Mugo Pine, Swiss Mountain Pine

Mugo Pines are dwarf trees, and they keep their shape well with yearly attention in the spring. . The right way and time to prune a mugo is when the new growth (candles) sprout out in mid spring; it doesn’t take very much time to trim them, then. This is the biggest question I get on the blog: when and how should I prune a mugo pine? The tip growth is called a “candle” due to its appearance; these light gold, slim spikes should be pinched or tipped back about two-thirds each year. Please don’t cut back into old wood or remove parts of a growing branch- it may not regenerate.

This popular evergreen is wildly variable in expected size. Their native range is western Europe, eastern Europe, southern Europe, and western Asia, which creates this incredible variation. From a well behaved dwarf to a form more in keeping with its tree status, I like the mugo pine no less for its indeterminate height at maturity.

[The Look] A globular shape with branches reaching out in a cupped direction, the needles are 1-2 inches long in fasicles (bundles) of two. Some of the variants are more dome shaped with a low spreading form. Bright medium green foliage, with small, dark gray-brown pinecones, provides a good looking evergreen accent.

Grows from 5′ to 20′ high, and of equal spread. The branchlets grow fairly compactly which gives the bush a nice full shape for garden use.

Named varieties excellent for your home landscape are ‘Mops’, ‘Gnom’, ‘,Compacta’, ‘Slow Mound’, and ‘Sherwood Compact’.

[How To Grow]
Hardy to zone 2, the Mugo likes loose, organic, moist soil… but is not picky. I’ve grown it both clay and clay loam soil.

This shrub does have some pest problems at times, including Pine sawfly and Pine needle scale. Description of more pest problems at this page, ‘bonsai mugo pine’.

Feed them in spring to early summer with an organic fertilizer. I don’t specifically feed my mugos, but keep them well mulched, and they get the benefit of whatever fertilizer, such as bone meal, that I use for bulbs in their vicinity. They do spread, so space bulbs and other plants accordingly- four to six feet from the center of the pines. ( I’ve had to move bulbs from beneath several times over the years.)

If you need to transplant them, late August to early fall is the best time of year to move pines.

[Fun Facts]
Mugo pines are a favorite for bonsai.
They are a natural choice for a Japanese or Oriental style garden.

Resources:
The closeup picture at top is by Josh Jackson
The tulips and mugo picture are copyright to me.
Monrovia

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