Pinus sylvestris 'Green Penguin' is a dense, rich-green cone of needles which produces curious "flowers" of juvenile foliage in the late summer each year. Typical annual growth rate is 3 to 5 inches (7.5 - 12.5 cm), producing a 4 foot (1.3 m) tall by 18 inch (45 cm) wide dwarf tree after ten years.
Jim Lewis, now of J. Farms, Amity, Oregon discovered the original plant in a flat of Scots pine seedlings in the late 1990s while working at a nursery in Park Rapids, Minnesota. In an interview with David Olszyk, Jim stressed how hardy the tree is, having withstood the coldest winters Minnesota can offer. He recalled holding up the seedling, asking his co-workers if he should keep it or toss it out as compost. He was glad to have kept it as it is now the "crown jewel" of the plants he produces at his current nursery.
'Green Penguin' is a fine selection for the dwarf conifer garden. It stays small for a long time and holds it color well through the winter when similar cultivars like 'Moseri' and 'Globosa Viridis' will turn yellow or fade.
