Dwarf Mountain Pine Data Sheet

• Common name: Dwarf mountain pine

• Latin name: Pinus Pumilio

• Genus: Pinus

• Height: 5 m (16 ft)

• Type: Evergreen

• Hardiness: Zone 1–4

• Conservation status: Least concern

Pinus Pumilio is commonly known as the Dwarf mountain pine, is a Conifer native to Southern Europe. Its range extends across the Alps, Pyrenees, Apennines and the Balkans.

This tree is generally found at low to medium altitudes, mostly from 200 m (660 ft) to 2,700 m (8,850 ft).

The Dwarf mountain pine is a small conifer reaching a maximum height of 5 m (16 ft). The bark is fairly smooth and dark brown. The Needles are short and bottle brush like reaching 3 inches long. The needles are dark green. The cones are small, 5 cm long which start out green, maturing to a deep brown colour. The cones are scaled, each scale containing a winged seed.

The Dwarf mountain pine is closely related to the Mountain pine and subspecies Pinus Mugo Uncinata and Pinus Mugo Rotundata, which all share many of its characteristics.

The Cones and buds are used to make pine syrup for use in cooking.

This tree is a widely used ornamental plant in private gardens and can be used for container planting and low rise hedging. It is becoming very popular with the bonsai crowd.

Pre Germination

Dwarf mountain pine seeds need no pretreatment or stratification before sowing. Fill trays or pots with quality compost and firm down gently. Spread the seeds across the surface; around 25 in a 10 cm pot is ideal. Cover with 3 mm of compost and gently firm down.

Keep compost damp, not soaking wet. Never allow it to dry out. Place pots or trays on a warm windowsill or in a warm conservatory. Germination should occur at 1–3 weeks.

Post Germination

Once seedlings appear, keep them in a well-ventilated area to reduce the risk of damping off disease. Place in bright conditions, a windowsill is ideal. Ensure the seedlings don't dry out. Water logging should also be avoided; young trees hate wet feet. These seedlings are small but sturdy and will give you little hassle. They can be separated into their own 4" pots at 15–20 weeks; by this stage they are frost hardy and can stay outside all year. Fertilization is not required up to this point. During spring and summer we advise using an NPK 10-10-10 fertilizer every 4 weeks.

CAUTION: Slugs and snails love juicy young pines and spruce. The seedlings are also at risk from the pine tip moth. this moth lays eggs on the seedlings. once the caterpillars emerge, They then glue the seedlings together and chew out the crowns.

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