Pine mountain

Pine mountain (Pinus mugo) in nature lives in the mountains of Central and Southern Europe. This species has several natural varieties that differ in height: 

• full-grown – their annual growth is more than 30 cm per year and by the age of 10 it reaches a height of 3 m;
• medium-sized and semi-dwarf (semidwarj) – they grow 15 – 30 cm per year;
• dwarf (dwarf) – their growth is 8 – 15 cm per year;
• miniature (mini) – they grow only 3 – 8 cm per year;
• microscopic (micro) – their growth does not exceed 1 – 3 cm per year.

Varieties of mountain pine

All mountain pine varieties are natural mutations propagated by grafting. They differ in height and crown shape. 

Pineapple (Pinus mugo var. pumilio). This is a natural variety that can be found in the Alps and the Carpathians. There it grows in the form of a shrub up to 1 m high and up to 3 m in diameter. Its branches are of different lengths and they are directed upwards. The needles are usually short. The buds change color from blue to purple in the first year, but as they mature they turn yellow and then dark brown.

Мугус (Pinus mugo var. mughus). Another natural variety that lives in the Eastern Alps and the Balkan Peninsula. This is a massive shrub, reaching a height of 5 m. Its cones are yellow-brown at first, becoming cinnamon-colored as they ripen. 

Pug (Mops). Dwarf variety, not exceeding 1,5 m in height and the same diameter. Its branches are short, the needles are small, up to 4,5 cm long. The needles are dark green. Grows very slowly. Winter hardiness – up to -45 ° С. 

Dwarf (Gnom). Compared to some natural varieties, this variety, of course, is smaller in height, but still quite large – it reaches 2,5 m and a diameter of 1,5 – 2 m. At a young age, it grows in breadth, but then begins to stretch in height. The needles are dark green. Grows slowly. Winter hardiness – up to -40 ° С.

Varella. This variety has an unusually spherical crown shape. It grows very slowly, by the age of 10 it does not exceed 70 cm in height and 50 cm in diameter. Adult pines reach a height of 1,5 m, and in diameter – 1,2 m. The needles are dark green. Winter hardiness – up to -35 ° С.

Winter Gold. A dwarf variety, at 10 years old it does not exceed 50 cm in height, and in diameter – 1 m. The needles have an unusual color: light green in summer, golden yellow in winter. Frost resistance – up to -40 ° С.

These are the most popular varieties and varieties of mountain pine, but there are others that are no less interesting:

• Jacobsen (Jacobsen) – with an unusual crown shape, reminiscent of bonsai, up to 40 cm high and up to 70 cm in diameter;
• Frisia (Frisia) – up to 2 m high and up to 1,4 m in diameter;
• Ofir (Ophir) – dwarf mutation with a flat crown, 30-40 cm high and up to 60 cm in diameter;
• Sunshine – 90 cm high and 1,4 m in diameter;
• San Sebastian 24 – a very miniature variety, at 10 years old does not exceed 15 cm in height and 25 cm in diameter.

Mountain pine planting 

Mountain pine – an unpretentious plant, pleases with its beauty for many years, but on condition that it is properly planted.

The first thing to consider is that this plant loves an abundance of light. Therefore, the area must be light. 

Mountain pine seedlings are sold in containers, so there is no need to dig a large hole under them – in diameter it should be about 10 cm larger than the earthen coma. But in depth it needs to be done more in order to put a layer of drainage on the bottom. 

It is possible to plant pines with a closed root system (ZKS) from mid-April to mid-October.

mountain pine care

Mountain pine is an unpretentious plant, its care is minimal, but still it should be.

Ground

Mountain pine is not demanding on soils, it can grow in almost any area, with the exception of marshy areas – it does not like stagnant water.

Lighting

Most varieties and varieties of mountain pine love full lighting throughout the day. Pumilio, Mugus and Pug pines are especially famous for their light-loving nature – they do not tolerate shading at all. The rest can tolerate a little shading. 

Watering

These pines easily tolerate drought, but in the first month after planting they need abundant watering – once a week, 1 liters per bush.

fertilizers

When planting in a hole, no fertilizer is needed.

Feeding

In nature, mountain pines grow on poor, stony soils, so they do not need top dressing – they themselves are able to get the necessary amount of nutrients for themselves.

Reproduction of mountain pine 

Natural forms of mountain pine can be propagated by seeds. Before sowing, they must undergo stratification: for this they are mixed with moistened sand and kept in the refrigerator for a month. After that, you can sow in the school to a depth of 1,5 cm.

Varietal mutations can only be propagated by grafting. This species does not propagate by cuttings.

Mountain pine diseases

Mountain pine is affected by the same diseases as other types of pines. 

Pine spinner (shoot rust). The cause of this disease is a fungus. The first signs of infection can be detected at the end of the season – the needles turn brown, but do not crumble. 

This is one of the most dangerous diseases, it can destroy a tree in a couple of years. And, by the way, this fungus affects not only pines, its intermediate hosts are poplars and aspens. 

Rust treatment is needed as soon as the first symptoms are detected. Treatment with Bordeaux liquid (1%) gives good results, but there should be 3-4 of them: in early May, and then a couple more times with a difference of 5 days.

Brown Shutte (brown snow mold). This disease is most active in winter – it develops under the snow. A sign is a white coating on the needles. 

For treatment, drugs Hom or Rakurs are used (1).

Shoot cancer (scleroderriosis). This infection affects the shoots, and the first signs can be seen at the ends of the branches – they droop, acquiring the shape of an umbrella. In spring, the needles on the affected plants turn yellow, but soon turn brown. Distribution occurs from top to bottom. If the disease is not treated, it progresses and leads to the death of the cortex (2). 

Small pines, in which the stem diameter does not exceed 1 cm, are useless to treat – they will die anyway. Mature trees can be cured, for this they use Fundazol.

mountain pine pests

Mountain pine is resistant to pests, but one is still found.

Shield pine. This is a rare visitor to mountain pines, it prefers Scotch pine, but from hunger it can settle on this species. The insect is small, about 2 mm. It usually lives on the underside of the needles. Damaged needles turn brown and fall off. This scale insect has a special love for trees under the age of 5 years (3). 

It is useless to fight with adults – they are covered with a strong shell and drugs do not take them. But there is good news – they live only one season. But they leave a lot of offspring. And it is with him that you need to fight until the larvae have acquired a shell.

Treatment against young scale insects is carried out in July with Actellik.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about mountain pines with agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mikhailova.

Sources of

1. State catalog of pesticides and agrochemicals permitted for use on the territory of the Federation as of July 6, 2021 // Ministry of Agriculture of the Federation

   https://mcx.gov.ru/ministry/departments/departament-rastenievodstva-mekhanizatsii-khimizatsii-i-zashchity-rasteniy/industry-information/info-gosudarstvennaya-usluga-po-gosudarstvennoy-registratsii-pestitsidov-i-agrokhimikatov/

2. Zhukov A.M., Gninenko Yu.I., Zhukov P.D. Dangerous little-studied diseases of conifers in the forests of Our Country: ed. 2nd, rev. and additional // Pushkino: VNIILM, 2013. – 128 p.
3. Gray G.A. Pine scale insect – ucaspis pusilla Low, 1883 (Homoptera: Diaspididae) in the Volgograd region // Entomological and parasitological research in the Volga region, 2017

   https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/schitovka-sosnovaya-ucaspis-pusilla-low-1883-homoptera-diaspididae-v-volgogradskoy-oblasti