Sunshine Mugo Pine

Pinus mugo 'Sunshine'

Other Names:  Dwarf Variegated Mountain Pine

A rare and showy gem discovered and introduced by Wiel Linnsen of Libo Nursery in the Netherlands, the Sunshine Mugo Pine is a variegated selection sporting whorls of emerald green needles with prominent yellow bands similar to dragon eye pines. The variegation is most intense during spring but holds well and is sunburn resistant through the seasons. Fairly vigorous for a mugo pine, you can expect Sunshine to reach maybe 2 to 3 feet in height and width in 10 years with no pruning. That said, the vertical "candles" that emerge at the tips of every stem, which become the new branches, can be pruned by up to 50 percent of their length to maintain a smaller, more dense shrub. You'll find detailed but simple Mugo Pine pruning tips here. Providing very unique color, texture and form in the landscape, Sunshine Mugo Pine is an excellent accent or grouping in rock gardens, home foundation plantings and landscape borders, and is the perfect compliment to ornamental grasses and Japanese maples and other small trees.

Growing in a rounded mound to about 2 to 3 feet tall and equally as wide, the Sunshine Mugo Pine is ideal for use as a specimen or in groupings in sunny landscape borders and home foundation plantings. A very nice companion for small trees such as the Japanese Maple and Crape Myrtle, to mention a few, and is an excellent choice for containers and bonsai. A fine addition to conifer gardens, rock gardens and the Xeriscape (low water need) gardens.

Spacing:  5 feet apart for spaced groupings