Valley Cushion Mugo Pine Topiary Tree

Pinus mugo ‘Valley Cushion’

Other Names: Dwarf Swiss Mountain Pine

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 2a-7b (East); 2a-8b (West) Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Coniferous Evergreen Shrub

Height at Maturity: 1-1.5′

Width at Maturity: 2.5-3′

Spacing: Best as specimen or use two to accentuate an entryway

Growth Habit / Form: Broad Mound

Growth Rate: Slow; 3-5″ per year

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Foliage Color: Medium to Dark Green; new foliage buds are reddish

Fragrant Foliage: Yes

Berries: No

Berry Color: NA

Sun Needs: Full Sun or Mostly Sun

Water Needs: Very Low when established and growing in the ground

Soil Type: Clay (Amend heavy clay to ensure good drainage), Loam, Sandy, Silty

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well-Drained to Dry when established

Soil pH: 4.0 – 7.5 (Acid to Moderately Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Very Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Cold temperatures (-50F), Deer, Disease, Drought & Dry Soil (when established), Insect, Rabbit, Salt Air

Description

This is the very rare tree-form topiary version of ‘Valley Cushion’, a true dwarf Mugo Pine that maintains a dense, rounded mound of handsome evergreen foliage atop a straight single trunk. Reddish new buds at the ends of stems complement the rich green needles. A slow grower adding maybe 3 to 5 inches in size per year means no pruning is ever required. This diminutive and extremely cold hardy cultivar (-50F) can be grown in the ground or in containers and is ideal for use as an eye-catching specimen in small garden spaces, rock gardens, Asian gardens, and home foundation plantings in USDA Zones 2 through 7b. Valley Cushion was selected at the North Willamette Research Station in Oregon’s famed Willamette Valley.

Landscape & Garden Uses

The tree form Valley Cushion Mugo Pine can be grown in the ground or containers and is ideal for use as a specimen or two can be used to accentuate an entryway. A very nice companion for small trees such as Japanese Maples. A fine addition to conifer gardens, Asian theme gardens, coastal gardens (salt air tolerant), rock gardens and the Xeriscape (low water need) gardens.

Spacing: Best as a specimen

Growing Preferences

Though exceptionally drought tolerant when established, Mugo Pine is easy to grow in most any moist but well drained soil of average to low fertility and full to mostly sun. We suggest at least 7 hours of direct sunlight per day. They grow well in sandy soils and are tolerant of well-draining clay soils. It does not like wet feet so make sure you choose a planting site that has very well drained soil. As with so many other ornamental shrubs, constantly soggy soil can cause problems with the roots and death of the plant. Salt air tolerant so great for coastal gardens. No pruning is required.

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