Winter Gold Mugo Pine
Pinus mugo 'Winter Gold'
Height: 5 feet
Spread: 5 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 3a
Other Names: Mugho Pine, Swiss Mountain Pine
Description:
A low and wide growing plant that turns a bright attractive yellow-gold in winter; great for use as an evergreen hedge or screen, a garden backdrop or a solitary accent shrub; extremely tough and adaptable to varying conditions
Ornamental Features
Winter Gold Mugo Pine is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its ornamental upright and spreading habit of growth. It has dark green evergreen foliage which emerges light green in spring. The needles turn an outstanding gold in the fall, which persists throughout the winter.
Landscape Attributes
Winter Gold Mugo Pine is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.
This is a relatively low maintenance shrub. When pruning is necessary, it is recommended to only trim back the new growth of the current season, other than to remove any dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Winter Gold Mugo Pine is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Accent
- Mass Planting
- Hedges/Screening
- General Garden Use
Planting & Growing
Winter Gold Mugo Pine will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 70 years or more.
This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.
