The dwarf mountain pine is a slow-growing, woody, needled evergreen shrub in the Pinaceae (pine) family. It grows 3 to 4 feet high and 2.5 to 3 feet wide. It prefers full sun with well-drained loamy soil but can tolerate partial shade and is adaptable to other soil types and ranges of pH. It prefers cool summer climates and is tolerant of urban conditions. Pruning annually in late winter will help to retain its compact size. Spring pruning will thicken the plant and also assist in maintaining a dwarf form. Its needles are very short and may turn yellow in winter for added interest. The dwarf mountain pine has many landscape uses: bordering a patio, pool, or walkway; mass planted in a naturalized area; in rock or winter gardens; as an accent in the lawn, small spaces, or in a container. Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: It is susceptible to wind damage, pine needle scale, and sawflies. Moths and borers are a lesser issue. It is somewhat susceptible to tip blight, rusts, and rots. VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for " Trees, Shrubs and Conifers " a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Pinus mugo .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheEchinacea purpurea 'Mellow Yellows'Juniperus horizontalis 'Limeglow'Juniperus horizontalis 'Plumosa'
Native alternativesJuniperus communis var. depressa
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Perennial; Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
12 inches-3 feet; 3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Dense; Mounding; Multi-stemmed; Rounded
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
1" to 2" long needles grow in bundles of two, may yellow in winter
Bark color
Dark Brown; Dark Gray
Bark detail
Scaly bark
Stem detail
Multi-stemmed
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Lawn; Naturalized Area; Patio; Pool/Hardscape; Small Space; Walkways