared form of 'Dwarf Mugo Pine' Slow growing, rugged and hardy, excellent for texture and color detail in home gardens.

Ornamental Features

Mugo Pine Free Form is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its highly ornamental lollipop-like shape. It has emerald green evergreen foliage. The needles remain emerald green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Mugo Pine Free Form is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub, selected and trained to grow in a small tree-like form with the primary plant grafted high atop a standard. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub. When pruning is necessary, it is recommended to only trim back the new growth of the current season, other than to remove any dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Mugo Pine Free Form is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Mugo Pine Free Form will grow to be about 7 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.