Pinus mugo 'Riesengebirge' / Riesengebirge mugo pine

Pinus mugo 'Riesengebirge' is a miniature, flattened globose selection of mugo pine with extremely short, congested needles and orange-brown foliar buds. After 10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure 12 inches (30 cm) tall and 24 inches (60 cm) wide, an annual growth rate of around 1 inch (2.5 cm).

This cultivar presumably originated as a witch's broom found in Czech Republic's Riesengebirge, or Giant Mountains, that country's highest mountain range. It is not known who found it or introduced it to the nursery trade. Buchholz nursery of Gaston, Oregon is thought to have introduced it to the U.S. market in the mid-2000s.

Pinus mugo 'Riesengebirge' — a fine, old specimen at Buchholz Nursery's Flora Wonder Arboretum in Gaston, Oregon.
Photo by David Olszyk
Pinus mugo 'Riesengebirge' — a closeup of foliage detail.
Photo by David Olszyk

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