If you think that pine trees only grow a few meters high, you are wrong. There are also much smaller species. Such as the dwarf pine (Pinus pumila).
In addition to the name dwarf pine, the plant, botanically called 'Pinus mugo', is also known as dwarf mountain pine, creeping pine or knee pine. The dwarf among the pines only grows to a height of one and rarely up to three meters. It doesn't have to hide in any way, the small pine is extremely attractive and finally an alternative to the imposing forest tree for smaller gardens. Especially in the cold season, when the garden makes a gray and deserted impression, the dwarf slipper knows how to provide a splash of color, because the needles, which can be up to six centimeters long, remain all winter. The undemanding dwarf pine can also be planted as a small hedge or stylishly frame graves. In the following, we would like to tell you what you need to consider when caring for and growing this popular small shrub.
Plant description and origin
The plant's original range extends from north-eastern Siberia to Japan. The small pine has many names with creeping pine, mountain pine or knee pine. In fact, the mini pines grow very slowly. It is only about six to eight centimeters per year. At just under a meter, the creeping pine is already fully grown. Dwarf pines often grow wider than taller. A circumference of 1.5 meters is not uncommon.
The particularly dense growth is characteristic of the small shrubs. The evergreen, long and dense needles are the ornament of the plant. From the second year, small round cones are also formed. These initially appear violet and turn dark brown in the following year.
Some dwarf pine species presented
There are some types of dwarf pine available on the market, which due to their low stature are very well suited for cultivation in the garden or in pots for patio and balcony planting. This means, for example, these:
❍ Benjamin's dwarf pine (Pinus mugo 'Benjamin')
Dwarf Pine Benjamin (Pinus mugo 'Benjamin')
Growth:
bushy,spherical
Growth:
40 - 60 cm
Growth:
35 - 60 cm
Hardy:
Yes
Location:
Sun to partial shade
Floor:
permeable, otherwise undemanding
With its spherical and flat growth, the dwarf pine Benjamin is particularly well suited for planters. The plants are usually only a maximum of half a meter high and just as wide. The light green needles appear particularly dense. The creeping pine grows very slowly and prefers a sunny to partially shaded location. You can use potting soil as a substrate. Likewise, the dwarf pine Benjamin gets conifer fertilizer at four to eight week intervals during the growing season.
❍ Dwarf Pine Pug (Pinus mugo 'Pug')
Spherical Pine Pug (Pinus mugo 'Mops')
Growth Speed:
5 - 10 cm a year
Growth:
50 - 150 cm
Growth:
50 - 150 cm
Root system:
Shallow roots
Location:
Sun to partial shade
Floor:
normal, moderately dry to moist, acidic to alkaline
The name already suggests that the Mops dwarf pine can be integrated well even in small gardens. The bushy mini pine (spherical pine) is also suitable for the rock garden or for planting in containers. This creeping pine can reach a maximum of 1.50 meters in height. About five to ten centimeters are reached per year. The Mops dwarf pine thrives particularly well in a sunny location.
❍ Silver pine (Pinus sylvestris 'Watereri')
Silver Pine (Pinus sylvestris 'Watereri')
Growth Speed:
10 - 12 cm a year
Growth:
400 - 600 cm
Growth:
500 - 600 cm
Root system:
Deep Roots
Location:
Sun
Floor:
normal, profound, fresh, sour
The silver pine may not be the typical dwarf pine, but it can still find a place in small gardens. Young plants also thrive in pots. Silver pines reach a height of 500 to 600 centimeters. theSilver pine is preferred for bonsai culture.
When does the dwarf pine bloom?
The flowering period of the creeping pine is limited to the months of June and July. The flowers appear rather inconspicuous, with the male flowers being yellow in color and the female flowers having a pink color at the shoot tips. In autumn, the flowers develop into egg-shaped fruits that are up to five centimeters long.
How to plant the dwarf pine correctly
Hobby gardeners have many options for showcasing the creeping pine in small gardens and even on balconies and terraces. The following types of plants are possible:
Group planting in beds or on the lawn
Hedge planting
Individual planting in the bed
Planting in pots and planters
Due to its small growth, the undemanding and robustness of the plant, the choice of location can also be made relatively freely. Even or especially in winter, the dwarf pine unfolds its full beauty. The plants are not only reliably hardy, they are also an asset to the winter garden.
❍ Choosing the right location:
The plants are robust and hardy. However, if the creeping pine had a choice, it would prefer a sunny location. With prolonged exposure to the sun, the needles can produce a surplus of oxygen and sugar. This surplus of energy promotes growth and strengthens the plant. As you may have guessed, the creeper pine will not die in a shady spot, but will grow slower and be less resilient.
Being outdoors, the creeping pines are exposed to rain and wind. This strengthens the needles, which become harder and more resistant to diseases and pests. After all, creeping pines are quite used to harsh climates and can be found in their natural environment at altitudes of up to 2,500 meters.
❍ Choose the right substrate:
Creeping pines adapt to all soil conditions. Even if the substrate is too dry, has hardly any nutrients and tends to be acidic, this does not have to mean a death sentence for the dwarf pine. The plants will then only grow more slowly and the needles will lose some of their rich green colour.
A permeable soil suits the plant particularly well. Then the water can drain off easily and does not accumulate. If you want to mix your own substrate, you are well advised to use a mix of potting soil, sand and clay granules. AlternativelyCommercial bonsai soil is also suitable because this soil contains less gravel and sand and can store water longer.
❍ Planting Instructions:
The best time to plant dwarf pines is the last days of late summer. From around August you can start cleaning, loosening and, if necessary, preparing the soil at the planting site. Just follow the instructions below when planting:
Remove stones and weeds from the ground.
Prepare soil.
Dig a planting hole twice the size of the root ball.
Water the root ball briefly.
Insert plants and observe planting distance when planting hedges.
Fill substrate.
Close air holes by gently shaking the plant.
Press the base lightly.
Place the pouring rim in a circle around the trunk of the dwarf pine.
Water the plant.
Tip: In order to create a dense and closed hedge, you should plant three plants per meter.
How to properly care for the dwarf pine
Casting:
The water requirement of the creeping pine is comparatively low. However, the soil should never dry out completely. So that means showing sensitivity and observing the plant. As a result, you will need to water more frequently on hot summer days. If the soil were to dry out, the fine root system would die off. The plants also love an occasional rainwater shower.
But note: Too much water during the summer months leads to particularly long needles, which are less desirable in bonsai care. Too much watering in winter also causes the mycorrhiza fungus, which is necessary for the plant, to die off. The dwarf pine never recovers from this.
Fertilize:
Fertilization is not a must, but it ensures he althy growth and an attractive appearance. Between April and September you can administer commercial liquid fertilizer about once a month. However, you should not fertilize during flowering.
Pruning:
Even if the creeping pine will hardly grow too much for you, you should still not neglect pruning measures. In order to achieve a compact growth habit, you should cut back the fresh shoots to about one centimeter in early summer. The new shoots, called candles in technical jargon, will then form on the remaining needles.
When transplanting the dwarf pine, you can also trim the roots and thus the squat and compact growth habitreceived.
Repot:
Due to the low growth height and the attractive appearance, dwarf pines are extremely popular as container plants. Since the plant only grows a few centimeters per year and can also cope well with less than ideal soil conditions, you do not necessarily have to repot the plant every year. At the latest every four years, however, it is time to replace the used soil, cut back the roots and choose a slightly larger plant pot. A suitable planter covers about two thirds of the total plant height.
Hiberation:
The dwarf pine is reliably hardy and tolerates severe frosts without additional protection. You should only occasionally check the substrate. Since the root ball should not dry out completely, watering is advisable on frost-free days.
Keep dwarf pine small:
Tweezing is used if the growth of the creeping pine is to be slowed down. For this purpose, the young shoots are shortened by about half their length. New buds then form from the remaining shoot ends and the dwarf pine appears particularly stocky.
Detecting and combating diseases and pests
You can usually tell whether your dwarf pine is doing well by the needles. Discolored needles can have many causes, which you should investigate step by step. These could be possible causes:
❍ The dwarf pine is too dry:
The creeping pine cannot tolerate a dry root ball. Young plants in particular find it difficult to recover from this. The thin root system is often so severely damaged by prolonged drought that it is no longer able to absorb sufficient nutrients.
If the needles turn brown in winter, the plant is helping itself. Because if the ground is frozen, the creeping pine can no longer absorb nutrients via the roots. Older needles therefore first turn brown and are later shed. This brings the plant back into balance with its water balance.
❍ The dwarf pine is stressed:
Have you transplanted your dwarf pine some time ago and possibly trimmed the roots in the process? Then the plant may not have taken the stress of transplanting yet. However, it can take a few months before the damage becomes clear and the needles turn brown and finally fall off. Many hobby gardeners then believe that their creeping pine has not grown and thus misjudge the actual background of thedamage.
❍ The dwarf pine is sick:
Fungus infestation can also be noticed by the needles turning brown. This is especially true for the pine shack. Some types of fungus, such as the pine brown poly, damage the roots and the wood. The needles of the dwarf pine are also a favorite meal for pine moth, pine moth or pine resin gall moth caterpillars. Yellow spots on the needles, on the other hand, can indicate mealybugs.
Reading tip: Bonsai: recognizing and combating diseases and pests
How to propagate dwarf pines
Propagation by cuttings:
The best time for propagating cuttings is late summer. You get harder and more robust shoots at this time than in spring. Proceed as follows when propagating cuttings:
Cut annual shoots from existing plant. Perennial wood is difficult to root. Use a sharp knife to do this, or simply tear off the shoot. The cutting should be between five and ten centimeters. It is now important that you do not touch the wound caused by tearing it off with your hands. Otherwise germs could be transmitted. Now place the cutting in potting soil. The temperatures should not fall below the 20 degree mark if possible. The cutting then roots quite reliably after about six to eight weeks.
Propagation by lowering:
Propagation by sinkers is also suitable for the creeping pine. You must guide shoots that are close to the ground into the ground. You can then lightly carve the spot where the root is to appear later with a knife. The tip of the shoot must look out of the ground. Then fix the countersink with a stone or ground hook. If you carry out this method of propagation in spring, sufficient new roots will usually have formed by autumn, so that the plant can be separated from the mother plant, dug up and planted out in another location.
Propagation by seeds:
Hobby gardeners aiming to grow dwarf pines from seed should be patient. Because first of all you have to put the seeds on the substrate, but not cover them with soil. The pine seeds then go into the fridge for about a month. Now the plant bowl gets a bright but not sunny location at room temperature. Germination then begins after another four to eight weeks. When the plants have grown a few centimeters high, you can put them inMove plant pots.
Keep dwarf pine as bonsai
The dwarf pine is preferably cultivated as a bonsai. Nevertheless, the design of coniferous plants is more demanding than that of deciduous trees. It is best to follow the care instructions below:
Location:
The bonsai needs a light location all year round. Getting enough light from all sides is particularly important for the plant, otherwise the mini pine tree will lose its needles or branches may die.
Water and fertilize:
You need to keep the soil evenly moist during the summer months. In winter and spring you should then water less. From April to August you can also feed the plant with bonsai liquid fertilizer.
Repot:
Every few years the bonsai needs a larger pot. At the same time, you should also replace about 2/3 of the substrate.
Wires:
The plant can be brought into the desired shape by wiring. All styles are possible, although it is always a challenge to work out a bizarre growth habit. In autumn and winter, the twigs are particularly flexible and therefore receptive to wiring. It is best to use aluminum wire, as this is easier to remove.
