Pinus strobus Greg - Eastern White Pine

Pinus strobus 'Greg' is a miniature form of the Weymouth pine, forming a very compact, round and very dense bush, covered with bright green needle-like foliage. Its vegetation has a slightly feathery and very elegant texture, as well as very slow growth, making it a remarkable conifer for small spaces, rockeries, or pots on the terrace. It tolerates pruning very well, which allows it to be kept at very small dimensions. It is a variety that is not very demanding, liking well-drained soil that is not too chalky.  It is resistant to drought once established. However, it requires full sun to thrive.

Pinus strobus, also known as the Eastern white pine or Weymouth pine, is a coniferous tree of the pine family, native to eastern North America, all the way to Newfoundland in Canada. This forest king is a monumental tree, a gigantic pyramidal Christmas tree reaching 90 m (295ft) in height in its original environment, but now hardly exceeding 45 m (148ft) in height due to the destruction of its habitat and extensive exploitation. It is a very hardy species, often planted for reforestation in forests, or as an ornamental tree in large parks.

Discovered in Vermont, United States, the 'Greg' variety, derived from this species, is distinguished by its very small size and its compact round bush habit, which can be further accentuated by pruning in autumn. Its growth is very slow, around 2 cm (1in) per year, so that at 15 years old, it will not exceed 90 cm (35in) in height and 1.20 m (4ft) in width. It is a multi-stemmed shrub, with branches emerging from the base, covered with very bright green, fine, soft, and flexible needles, ranging from 5 to 14 cm (2 to 6in) in length. They are grouped in bundles of 5 on the branches. Their lower surface has two bands of silver stomata (respiratory cells in plants). The bark of this shrub is smooth, greenish-grey on young plants, becoming brownish-grey and fissured over time. The lower part of the tree, when mature, shows a whitened bark, hence the common name 'Eastern white pine'. This variety can live for 50 years.

The dwarf Eastern white pine 'Greg' will find its place in all gardens, even the smallest ones, as it is not demanding and adapts to various soils, except for very chalky soils, as well as to numerous climates. In small spaces, it will stand out when planted alone and will also elegantly decorate a rockery or a bed. It will of course form a magnificent feature that will enhance balconies or patios, and will work wonders in a Japanese garden. It works well with large stones, the geometric lines of swimming pools, and architectural structures. It can be associated with 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 geometric qualities of conifers naturally impose themselves in the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes, and textures over the presence of many flowers. These plants, with reassuring permanence, structurally define a flower bed, mark the paths, border the terrace, easily replacing trimmed boxwood or holly. The key is to play with volumes and colours.