Mugo Pine is a variable species that is most often seen as a bushy, multi-stemmed shrub or broad-rounded small tree 15 to 30 feet tall. Mature plants typically exhibit a dense habit, usually growing wider than tall. It is native to the mountains of central and southern Europe from Spain to the Balkans. It features bright green needles 1 to 3 inches long in bundles of two, oval to conical dull brown female cones to 2 1/2 inches long. The bark is brown and broken into irregular plates, but they do not exfoliate. Branches are covered with little rounded bumps that persist where needles have dropped off.
Mugo Pine is a slow growing little pine tolerant of a wide range of soil types, including very calcareous soils. It can be pruned to keep it small and densely bushy. This is an outstanding maintenance free little shrub with very dense foliage and a fine to medium texture that works well in most landscape settings.
Mugo is reportedly an ancient Tyrolean name with an unknown definition.
