Dwarf mountain pine
Pinus mugo

Family: Pinaceae

What it is like

An evergreen tree. It grows 4.5 m tall and spreads 8 m wide. The leaves are dark green. The flowers are yellow.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It needs well-drained soils. It can grow in poor soils. It is hardy to hardiness zone 3. Arboretum Tasmania.

Countries/locations it is found in

Albania, Alps, Australia, Austria, Balkans, Bosnia, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Europe (country/location of origin), France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, North America, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tasmania, Ukraine, Yugoslavia

How it is used for food

The young branches and leaves are use to make a health drink. A vanillin flavouring is obtained as a by-product of other resins from the pulpwood. The cones and buds are harvested in spring then dried and these gradually drip syrup that is boiled down to produce pine syrup that is mixed with sugar.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Leaves - drink, buds, young cones, seeds - oil

How it is grown

Plants are not self fertile. More than one tree is necessary for cones. Plants can be grown from seeds. The germination of stored seeds can be improved by cold treatment.

Its other names

Local names

Mugo pne, Planinski bor, Rušje, Scrub mountain pine

Synonyms

Pinus carpathicus Anon.; and many others