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Pinus mugo ‘Carstens’ (Mugo Pine)

Dwarf Mountain Pine 'Carstens', Dwarf Pine 'Carstens', Drooping Cone Pine 'Carstens', Mountain Pine 'Carstens', Swiss Mountain Pine 'Carstens', Pinus mugo 'Carsten’s Wintergold'

AGM Award
Pinus mugo 'Carstens', Dwarf Mountain Pine 'Carstens', Dwarf Pine 'Carstens', Drooping Cone Pine 'Carstens', Mountain Pine 'Carstens', Swiss Mountain Pine 'Carstens', Pinus mugo 'Carsten’s Wintergold', Evergreen Conifer, Evergreen Shrub, Yellow Conifer
Pinus mugo 'Carstens', Dwarf Mountain Pine 'Carstens', Dwarf Pine 'Carstens', Drooping Cone Pine 'Carstens', Mountain Pine 'Carstens', Swiss Mountain Pine 'Carstens', Pinus mugo 'Carsten’s Wintergold', Evergreen Conifer, Evergreen Shrub, Yellow Conifer

Regarded as one of the best of the ‘winter gold’ pines, Pinus mugo ‘Carstens’ is a slow-growing dwarf evergreen Mugo Pine of great beauty. It forms a dense, cushion-shaped mound with short, medium green needles in the spring and summer, turning rich golden yellow in the winter. In the late season, shorter needles appear, creating the effect of a crown at the tip of each branch. Brightening up the garden, ‘Carstens’ is an extremely slow-growing pine that adds less than 2 inches (5 cm) of new growth per year. A very appealing addition to small gardens.

  • Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society
  • Grows up to 18-24 in. tall and wide (45-60 cm) after 10 years.
  • Performs best in full sun in well-drained soils. Mugo pine is not fussy about soils and grows in acidic, alkaline, loamy, moist, sandy, or clay soils as long as they are well drained. It is also drought tolerant.
  • Perfect for coastal gardens and rock gardens.
  • Watch for aphids, adelgids, sawflies and pine shoot moth. Easy to grow, easy to care for, and rarely browsed by deer.
  • No pruning required.
  • Native to C Europe, Balkan Peninsula.

Requirements

Hardiness 3 - 7
Heat Zones 1 - 7
Climate Zones 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, A1, A2, A3
Plant Type Conifers, Shrubs
Plant Family Pinaceae
Genus Pinus
Common names Pine, Mountain Pine, Mugo Pine
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Height 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spacing 24" (60cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Evergreen, Fruit & Berries
Tolerance Drought, Deer
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Small Gardens
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage, Traditional Garden, Coastal Garden
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Alternative Plants to Consider

Pinus eldarica (Afghan Pine)
Pinus edulis (Pinyon Pine)
Pinus strobus ‘Contorta’ (Eastern White Pine)
Pinus sabiniana (California Foothill Pine)
Pinus pungens (Table Mountain Pine)
Pinus rigida (Pitch Pine)

Recommended Companion Plants

Erica carnea ‘Springwood White’ (Winter Heath)
Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’ (Frikart’s Aster)
Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ (Bloodtwig Dogwood)
Festuca glauca ‘Blaufuchs’ (Blue Fescue)

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While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
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Requirements

Hardiness 3 - 7
Heat Zones 1 - 7
Climate Zones 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, A1, A2, A3
Plant Type Conifers, Shrubs
Plant Family Pinaceae
Genus Pinus
Common names Pine, Mountain Pine, Mugo Pine
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Height 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spacing 24" (60cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Evergreen, Fruit & Berries
Tolerance Drought, Deer
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Small Gardens
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage, Traditional Garden, Coastal Garden
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
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Pinus (Pine)
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