Dwarf Weymouth Pine - Pinus strobus Minuta

Pinus strobus 'Minuta' is one of the smallest pines that exist. This wonderful little elegant conifer forms a slightly flattened, very compact, very dense ball, covered with green-blue needle foliage, from which emerge pretty light green spring buds. Its particularly small size and very neat appearance make it a remarkable subject for decorating small spaces, rockeries, borders, or pots on the terrace. It is a very slow-growing variety, easy to grow in fertile, well-drained, non-calcareous soil. It prefers sunny situations.

Pinus strobus, also known as white pine, Weymouth pine or Lord's pine, is a conifer of the Pinaceae family, native to eastern North America, up to Newfoundland in Canada. This king of the forest is a monumental tree, a gigantic pyramidal Christmas tree reaching 90 m (295.3 ft) in height in its environment, but currently only reaching a height of 45 m (147.6 ft) with difficulty due to the destruction of its habitat and the massive exploitation it has been subjected to. It is a very hardy species, often planted for reforestation in forests, or as an ornamental tree in large parks.

The 'Minuta' variety, derived from this species, is distinguished by its very small size, compact globose habit, and regular growth. Its growth is very slow, about 2 cm (0.8 in) per year, so at maturity, it will not exceed 60 cm (23.6 in) in height and 90 cm (35.4 in) in spread. It is a many-stemmed bush, with branches emerging from the base, covered with green-grey-blue needles with silvery reflections. The needles are fine, soft, and flexible, measuring 4 cm to 5 cm (1.6 in to 2 in) in length. They are grouped in fives and gathered in very dense tufts on the branches. Their lower surface has two bands of silver stomata (plant respiration cells). The bark of this bush is smooth, and is green-grey on young subjects, before turning brown-grey and fissured over time. The lower part of the tree, when mature, shows a whitened bark, hence the vernacular name "white pine".

Pinus strobus 'Minuta' suits all gardens, even the smallest ones, because it is undemanding and adapts to a wide variety of soils, except for limestone and poorly drained soils. In small spaces, it will look good planted in front of shrubs or perennials, and will also enliven a rockery or a border. It will of course make a magnificent specimen in a large pot that will enhance a balcony or terrace, and will work wonders in a Japanese garden. It goes well with large stones, the geometric lines of pools, and masonry works. It can be planted alongside complementary grasses or dwarf conifers with a prostrate habit (Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Chip'), globose habit (Picea abies 'Little Gem'), or columnar habit (Juniperus communis 'Sentinel'). The visual qualities of conifers suit the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes and textures to the daintiness of flowers. These plants are a perfect alternative to trimmed boxwood or holly, and can be used to mark pathways or border terraces. They also add permanence to the structure of a flowerbed. The key is to play with volumes and colours.