Pinus mugo Benjamin - Dwarf Mountain Pine

The Pinus mugo Benjamin is a truly dwarf mountain pine, which will remain less than a meter in size throughout its life. This allows it to be easily accommodated in small gardens and modest-sized rockeries. It is a small, graphic conifer, with a very dense cushion shape, attractive all year round, and easy to integrate into a contemporary decor. It is undemanding and very cold resistant, thriving in many regions, except under our hot and dry climates.

The Pinus mugo, also known as Mountain Pine or Pine of the mountains, is an evergreen conifer belonging to the Pinaceae family, endemic to the mountains of Europe. It is found in the subalpine zone, avoiding the summer heat, from the Spanish sierras, through the high Alpine and Pyrenean mountains, to the Balkans. It only descends to an altitude of 200 m (656 ft 2 in) in Central Europe. In nature, it slowly reaches 3 to 4 m (9 ft 10 in to 13 ft 1 in) in all directions, adopting a windswept silhouette that reflects its habitat. It is a species well adapted to the montane climate.

The 'Benjamin' variety distinguishes itself from the wild species by its very small size, its very compact cushion-like habit, its very short needles, and its particularly dense foliage. Its growth is very slow, around 5 cm (2 in) per year. A 25-year-old specimen will not exceed 60 cm (23.6 in) in height and 80 cm (31.5 in) in width at the base. Its very short, upright branches are covered with fine needles, 2-3 cm (0.8-1.2 in) long, grouped in pairs and arranged in tufts. The young shoots emerge in spring from light brown and resinous buds. On its trunk, the bark is brownish-gray, while it shows a green and glossy, then black, colour on the branches.

The 'Benjamin' Mountain Pine will find its place in a small garden, either as a standalone or in a rockery. It can also be used in a large pot on the terrace or balcony. It works wonders in a Japanese garden and pairs well with large stones, geometric lines of swimming pools, and masonry works. It can be associated with complementary grasses or dwarf conifers with a creeping (Juniperus horizontalis Blue Chip), globose (Picea abies Little Gem), or columnar (Juniperus communis 'Sentinel') habit. The key is to play with volumes and colours.