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Pinus mugo — Mugo pine

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Facts

Mugo pine gets its common and species name from the Italian word, "mugho," for "dwarf. And true to its name, this is a low-growing, shrubby pine that is often planted in rock gardens and other settings for its pleasing, rounded shape (however, some cultivars can grow up to 20 feet or 6 m tall!). Its tough, cylindrical needles are good at saving water in the face of cold, desiccating winds in its northern, native habitats in the mountains of central Europe.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats)

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
terrestrial
New England state
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
Growth form
the plant is a shrub (with multiple stems, or prostrate, growing close to the ground)
Leaf form
the leaves are needle-like
Leaf cross-section
the needle-like leaves are rounded, or flattened on one side (can be rolled between the fingers)
Leaf arrangement
the needle-like leaves are in clusters or held on short shoots
Seed cone form
the seed cone is longer than wide, with woody scales attached at the base
Leaf clustering
the needle-like leaves are in bundles or clusters of two
Seed cone shape
the seed cone is ovoid (egg-shaped)
Leaves overlapping
the needle-like leaves are separate and do not hide the twig surface
Show all characteristics

  • Fruits or seeds

    Seed cone base
    the base of the seed cone does not look hollow
    Seed cone bracts
    the bracts are covered by the seed cone scales
    Seed cone form
    the seed cone is longer than wide, with woody scales attached at the base
    Seed cone scales
    the visible portion of the scale of the closed seed cone is thickened at its base
    Seed cone shape
    the seed cone is ovoid (egg-shaped)
    Seed cone symmetry
    the seed cone is not symmetrical
    Seed cone umbo position
    the raised portion is at the center of the seed cone scale
    Seed wings
    the seeds have wing-like projections

  • Growth form

    Growth form
    the plant is a shrub (with multiple stems, or prostrate, growing close to the ground)

  • Leaves

    Leaf arrangement
    the needle-like leaves are in clusters or held on short shoots
    Leaf base
    NA
    Leaf clustering
    the needle-like leaves are in bundles or clusters of two
    Leaf cross-section
    the needle-like leaves are rounded, or flattened on one side (can be rolled between the fingers)
    Leaf duration
    the needle-like leaves remain green all winter
    Leaf form
    the leaves are needle-like
    Leaf glands
    there are no glands on the underside of the needle-like leaves
    Leaf stalks
    the needle-like leaves do not have a leaf stalk
    Leaf types
    there are two distinct types of needle-like leaves on the twig
    Leaves overlapping
    the needle-like leaves are separate and do not hide the twig surface

  • Place

    Habitat
    terrestrial
    New England state
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire
    Specific habitat
    man-made or disturbed habitats

  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Bark resin blisters
    there are no resin blisters on the bark
    Leaves on shoots
    there are needle-like leaves growing in tight clusters on a short, knob-like shoot
    Twig bloom
    there is no bloom on the twig
    Twig hair type
    the twigs have few or no hairs on them
    Twig hairs
    the twig does not have hairs

Wetland status

Not classified

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
absent
Maine
absent
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
present
Rhode Island
absent
Vermont
absent

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Massachusetts
unranked (S-rank: SNR)

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

2.  Pinus mugo Turra E

Mugo pine. MA, NH; also reported from ME by Magee and Ahles (1999), but truly naturalized populations are unknown. Lawns and abandoned lots.

Native to North America?

No

Sometimes confused with

Pinus sylvestris:
umbo without a dark ring, upright, single-stemmed, short to tall trees, and leaves twisted (vs. P. mugo, with the umbo encircled by a thin, dark gray to nearly black ring, low, multi-stemmed shrubs, and leaves relatively straight).
Pinus banksiana:
umbo without a dark ring, upright, single-stemmed, short to tall trees, and leaves twisted (vs. P. mugo, with the umbo encircled by a thin, dark gray to nearly black ring, low, multi-stemmed shrubs, and leaves relatively straight).

Family

Pinaceae

Genus

Pinus