Thomas Mugo Pine

Pinus mugo 'Starkl'

Other Names:  Dwarf Golden Mountain Pine, Golden Mugo Pine, Starkl Mugo Pine

One of the showiest of Mugo pines, Pinus mugo 'Starkl', which goes by the common name of Thomas Mugo Pine, slowly forms a dense cushion of rich green foliage that, with the arrival of cooler temperatures in fall and winter, turns a striking, brilliant golden yellow color. Adding approximately 2 inches in size per year, it ultimately reaches a height of 3.5 to 4 feet and a width of 4.5 to 5 feet. Providing outstanding color, texture, and form in the landscape, Thomas is an excellent accent or grouping in sunny rock gardens, home foundation plantings, and landscape borders. It is a perfect complement to ornamental grasses, Japanese maples, and other small trees, and excellent for containers. Extremely hardy to -50°F, drought-tolerant when established, salt air tolerant, deer and rabbit resistant, never needs pruning, and has outstanding texture and color. What more can we ask for from an evergreen shrub?

Growing in a rounded mound to about 4 feet tall and 5 feet wide over time, the Thomas 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 maples. Its slow growth rate and smaller size make it a great candidate for growing in pots, planters, and other containers. It is a fine addition to conifer gardens, yellow or gold theme gardens, rock gardens, and the Xeriscape (low water need) gardens.

Spacing:  6 feet apart for spaced groupings