Milky Way Mugo Pine

Pinus mugo 'Milky Way' or 'P. Vereijken'

Other Names:  Milky Way Swiss Mountain Pine, White Mugo Pine

A rare and showy gem in the garden, 'Milky Way' has the prettiest foliage we've seen on a Mugo Pine. It is a dense little shrub with dark green foliage. It forms a dense rounded cushion 2.5 to 3 feet tall and wide at maturity when growing in the ground, and maybe half that size in containers. What's most unusual and attractive is the eye-catching, sparkler-like, cream-white new spring growth that emerges at the tips of nearly every stem, contrasting beautifully with the older dark foliage. As with other Mugo Pines, Milky Way is easy to grow in almost any well-drained soil and is super cold tolerant to -50F and highly drought tolerant when established. Its only special need is some filtered sun or shade in the afternoon when the sunlight is most intense, which helps prevent burn to the white growth.

Growing 2.5 to 3 feet tall and 3.5 to 4 feet wide at maturity, the Milky Way Mugo Pine is ideal as an accent in small garden spaces. It can be planted in groupings in larger spaces or used as a border along a walk or pathway. It is a nice compliment for small trees such as the Japanese Maples, and an excellent choice for containers and bonsai. A fine addition to conifer gardens, rock gardens, white theme gardens, coastal gardens, Asian theme gardens, and the Xeriscape (low water needs).

Spacing:  5 feet apart for spaced groupings