Pinus mugo Ophir - Dwarf Mountain Pine

Pinus mugo 'Ophir' is a dwarf form of mountain pine, and certainly the variety with the slowest growth. Over time, it forms a compact ball, with dense branches covered in short needles, witha bright light green colour that turns yellow-gold or sometimes orange during winter, especially when exposed to the sun. Original, bright, and very ornamental, it will find its place in a flowerbed, as a solitary plant, in a rock garden, and will adapt well to pot culture. This variety is also well suited for the art of bonsai. It is a very hardy conifer, not demanding, and does not require pruning. It is content with ordinary soil that is not too dry, and a well-sunny exposure.

Pinus mugo, also known as mountain pine, is an evergreen conifer in the pine family endemic to European mountains. It can be found at the subalpine level, avoiding summer heat, from the Spanish sierras, through the high Alpine and Pyrenean ranges, to the Balkans. It only descends to an altitude of 200m (656ft) in Central Europe. In nature, it slowly reaches 3 to 4 metres (10 to 13 feet) in all directions, adopting a windswept silhouette that reflects its windy habitat. It is a very hardy species, well adapted to the mountain climate.

The 'Ophir' variety is distinguished from the wild species by its small size, its very compact bushy habit, and its magnificent foliage, golden in winter. Its growth is very slow, about 3 to 4cm (1 to 2in) per year. A 10-year-old specimen will not exceed 50cm (20in) in all directions. Eventually, it will form a bush about 1m (3ft) in all directions. Its rigid and short branches are covered with fine needles, 3 to 6cm (1 to 2in) long, grouped in pairs and arranged in brushes. The young shoots, very decorative with their light red to pink colour, emerge in spring from light brown and resinous buds. On its trunk, the bark is brown-grey, while it shows a green and shiny colour, then black, on the branches.

The 'Ophir' mountain pine will find its place in all gardens, even the smallest ones, planted as a solitary plant, in a flowerbed or rock garden. It can also be used in a large pot on the terrace or balcony, treated as a bonsai or left in free form. It works wonders in a Japanese garden, and goes well with large stones, the geometric lines of pools, and masonry works. It can be associated with complementary grasses or prostrate (Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Chip'), globose (Picea abies 'Little Gem'), or columnar (Juniperus communis 'Sentinel') dwarf conifers. The true graphic qualities of conifers naturally impose themselves in the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes, and textures over the dance of flowers. These plants, with their reassuring permanence, structurally define flowerbeds, mark pathways, border the terrace, easily replacing the strong presence of trimmed boxwood or holly. The key is to play with volumes and colours.