Mugo pine
Pinus mugo var. pumilio
Pinaceae · coniferous shrub · introduced
Last updated
Quick Facts
Height
3–5 ft
Growth Rate
Slow
Light
Full Sun
Soil
Well Drained
Water
Low
Hardiness
Zone Zones 2a–8b
Bloom Time
Non-flowering
Watch for this season
Damping-offHigh
Spring Sowing - Preemergence Damping-off Risk
Twig BlightHigh
Flower Bud and Bloom Infection
Eriophyid miteHigh
Spring Dispersal & Bud Invasion
Pine needle scaleHigh
Crawler Emergence
+ 4 more — see full disease and pest lists below
Field Observations
Field Observation
Pinus mugo var. pumilio · Mugo Pine
candle growth
April 19, 2026 · Kent · 1,410 GDD₃₂ · BBCH 31
Phenological Calendar
| Stage | Typical Window |
|---|---|
| Candle elongation BBCH 11 | Feb 15-Mar 15 |
| Pollen release BBCH 61 | Apr 1-May 15 |
| Pollen shed complete BBCH 69 | Apr 15-May 31 |
| Cone development (year 1-2) BBCH 71 | Jun 1-Aug 31 |
| Cone maturity and seed shed BBCH 85 | Sep 1-Nov 30 |
Diseases: Regionally Documented (24)
Endocronartium harknessii Western Gall Rust Cronartium ribicola White Pine Blister Rust Phytophthora spp. (P Phytophthora Root Rot Lophodermium spp. Lophodermium Needle Cast Lophodermella concolor Lophodermella Needle Cast Elytroderma deformans Elytroderma Needle Cast Arceuthobium spp. (parasitic plant) Dwarf Mistletoe Armillaria spp. — primarily A Armillaria Root Rot Symptom category — not a single disease Canker Cyclaneusma minus Cyclaneusma Needle Cast Several soilborne Damping-off Dothistroma septosporum (and/or D Dothistroma Needle Blight (Red Band) Gray Mold Heterobasidion occidentale Otrosina & Garbel Heterobasidion Root Disease In most Hypocotyl Rot and Root Rot Davisomycella medusa Medusa Needle Blight Rhabdocline spp. including R Needle Cast Needle Rusts Bursaphelenchus xylophilus Pine Wilt Excess sodium chloride Salt Damage Sirococcus conigenus Sirococcus Shoot Blight Fomitopsis officinalis, Porodaedalea pini, and other wood... Stem Decay Diaporthe vaccinii or Diplodia tip blight agents Tip Blight Multiple fungal species cause twig blight on different ho... Twig Blight
Pests: Regionally Documented (18)
Eriophyidae Eriophyid mite Pineus strobi Pine bark adelgid Dioryctria spp. Coneworm Pine Aphid Pissodes strobi White pine weevil Tetranychidae Spider mite Synanthedon sequoiae Sequoia pitch moth Pine Needle Sheathminer Pine Sheath Miner Chionaspis pinifoliae Pine needle scale Pine Butterfly Coloradia pandora Pandora moth Dendroctonus ponderosae Mountain pine beetle Rhyacionia buoliana European pine shoot moth Nuculaspis californica Black pineleaf scale Neodiprion spp. Pine sawfly Eulachnus agilis Powdery pine needle aphid Otiorhynchus spp. Root weevil Schizolachnus piniradiatae Woolly pine needle aphid
Data Maturity Structured Multiple sources. Expert review underway.