Mountain pine best varieties

For quite some time, summer residents and gardeners have been ennobling their plots with such a tree as mountain pine. Mountain pine is widely used in landscape design, and numerous photos are a vivid confirmation of this. Agricultural companies offer a huge selection of varieties that vary in height (there are high, low, medium and dwarf). The range ranges from ten meters to twenty centimeters. There are more than a hundred varieties now.

Mountain pine is widely used in landscape design

Why summer residents choose mountain pine

The smallest representatives of the species are called not trees, but shrubs and are used to create living fences and fences, or simply as a decorative part of a flower garden.

Mountain pines are long-lived

Another reason why summer residents choose such pines is their ability to delight with their beauty for many years. These pines are long-lived. With the right care and the right climate, these trees can live from one hundred and fifty to three hundred years. Many choose them because by planting such a tree, they leave the memory of themselves to the future generation.

Mountain pine will look good among stones

Landscape designers have long looked closely at mountain pines and are actively using them in their projects. Such a tree will perfectly decorate any area and will look good among stones. What a mountain pine looks like in landscape design can be seen in the photo.

The mountain pine has a very beautiful and lush crown

There are many reasons why both designers and gardeners love this tree so much. Here are some of them:

1. The mountain pine has a very beautiful and lush crown, which will delight its owners with its greenery all year round for hundreds of years.
2. Mountain pine needles produce essential oils that are released into the air and spread with ease. Such substances have a beneficial effect on the human respiratory and circulatory systems.
3. It practically does not matter what kind of soil you have in your summer cottage and how fertile it is. For a mountain pine, this does not really matter.
4. This tree does not need to be watered. Pine roots independently seek moisture and deliver it, like many wild trees, to all the necessary "organs" (crown, trunk, branches).
5. For the Russian climate, mountain pine is also ideal because it is not at all afraid of our harsh cold winters and can easily withstand even in rather low temperatures.

Mountain pine needles produce essential oils

These are, in fact, the main advantages of this tree, convincing that it is worth planting in your summer cottage.

The chasing pine does not need to be watered

Which variety to choose

As mentioned above, mountain pine has more than a hundred varieties. But how to decide which pine to plant? Let's consider some of the varieties in more detail in order to have a rough idea of ​​them.

Pumilio shrub height - 1.5-2 meters

Pumilio

Mountain Pumilio pine in landscape design, as you can see in the photo, is an evergreen shrub with cute little needles that reach 3-4 centimeters in size. Such a shrub is very neat: it can even be placed in a flower bed as a background for some bright contrasting colors. Pine does not completely take nutrients from the soil, therefore it can get along with any plant.

Mountain Pumilio pine can get along with any plant

This is how an adult mountain Pumilio pine plant looks in the photo in landscape design.

The height of the pumilio shrub is 1.5-2 meters.

Mountain Pumilio pine has small cone-shaped bumps

Representatives of this variety have small cones in the shape of a cone. Shoots stretch upward and form a "bowl" or "cauldron".

Pumilio is resistant to low temperatures

Like all mountain pines, the pumilio is resistant to low temperatures. It can grow in a fairly dark place, but it is preferable to plant it where there is more sun. Do not be afraid that the plant will dry out if there is insufficient watering in the hot summer - the pumilio easily tolerates drought. It is also unpretentious to the type of soil: alkaline or acidic - there is no difference.

Pumilio calmly endures drought

A good solution would be to plant this shrub for those whose summer cottage is located near the city. Pumilio does not suffer from polluted air, but rather filters it.

Immediately after planting the shrub, the soil should be fed with special fertilizers for conifers. This should be done only during the first few years, so that the plant can feed on them and gain strength for further independent growth.

Immediately after planting the shrub, the soil should be fed with special fertilizers for conifers.

In early spring, when the soil is still cold, it is worth pouring warm water on the pumilio several times to help the plant wake up after winter.

The main breeding method of mountain pine is grafting and grafting.

It is also worth considering that if your summer cottage is located in a place where there is a lot of precipitation in winter, the bush must be tied up in late autumn so that the branches do not break under the weight of the attacking snow.

Shrub in late autumn needs to be tied up

The main breeding method for mountain pine is grafting and grafting. Gardeners try to avoid seeds because there are too few traits from the parent left in a plant grown from seed, which spoils the variety. Plus, pine seed will grow for a long time.

There are types of pumilio that can be grown in pots.

By the way, there are some types of pumilio that can be grown in pots. This makes it suitable for breeding in an apartment.

Seed pine will grow for a long time

Mugus

The next variety of mountain pine that we will consider is mugus. Mugus, like the pumilio, is referred to as dwarf shrubs.

Mugus grows about ten centimeters wide and twelve centimeters high

Over the course of a year, such a shrub grows about ten centimeters wide and twelve centimeters high. This is the standard data that growers use in describing a given variety. But it is worth remembering that the growth primarily depends on the amount of fertilizers applied, the sunshine of the place and other external factors.

When buying, first of all, you need to pay attention to the root system.

Mugus will look good if planted along garden paths. This can be seen in the photo: a mountain pine tree in landscape design is a garden decoration.

The choice of plant in the store is important.

Mugus will look good if planted along garden paths

Even regardless of the color of the crown, whether it is fresh or yellowish, first of all, attention should be paid to the root system. There should be no damage on it, the roots should be large and healthy.

Mountain pine in landscaping is a good idea for designers and gardeners

If you pay due attention to mountain pine of any kind, take care of it and cover it for the winter, it will delight you with its green crown and fresh air for many years. Mountain pine in landscaping is a good idea for designers and gardeners.

Gardeners are very fond of this type of pine, so they often use it for garden compositions. Mountain pine has the largest number of dwarf varieties and forms among all conifers in the garden. Pinus mugo, that is, mountain pine, is famous for being resistant to combustion. She practically does not suffer from fungal diseases, resistant to frost. The crown is spherical, dense. There are dozens of such varieties. The most famous and beautiful of them: Mops, Gnom, Golden Glow, Mini Mops, Jezek Benjamin.

The most popular baby varieties

Gnom is a reliable, proven mountain dwarf pine variety.It is a shrub that grows slowly, reaching 2 meters in height and width. A lot of shoots are formed. Up to 5 new shoots grow from each last year. The crown becomes conical with age, forms in the form of a ball.

Mops

A spectacular dwarf plant, the height and width are the same, reaching 0.8 meters.

Mops midget

Mountain pine, smaller than Mops, same shape. Her crown is spherical, dwarf, the height is approximately equal to the width, the size is 0.4 meters. Shoots form dense branches, they are short.

Benjamin

This variety is famous for its dense, uniform ball-shaped crown. An excellent choice for a small garden. Growing up to 10 years old, this pine is 0.9 m wide and 0.7 m high. It grows slowly, up to 5 cm per year. Shoots are straight, covered with dense, short, dense needles. She's tough and shiny. The buds are white, waxy. This makes the variety unusual. Benjamin loves sunny places, but shade also tolerates well, better than regular varieties.

She needs drained soils that vary from acidic to alkaline. It tolerates frost down to minus 40. It also tolerates drought normally, it needs minimum moisture indicators, it is undemanding to soils.

This variety is difficult to damage with diseases. It accepts polluted air and soil compaction well. Snowfalls are not a hindrance to her. Benjamin gardeners are used to create decorative stunted groups. They form protective plantings on slopes with stony soil - the roots fix it. Looks beautiful with larch, spruce, birch, Rumelian pine.

Hnizdo

This mountain dwarf pine tree resembles a fluffy mound. Her crown is homogeneous, dense, in the form of a ball. It grows slowly, up to 3 cm per year. There are many shoots, they fit tightly to each other. At their ends rosettes flaunt, dark green, dense and dense.

Kissen

A very original and rare variety. The crown is spherical, it is especially loved by connoisseurs of original forms. The branches resemble strings, thin, numerous. The needles are dark green, shortened.

Scherwood compact

Mountain pine, which has earned fame in Europe and America. An adult plant will grow up to 0.45 cm in height and 0.6 cm in width. The crown is very compact, slightly flattened, dense, in the form of a sphere. The needles are juicy green. Their color remains the same regardless of the season.

Mini mops

A very popular variety in Europe. She has a dense crown, reminiscent of a pillow, slightly flattened. The needles are dark green. Extremely slow growth: 2 cm high and 3 cm wide.

Grune kugel

Mountain pine with a uniform crown in the form of a sphere. It grows only 1.5 cm per year. Shoots are straight, covered with dense, dense, short needles of a dark green hue. Grune Kugel is a gorgeous hairy ball.

Jezek

Mountain pine is a very beautiful dwarf variety. The crown forms a small ball with a uniform, regular, rather dense crown. In a year, the tree grows only up to 2.5 cm. Erect shoots, twisted needles, dense, short and dense. She has a spectacular bright green hue. By the age of 20, the pine grows up to 40 cm in height, the width is the same. In a small garden, this tree looks very original.

Loves sunny areas, undemanding to soil. She needs drained, alkaline to acidic soils. Resistant to frost, pests, diseases, drought. Soil compaction tolerates well, does not suffer from air pollution. It is much more hardy in the shade than ordinary pine varieties. Ideal for decorative group plantings.

Hnizdo

This is an original pine variety in the form of a fluffy mound. The crown is in the form of a ball, homogeneous, dense. With age, it becomes canonical. It grows slowly, only up to 3 cm per year. The 10-year-old Hnizdo pine grows to a height of only 1 meter. She has dense shoots, located next to each other, at the ends of the rosette. The needles are dark green, beautiful.

Loves the sun. It does not make high demands on the soil, it grows on any soils, acidic and alkaline. Tolerates frosts up to 40 degrees, it is resistant to droughts. It is difficult to damage it with diseases, insects, fungus, it is unpretentious to moisture. Shade tolerates better than conventional pine varieties. Snowfalls are not scary to her.

Looks great in low-growing groups, ornamental plantings in the garden, on rocky slopes for compaction. Looks great with spruces, Rumelian pine.

Litomysl

A beautiful dwarf variety with a spherical crown. It grows up to 2.5 cm per year. It has a spectacular needles, long, dark green shade.

Kostelnihek

The super dwarf variety of mountain pine has a uniform, regular, spherical shape. Pine grows only 1.5 cm per year, and after 20 years it reaches 30 cm in height and the same width.

Minikin

Dwarf pine with a crown in the form of a sphere. It grows only up to 2.5 cm per year. At the age of 20, the height is 40 cm, the width is the same. Green, slightly twisted crown, dense, crescent, medium length.

Nerost

The name justifies itself - it is one of the smallest pines in the world. It is slightly flattened in shape, with a uniform, almost flat crown in the form of a hemisphere. At 10 years old, pine growth is only 10-20 centimeters, and its width is up to half a meter.

Paradekissen

This variety with a flattened, dense crown is very beautiful. At 10 years old, the height of the pine reaches from 10 cm to half a meter. Pine adds growth slowly, up to 3 cm per year.

San Sebastian 24

An excellent super dwarf variety, named after the region in the north of the Czech Republic with the same name. The crown is dense, homogeneous, in the form of a hemisphere. It has an interesting shade of gray. The tree reaches 25 cm wide and 15 cm high.

Varella

Mountain pine variety, very beautiful, dwarf, decorative. The crown in the form of a ball is dense, compact, decorative. The width and height are small - up to 40 cm. The needles are very long, up to 12 cm, dark green. It sits tightly on the shoots, twisted. Young needles are much shorter than old ones, so there is a halo effect around the crown.

Jakobsen

A beautiful mountain pine tree with a unique shape, which makes it immediately recognizable even for beginners. It resembles a bonsai, and this shape is natural, without forming with garden shears. The tree reaches 40 cm in height and 70 cm in width. The needles grow densely, forming dense pompons at the ends, in harmony with the gray branches. Thick branches are bent in arbitrary directions, tend to the horizontal direction. As the pine grows, the branches are exposed at the base. From this, a unique form of bonsai is formed.

By the end of winter, this variety has white buds on the branches. They contrast with the dark color of the bark. Pine grows up to 4 cm per year, this variety has won the hearts of gardeners. Prefers sunny areas, unpretentious to soil. Needs drainage, acid to alkaline soils. This pine tree is frost-resistant and grows well in urban gas-polluted climates.

Mountain pines of varieties Golden Glow, Goldstar with yellow needles

These are gorgeous dwarf shrubs with unusual yellow needles.

Golden glow

The crown in the form of a dome, reaching 10 years old, this pine grows only up to 1 meter in width and height. The shrub is very bright, in winter it creates an unusual mood, even in spite of cloudy weather. She has long needle-like needles. In summer, the color is bright green, while in winter it changes to bright yellow.

This process is mesmerizing, the crown turns from green to golden. On the branches, ovoid, brownish-yellow cones or a uniform brown shade are formed. The branches are densely arranged, decorated with short shoots that grow vertically. They do not break under snow.

It is a light-loving variety, resistant to winter, drought, shade tolerates well. It can grow on any soil, even if the pine is not watered. She is not afraid of pests and diseases. It is planted on lawns, rock gardens, rockeries, gardens with stones. This pine tree is good on terraces, in beautiful landscape compositions. The combination of Golden Glow with woody plants is very luxurious.

Goldstar

A beautiful dwarf variety that grows very slowly. Reaches up to half a meter in height, up to a meter in width. A ball-shaped crown adorns this unusual plant. The color of the needles changes from green in summer to yellow in winter, and this is a magical process. Slow growing variety.

Reaches up to half a meter in height and up to a meter in width. It grows 3-4 cm per year. Loves light very much, but it can grow in partial shade.Unpretentious to soils, grows on stony soils, can grow on land with stagnant moisture, acidic soils. Resistant to frost. Good in single and group plantings on rocky soils.

Winter Gold »dwarf shrub form, growing slowly. The crown is spherical, flattened, compact. Having reached the age of 10 years, the pine grows up to half a meter in height and up to 1 meter in width.

Zundert

Mountain dwarf pine with long needles changes color from green with yellowish tips to a rich golden hue in winter. At 10 years old, this pine reaches 90 cm, and in width - 1.2 meters. The crown shape is compact, pyramidal.

Ophir

Mountain pine of this variety has a wonderful spherical shape, with age it changes, the crown becomes flat-shaped. Having reached 6 years old, the tree reaches 40 cm in height and 60 cm in width.

Wonderful varieties of dwarf pines look great in gardens and on slopes, in rock gardens. They can be purchased in Ukrainian nurseries.

Source

Mountain pine, in some reference books called by its Latin name "Mugo Pine" (Pinus mugo, Pinus montana), is a multi-stem tree with semi-lying and ascending trunks. In culture, by the age of 20 it grows up to 25 m, reaching a diameter of 3 m (Moscow).

The bark is brownish-gray, scaly. Shoots are black-brown, areas devoid of needles are covered with characteristic diamond-shaped thickenings. The needles are dark, needles, 2 in a bunch, flat, 35 cm long, often curved. Cones sticking out or bent, 2-7 x 1.5-2 cm, ripen for 3 years. Apophyses with marked transverse carina and umbilicus. Seeds are winged.

Homeland - the mountains of Central and Southern Europe. As you can see in the photo, mountain pine mainly grows at the upper border of the forest. Photophilous. Can grow on calcareous soils. In culture since 1779

Mountain pine seeds contain up to 30% of a thick, quickly drying oil. In Hungary and Switzerland, "Hungarian balsam" is obtained from young shoots and cones of Mugo pine during distillation. Some parts of the plant are used in cosmetics and medicine.

Mountain pine varieties

All mountain pine varieties are produced from several species.

Pine var. mughus (var.mugo) - an open bush with symmetrical yellowish-brown oblong cones without a bluish bloom. Apophyses with sharp keels, umbilicus usually hooked.

Pine var. pumilio - open bush... The cones are symmetrical, purple, almost round, with a bloom, the navels are depressed.

The number of mountain pine varieties is enormous, at least 120 have been registered, and new ones appear all the time. Mostly dwarf and miniature, often difficult to distinguish.

Mountain pine 'Allgaeu' (Holland)... Dwarf variety. Grows up to 1 m in height. The crown is very smooth, round, dense. The needles are dark green. Found in the mountains of Germany.

Mountain Pine 'Amber Gold‘. Dwarf variety. At 10 years old, the height is about 0.6 m. The needles are green in summer, after frost it becomes P mugo 'Gnom' orange-yellow. The orange tint is even more pronounced in the ‘Orange Sun’. But, as they write, for this it must be grown on clay soil.

Mountain pine 'Benjamin' (Germany). Miniature variety. Annual growth is 3-5 cm. Adult plant up to 0.7 m tall. The crown is very dense, even, hemispherical.

Mountain pine ‘Carstens’ (‘Carsten’s Wintergold’, ‘Winter Gold’) (until 1976, Germany)... Dwarf variety. By the age of 10, the height is about 0.5 m, the width is up to 1 m. The crown is like a wild form, but dense. The needles are somewhat twisted, as if shaggy, shorter around the buds, pure green in summer, after the autumn cold begins to turn yellow, yellow in winter. Seedling.

Mountain pine 'Chameleon' (2003, Holland)... Dwarf, dense variety, with an irregular crown. The needles are up to 4 cm long, their yellow tips turn reddish-brown after frost, hence the name of the variety.

Mountain pine 'Corley's Mat' (England)... Dwarf variety. At 10 years old, height up to 0.4 m, width up to 1 m. Maximum dimensions: height 0.6 m, width 5 m. Creeping crown, low, rather loose. The branches are open. The needles are up to 5 cm long, twisted, loose.

Mountain pine 'Golden Glow'... A dwarf variety, but grows faster and larger than the 'Carstens'.The needles are straight, green in summer, after frosts they begin to turn yellow and become bright in winter. A similar variety 'Zundert' (Holland), which differs in winter by highly resinous, white buds, as well as smaller sizes: at 10 years old, the height is about 0.5 m.It is very similar to 'Ophir' (Holland), possibly slower growth: in 10 years old, height 0.4-0.6 m and light yellow color, also 'Schweizer Tourist'.

Mountain pine 'Hesse' (1940, Germany)... Dwarf variety. At 10 years old, up to 0.3 m in height and 0.8 in spread. The crown is cushion-shaped, very dense, irregular. The needles are 7-8 cm long, slightly twisted, dark green.

Mountain pine 'Hnizdo' (P. ucinata 'Hnizdo', P. rotundata 'Hnizdo') (1987, Czech Republic)... Dwarf variety. Annual growth is 45 cm. At 20 years old, the height is about 1 m. The crown is round at first, later cushion-shaped, very dense and even. The branches are short and dense. The needles are bright green, short 1-2 cm.

Mountain Pine 'Humpy' ('Humpy WB') (1970, Scotland)... Dwarf variety. At 10 years old, the height is 0.3 m. In an adult plant, the height is 0.8 m with a width of 1.5 m. The crown is cushion-shaped, flattened, relatively dense. The kidneys are red. The needles are 2-5 cm long, straight.

Mountain pine 'Kissen' ('Brevifolia', 'Kissen Brevifolia') (1979, Germany). Dwarf variety. It grows very slowly up to 0.5 m in height. The crown is round, densely branched, but it seems loose due to the short needles. The needles on the entire shoot are very short, the longer ones surround the buds.

Mountain pine 'Klostertotter' ('Klosterkotter', 'Klostergrun')... Dwarf variety. Height up to 1.2m. The crown is relatively loose, cushion-shaped. Buds are white, highly resinous. The needles are pure green, almost straight.

Mountain pine 'Krauskopf'. Dwarf variety. Up to 0.5 m in height. The crown is cushion-shaped, strongly flattened. The branches are open. The needles are bright green, crowded on the upper side of the shoot like a brush, only radial on the vertical shoots.

Mountain pine 'Kokarde' (1952, Germany)... Dwarf variety. Up to 1.5 m in height. Spreading crown shape, irregularly branched, like var. mughus. The needles are even, have a yellow ring at the base and a yellow tip - a color called "dragon's eye", that is. when looking at the kidneys from above, they appear to be surrounded by two yellow rings. It is prone to spring burning, it is better to keep it in partial shade.

Mountain pine 'Laurin'... Dwarf variety. The crown is dense, ovoid. Height at 5 years 0.3 m, width 0.35, height of an adult plant 1 m with a width of 1.5 m. The needles are dark, straight.

Mountain pine 'Litomysl' (P. uncinata 'Litomysl') (1990, Czech Republic)... Dwarf variety. Annual growth is 3 cm. At 10 years old, height is 0.3 m. It grows up to 0.5 m in diameter. The crown is round, very flat and compact. The needles are green. Can be offered on a trunk.

Mountain pine ‘Little Lady’ (‘Fructata’)... Dwarf variety. Up to 1 m in height. The crown is dense, rounded. Branches vertically directed, numerous. The needles are straight, dark.

Mountain pine 'March'... Dwarf variety. Height up to 0.6 m. The crown is cushion-shaped, dense, even. The needles are bright green. Witch's broom.

Mountain pine 'Mini Mops' ('Minimops')... Miniature variety. Annual growth of 2-3 cm. The crown is cushion-shaped, very dense, even. The needles are 3 cm long, dark green. The witch's broom of the 'Mops' variety, which forms them especially often. A number of other varieties are known - broomsticks, the names of which include the name of the parental form: ‘Mops Midget’ (one of the smallest: at 10 years old, diameter 0.15 m), ‘Mops Michl W.B.’, ‘Mops Meylan’ and others.

Mountain pine 'Montana'... Dwarf variety. Height 1-1.5 m. The crown is round or oval. The needles are dark, dense, crooked, on average 2.5 cm long. Bears fruit.

Mountain pine 'Mops' (1951, Holland)... Dwarf variety. At 10 years old, approximately 0.6 m in height. With age, it can reach 1.5 m and more. The crown is round, dense. Shoots are very short. The needles are almost straight, 2-4.5 cm long, dark green.

Mountain pine 'Pal Maleter' (1965, Holland)... Semi-dwarf. Crohn's variety like that of the wild form. The needles are green in summer, after frost its ends become creamy (dragon's eye color), especially bright in winter.

Mountain pine ‘Paradekissen’ (P. uncinata ‘Paradekissen’) (1983, Germany)... Miniature variety. The mother plant at the age of 400-500 years had a height of 0.5 cm and a width of 0.7 cm. In culture, at 25 years old, the height reached 0.45 cm. The crown is very dense, cushion-shaped, even. The needles are short. Found in nature.

Mountain pine 'Peterle'... Dwarf variety. The crown is similar to that of the wild form, but more compact and vertical growth is more pronounced.The old sections of the branches are bare, the remaining needles at the ends of the branches are even, dense, straight.

Mountain pine 'Picobello'... Dwarf variety. Up to 0.5 cm in height. The annual growth is about 2 cm. The crown is round, very dense, with a flat surface. The needles are straight.

Mountain pine variety 'Sherwood Compact' ('Teeny') (1983)... Dwarf variety. The crown is round, dense. The buds are highly resinous, white. The needles are short, even, dense.

‘Sunshine’. Dwarf... At 10 years old, the height is 0.6 m. The crown is round or cushion-shaped, loose. The needles are curved, relatively short. The color of the needles is "dragon's eye", that is, at the base and (or) at the ends of the needles there is a strip, first cream - on young shoots, yellow - with the onset of cold weather.

Pine variety 'Trompenburg'... Dwarf. Up to 1 m in height. The crown is even, cushion-shaped.

Mountain pine variety 'Varella' (1997, Germany)... Dwarf. At 10 years old, the height is 0.6 m. Potentially up to 1 m in height. It grows slowly. The crown is hemispherical, very even and dense. The needles are bright green, long, thin, twisted. The buds are surrounded by a corolla of short needles.

Mountain pine 'Columbo'

Mountain pine ‘Columbo’ (‘Columnaris’) - a semi-dwarf variety, reaching a height of no more than 2 m. The crown is narrow pyramidal, with age it becomes wider, dense, rather even. The needles are bluish. Derived from var. rostrata, which is characterized by a pyramidal shape, so it should formally be considered a hooked pine. Similar varieties ‘Tannenbaum’ (at 20 years old, height 6 m) and ‘Green Mountain’.

Mountain pine 'Gnom'

Mountain pine 'Gnom' bred in 1927 in Holland... This is a dwarf variety, at the age of 10, reaching 2 m in height with a diameter of 0.8 m. The crown is oval-rounded, expanding with age, dense. Branching is dense. The needles are dark green, 3.5-4.5 cm long. Seedling var. mughus.

Mountain pine "Mugus"

Mountain pine "Mugus" ('Mughus', P. mugo var. Mugo, P. mugo var. Mughus) is a wild-form clone or seedling. Sizes can vary a lot, but usually small specimens are meant. Crown shapes can also be varied, more often they repeat the wild form of the Mugo pine.

Mountain pine "Pumilio"

Mountain pine "Pumilio" (‘Pumilio’, P. mugo var. Pumilio), like the mountain pine “Mugus”, is a clone or a seedling of a wild form. Sizes, as with the ‘Mughus’, vary greatly. Young cones of the "Pumilio" variety are purple or violet.

Photo gallery: mountain pine (click on the picture to enlarge):

There are many ways to decorate your garden. One of the most popular landscaping plants is mountain pine. It pleases the eyes of the owners of the plots with pleasant greenery all year round, making it perfect for decorating them. Some varieties of these plants can be grown in pots, which allows you to bring them home in late autumn and enjoy the smell of fresh needles all winter.

What are mountain pines good for?

The owners of country houses have already appreciated these conifers. They have a lot of useful properties:

• Mountain varieties are small in size - they are suitable for planting in hedges and for decorating flower beds.
• Due to their small size, these plants do not shade the area, so they can be planted even near buildings. When the shrub grows to its maximum, it still will not interfere with the penetration of light into the windows.
• These plants belong to the category of centenarians. With proper care, they will delight the eye for hundreds of years. Some gardeners choose pine for the decoration of the site in order to leave a memory of themselves for posterity.
• The tree is great for use in a wide variety of landscaping options. Gardening professionals often use evergreens for their projects. They look equally good on large areas and on modest rocky slides.

• The crown of this plant is very lush and beautiful, the soil does not shine through it. Pine in design looks great because of this and can be used on slopes and even glades.
• Thanks to this plant, you can not only relax, but also improve your health. The needles produce essential oils that have a positive effect on the circulatory system and respiratory system.
• The soil on the site does not matter - a gnome or any other variety can take root on soil with different compositions. It is not necessary to use humus for this plant.
• It is not necessary to water the plant constantly, they independently find moisture and deliver it to the crown and other parts.
• The gnome and others do well with the Russian winters. They are not afraid of the harsh climate. Thanks to these properties, many designers and gardeners make their choice in favor of pine trees. You can buy seedlings from nurseries and markets.

Important! Buy trees only in proven places. Your best bet is to pay a little more and get a healthy seedling. Diseased plants are often spread in small markets or along highways.

Pine varieties

Today, more than a hundred varieties of this plant are known, each of which differs in appearance, size and shade of needles. All pines are called Pinus Mugo, the third word on the marking indicates the variety:

• The Benjamin variety is small in size - the crown diameter rarely grows to a meter, and the height of the shrub is only 90 centimeters. The needles are dense and shiny. Most often used in design in small areas. It can be placed in stone troughs.
• Light green pine Winter Gold is suitable for decorating a heather garden. It has a spherical crown with upward shoots. It reaches a height of only 0.5 meters. In winter, the needles change color and become golden yellow, it is because of this feature that the variety got its name. It is not recommended to plant this pine in areas with a large snow cover, because in this case you will not be able to enjoy the beauty of the crown.

• The Dwarf Pine can be planted in a wide variety of locations. It belongs to the shrub varieties, reaching a height of 2 m in height and in the diameter of the crown. It is used to ennoble roofs, form hedges and decorate parterre lawns. It can be planted in a group or singly. The grafting method is used to propagate this variety. Long needles and a large number of new shoots that appear every year make this species attractive to gardeners.
• Varieties of Compact are often given a different name - Dense. It is a compact tree that can be used for Japanese gardens. It grows very slowly and has several main trunks.
• The Pug pine can be of two types: mini and simple. In a miniature variety, the needles are rolled into bunches, and in a simple one, they are straight, up to 4.5 centimeters long and up to 2 millimeters wide. The mini version is lower in height - only 60 centimeters, so it is often used to frame flower beds, and the classic Pug reaches one and a half meters, which allows it to be planted in hedges. She can divide the site into zones.
• The creeping pine Mugus reproduces by cuttings and seeds. This shrub is most beautiful when it releases cones - they are yellow-brown with a thorn in the middle. Mugus reaches a height of two meters and is used in rock gardens, for refining slopes and ravines.
• The Hampi variety can be planted in acidic soil, as well as in places where moisture stagnates. It's good if this area is shaded. The shrub is very beautiful, it looks great on rocky hills. The needles of this plant are light green in color.

• Varella has very unusual long needles. From a distance, the plant appears to be very soft and fluffy. Its crown has the shape of a ball.
• Another interesting pine, Pumilio, attracts the eye with its appearance. It reaches a height of 3 m and occupies the same area in terms of area. Its crown is creeping, with shoots of different lengths. Most often, these shrubs are used to decorate lawns and hills.

As you can see from the list, each of the varieties of this plant has its own characteristics. The final choice of pine variety for your garden should be done based on the type of crown and height. The decorative properties of these coniferous shrubs are also different.

Important! The root system of these plants is very strong, which is why they are often used to strengthen rocky or clay slopes.

How to choose the right variety?

Before buying, carefully familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the variety. It is best to decide in advance which pines will grow on your site:

• if you want to set up an Asian-style garden on your site, then you should choose varieties with long and straight needles;
• for alpine slides, options with short needles, collected in bunches, are suitable;
• in hedges, you can use neat options with a hemispherical crown;
• trees of unusual shape will look great on lawns.

All varietal plants get along well with any flowers and shrubs. They do not take all moisture and nutrients from the soil.

Important! It is advisable to buy only varietal plants, since in this case you will be able to choose the right place for planting.

Most varieties are completely unpretentious, but there are also preference options. For example, Pumilio likes well-lit places, while Humpy can be planted in the shade.

For planting on your site, it is best to purchase seedlings up to 5 years old, if you take an older plant, then it may not take root.

The plant needs special care in the first month and a half after transfer to a permanent place of growth.

Planting and leaving

It is best to start planting plants in April, as soon as the snow cover melts. If you just purchased a plot in the summer or started arranging it, then wait until August or September with disembarkation.

Important! Try to be in time with the landing in the fall before the first frost. Otherwise, the plant may die.

After you have chosen a place for this plant, you need to dig a wide and deep hole, at the bottom of which pour drainage. Lay the next layer of black soil and place a seedling with an earthen clod on the roots in the hole. It is best to purchase a seedling in a pot, in this case, the risk of damage to the root system is reduced. Next, the hole will need to be covered with earth so that the root collar is not buried.

It is best to use a fertile mixture to strengthen the seedling: compost, rotted manure and sand. It is especially important to use such a soil if you are planting in late autumn, has a positive attitude to mineral fertilizing, so 50 grams of Kemira-Agro fertilizer can be added to the fertile soil.

Important! Inspect the underbarrel circle after disembarkation - there should not be a depression under the crown. Rainwater will accumulate in it, which will lead to decay of the roots.

In the first month and a half after placing the seedlings on the site, water regularly. You should not do this with a bucket, take a watering can without a diffuser and gently distribute the water along the edge of the hole. If you notice that a puddle is forming under the crown, then add any soil to this place, slightly compact the area.

At first, you will need to pay special attention to the sun's rays on the branches of the pine trees. If you plant in the spring, then in the first summer (on sunny days) cover the trees with spruce branches or lutrasil.

In some areas, winters are characterized by high snow, in this case it is worth tying up the branches of shrubs in autumn or placing them in special boxes that will not allow precipitation to break the branches and damage the plant.

It's best to take the time to prepare for winter so that you don't find snow-damaged pine trees in the spring, which will ruin the entire look of your site.

So that in spring moisture evaporates faster from the surface of the soil, pour rotted manure mixed with sand, or needles under the roots of each bush. This will help not only dry out the soil, but also slightly oxidize and mulch it. If you do everything correctly, then during the second season fresh shoots will appear on the bushes.

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