Pinus mugo Heideperle - Dwarf Mountain Pine

Few conifers are as dwarf as this Pinus mugo 'Heideperle'. Growing steadily but extremely slowly, this miniature mountain pine forms a ball 50 cm (19.5 in) in diameter, on a very short trunk. Its many short branches, covered with dense green needles, form a sphere from which small, elongated cones emerge beautifully. Extremely hardy, this pine needs to be planted in well-drained soil, in sun or even partial shade, and requires very little care, as it is an easy plant to grow. Of course, it's perfect in a pot or tub, thanks to its miniature dimensions and highly decorative appearance in all seasons. 

Pinus mugo, also known as the Mountain Pine, is an evergreen conifer from the Pinaceae family, endemic to the mountains of Europe. It is found in the sub-alpine zone, from the Spanish sierras, through the high Alpine and Pyrenean massifs, to the Balkans, escaping the summer heat. It descends only to an altitude of 200 m (650ft) in Central Europe. In the wild, it slowly reaches 3 to 4 m (10 - 13ft) in height and spread, adopting a wind-swept shape that reflects its windswept habitat. It is a very hardy species, well adapted to the mountain climate. It is also called the prostrate pine due to its very knotty wood and twisted, often creeping branches.
This 'Heideperle'variety, also known as a subspecies (Pinus mugo subsp. uncinata 'Heideperle') differs from the wild species in that it is particularly small. Growing steadily but extremely slowly, at around 3 to 5 cm (1.2 - 2 in) a year, it eventually forms a dense sphere of around 50 cm (19.5 in) in diameter, carried on a very short trunk (around 10 cm). Particularly decorative in spring, when the new leaves, grouped in pairs, take on a silvery-grey hue before turning a fairly deep green, it is above all its distinctive shape that attracts attention in the garden.
Its small dimensions should not be taken to mean that it is fragile: this small conifer is highly resistant to the cold, although care should be taken to remove any excess snow that might affect its overall shape. In reality, it only really dislikes excess water in the soil, which should be well-drained, even sandy, poor, neutral to alkaline. 

The 'Heideperle' mountain pine is at home in any garden, rural or urban, even in the smallest ones, planted as an free-standing specimen, in borders or in rockeries. It is obviously a prime candidate for decorating a balcony or terrace, planted in a decorative pot. It looks wonderful in a Japanese or contemporary garden, where it blends well with strongly shaped mineral elements, such as bars of schist, or coloured shards of glass to create a clean, modern effect.
To accompany it, choose low-growing plants that will not compete with it, or even smother it, given its small size. This is where the many varieties of sedum come to mind, of which the lowest ones should be chosen to keep them in proportion with this Lilliputian tree.