Dwarf varieties of coniferous perennials are extremely popular in the field of landscape design. They are not capricious in cultivation, easy to care for and retain their high decorative properties year-round. One of the most interesting and original representatives of dwarf varieties is the mountain pine Ophir, the description and features of the care of which you can find in the article.

Botanical tree description

Pine Ophir (Pinus mugo Ophir) - mountain representative of perennial evergreen conifers of the Pine family. A dwarf variety was obtained by mutating perennials of this genus that grow in the wild. Secured it in Holland. Culture propagates exclusively by vaccination.

Ophir is a small-sized shrub with a fluffy, dense crown of a pillow-shaped form. The plant is characterized by slow growth rates and reaches a height of 80 cm at the age of 20, a width of 100 cm. The annual growth of conifers rarely exceeds 7–10 cm.

In the process of growth and development, adult specimens take the form of a cone or skittle. The root system is highly branched, distributed close to the soil surface. The shoots are thick, located upward, their surface is covered with numerous, quite rigid, upright needles, about 3 cm long, which grow in bundles of two each.

A characteristic of the perennial is the color of its needles, which can change several times during the growing season:

• in summer, needles have an emerald hue;
• in the fall, needles become lemon;
• in the winter season, the color of the needles changes to bronze-yellow.

Similar properties of pine can successfully use it to create various decorative landscape compositions. Ophir is also very popular in the stem. The fruits of the plant are small cones of the correct round shape of a brown color, on the scales of which small seeds ripen.

Landing

To pine Ophir for a long time pleased with a highly decorative appearance, when planting a seedling, you must follow some simple rules. It should be remembered that the tree is photophilous and does not develop well in the shade.Therefore, it is recommended to choose a bright, sunny, spacious place, reliably protected from drafts and cold winds, which have a negative impact on the state of the coniferous tree for landing.

Important! Culture reacts extremely negatively to dense clay and purely peaty lands, which impede its full development.

Pine prefers light, air- and moisture-permeable, nutritious soils with low or medium acidity. The best option for the plant will be gravel-sandy soil or loam.

Landing activities are carried out in late April, when the land warms up a bit, and the probability of night frost returning will decrease to zero, or in mid-September, so that the seedling can take root before the onset of frost. Landing is carried out in the early morning or evening, or choose a cloudy day.

Did you know? The owner of the longest needles among coniferous perennials is a swamp pine. The length of the needles of the plant is from 40 to 45 cm.

Immediately before laying the seedling in open soil, the site is dug up and moistened. As a planting material, choose a 2-3-year-old plant in a container with a closed root system, which has a healthy green needles without signs of disease or yellowness.

The conifers are planted according to this algorithm:

• dig a recess, the size of which should be three times the volume of the root system;
• at the bottom of the pit, fill a 20 cm layer of drainage using expanded clay, gravel or crushed stone;
• part of the earth removed from the deepening is mixed with turf and garden soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1: 1;
• on top of the drainage layer, a layer of fertile soil is covered;
• a seedling is immersed in a pit and covered with earth so that the neck of the root remains on the surface;
• the soil is lightly compacted with hands, watered abundantly;
• the trunk circle is mulched with a 10-centimeter layer of peat or bark, which will save moisture and prevent the intensive growth of weeds.

When landing several copies at once, the distance between them should be 1–1.5 m.

Pine care

Mountain pine Ophir is unpretentious in leaving, frost-resistant, has excellent resistance to ailments and pests, however, it reacts poorly to prolonged drought, is sensitive to gas pollution.

In order to maintain the plant in a healthy, aesthetically attractive form, it needs to provide regular timely quality care, which consists in conducting traditional agricultural practices - watering, pruning, top dressing, loosening the soil.

Watering and feeding

Ophir is a water-loving crop that needs regular watering. It is especially important to provide the plant with sufficient moisture during the hot summer. At this time, the tree needs to be watered once a week. You should also irrigate the crown with cool water. In order not to cause the appearance of burns on the needles, sprinkling is carried out in the evening.

The pine of the described variety does not need frequent top dressing. In the spring, you can nourish the bush with nitrogen-containing preparations intended for coniferous varieties that activate the growth of green mass. At the end of summer, it is advisable to use mineral preparations based on phosphorus and potassium, which strengthen the plant’s immunity, increase its resistance to diseases and parasites.

Important! Experts do not advise to get involved in organic means when applying fertilizers. The litter, which is formed in the region of the near-trunk circle from the falling needles, will contribute to the accumulation of humus and nutrition of the perennial root system.

Loosening and mulching

One of the mandatory agricultural procedures when caring for Ophir is loosening and mulching of the soil. The first allows you to saturate the soil with oxygen and valuable substances vital for the full development of the bush, thereby accelerating the growth of root processes.

Mulching the soil is carried out during planting. When planting in the summer, mowed grass, peat or compost are used as mulch. If planting is carried out in the fall, the trunk circle is mulched with spruce branches or crushed bark.

With further growth, there is no need to additionally cover the soil with a layer of mulch, since the needles, crumbling from the branches, will create a dense, thick coating that helps to preserve moisture and maintain comfortable conditions for root growth.

Pruning

The dwarf pine form does not need cardinal regular pruning. In early spring, sanitary circumcision is performed, during which dry, broken, too weak, damaged or diseased shoots are removed.

Ophir perfectly tolerates a haircut and shaping, which is carried out as necessary. When forming, all protruding shoots growing inward, as well as branches that interfere with the creation of the correct shape, are shortened.

Possible diseases and pests

The plant has excellent immunity, is rarely exposed to the harmful effects of pests or diseases. With excess moisture and adverse climate conditions, it can be affected by fungal diseases, various kinds of rot.

As the main therapy for ailments, fungicidal preparations are used, for example, “Skor”, “Chorus”, “Quadris”, which are sprayed with the bush several times a season.

Of the pests, the greatest danger to the pine is:

High efficiency in the destruction of parasites have insecticides of a wide spectrum of action - "Aktara", "Actellik", "Imidor".

The best methods of controlling pests and diseases are preventive measures:

• soil moisture control;
• adherence to dosage regimens and dosages;
• soil loosening;
• weed control;
• cleaning the site of vegetation, dry branches.

Did you know? Pine wood is used for the manufacture of leather substitutes and the production of artificial silk.

The use of wood in landscape design

Mountain pine Ophir is a wonderful living "tool" for creating original decorative compositions in landscape design.

It is great for:

• creating borders;
• the formation of rockeries, rocky deposits;
• landscaping of terraces, parks, squares, retaining walls;
• fixing slopes and slopes;
• creating compositions in symbiosis with grassy crops or conifers.

Ophir is used as a solitary planting or for group plantings. But it should be remembered that the plant does not tolerate too gassed air, so it is not recommended to plant it along highways with heavy traffic.

Mountain pine Ophir is an amazing representative of perennial conifers, which is appreciated by gardeners for its high decorativeness, original color of needles and compact, dwarf sizes. Unfortunately, the plant is not included in the constant range of products of many nurseries, as it propagates exclusively by vaccination. But if you managed to meet the seedlings of culture in garden centers, then experts recommend not to miss this opportunity and replenish your collection of pines with a rare specimen.