Pinus strobus Minima - Eastern White Pine

Pinus strobus 'Minima' is a dwarf globose pine perfect for rock gardens. This wonderful little elegant conifer forms a slightly flattened, very compact, very dense ball, covered with bluish-green needle-like foliage, from which emerge pretty golden spring shoots. Its small size and very neat appearance make it a remarkable subject for decorating small spaces, rock gardens, borders, or pots on the terrace. It is a very slow-growing variety, easy to cultivate in fertile and well-drained, non-calcareous soil. It prefers sunny situations.

Pinus strobus, also known as white pine, Weymouth pine or Lord's pine, is a conifer of the Pinaceae family, native to the eastern part of North America, up to Newfoundland Island in Canada. This king of the forest is a monumental tree, a gigantic pyramidal Christmas tree reaching 90m (295ft 4in) in height in its environment, but hardly exceeding 45m (147ft 7in) in height at present due to the destruction of its habitat and the massive exploitation it has undergone. It is a very hardy species, often planted for reforestation in forests, or as an ornamental tree in large parks. The bark of Pinus strobus remains smooth and greenish-grey for a long time before cracking and turning dark grey. It has a pyramidal habit with regularly layered branches. The powerful root system is both taprooted and spreading. The olive-green branches are slightly hairy and the pointed buds are resin-free. The slender straight needles, bluish-green, grouped in fives, measure between 7 and 13cm (2.8 - 5.1in). The ovoid conelets carried by a peduncle are violet before elongating up to a length of 8-20cm (3.1 - 7.9in) and hanging. They acquire a narrow, curved shape and bear thin scales spotted with resin.

The 'Minima' variety, derived from this species, stands out for its very small size, compact globose habit, and regular growth. Its growth is slow, around 3cm (1.2in) per year, so that at maturity, it will not exceed 1.20m (4ft) in all directions. It is a many-stemmed bush, with branches emerging from the base, covered with bluish-green needles that turn yellow in spring, thin, soft and flexible, 4 to 5cm (1.6 - 2in) long. They are grouped in fives and gathered in very dense tufts on the branches. Their lower surface has two bands of silver stomata (respiration cells in plants). The bark of this shrub is smooth, greenish-grey on young subjects, becoming brownish-grey and fissured over time. The lower part of the tree, when mature, shows whitened bark, hence the vernacular name "white pine".

The dwarf white pine 'Minima' will find its place in all gardens, even the smallest ones, as it is not demanding and adapts to a wide variety of soils, except for calcareous and poorly drained soils. In small spaces, it will look good planted as a border in front of shrubs or perennials, and will also elegantly animate a rock garden or a bed. It will of course make a magnificent specimen in a large pot that will enhance the balcony or terrace, and will work wonders in a Japanese garden. It goes well with large stones, the geometric lines of pools, and masonry works. It can be associated with complementary grasses, or with dwarf conifers with a prostrate habit (Juniperus squamata 'Blue Carpet'), globose (Picea abies 'Little Gem'), or columnar (Juniperus scopulorum 'Blue Arrow'). The true graphic qualities of conifers naturally impose themselves in the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes, and textures to the dance of blooms. These plants provide lasting structure to a bed, mark pathways, and border the terrace, easily replacing the strong presence of trimmed boxwood or holly. The key is to play with volumes and colours.