Pinus mugo Green Column - Dwarf Mountain Pine

Pinus mugo 'Green Column', of modest size, is an unusual form of mountain pine, still difficult to find in. It quickly forms a slender cone with a well-regulated habit. Its dense foliage hesitates between dark green and green-grey. Its ramified and ascending branches are densely covered with fairly long needles. Due to its modest growth, it is well suited for a small garden or a large rockery. It is an extremely hardy conifer that does not require pruning. It thrives in well-drained soil, even poor and chalky soil, and is happy in all exposures, including shade.

Pinus mugo, also known as Mountain Pine, Mugho Pine or Mountain Pine, is an evergreen conifer from the pine family endemic to the mountains of Europe. It is found in the subalpine zone, avoiding summer heat, from the Spanish sierras, through the high Alpine and Pyrenean massifs, to the Balkans. It only descends to an altitude of 200m (656ft) in Central Europe. In nature, it slowly reaches 3 to 4 metres (10 to 13 feet) in all directions, adopting a wind-swept silhouette that reflects its habitat. It is a very hardy species, well adapted to mountain climates.

The 'Green Column' variety distinguishes itself from the wild species with its compact, regular conical habit, and its adaptability to various conditions. Its growth is moderately fast, reaching a height of 2 metres (7 feet) and a spread of 1 metre (3 feet) at the age of 10. Ultimately, it will reach a height of 2.50 metres (8 feet) and occupy a diameter of 1.50 metres (5 feet) at ground level. Its branches are covered with fine needles, 4 to 5cm (2in) long, grouped in pairs and arranged in brushes. The young shoots, grouped in 3 to 5 at the end of 2-year-old branches, are green-grey. They emerge in spring from light brown and resinous buds, then take on a dark greyish-green colour. On its trunk, the bark is brown-grey, while it shows a green and glossy colour, then black, on the branches.

The 'Green Column' Mountain Pine will find its place in a small or medium-sized garden, alone, in a large rockery, as a hedge or on the edge of a woodland, or even in a woodland. As it grows well in shade, it can be placed against a grove, or its dark and elegant foliage can be used as a backdrop to highlight blooms or the lighter foliage of other dwarf conifers. It goes well with large stones, the geometric lines of swimming pools, and masonry structures. It can be combined with complementary grasses or with dwarf conifers with a prostrate habit (Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Chip'), globose habit (Picea abies 'Little Gem'), or columnar habit (Juniperus communis 'Sentinel'). The true graphic qualities of conifers naturally impose themselves in the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of forms, silhouettes, and textures over the dance of blooms. These plants, with their reassuring permanence, provide lasting structure to a bed, mark pathways, border terraces, easily replacing the strong presence of trimmed boxwood or holly. The key is to play with volumes and colours.