Knowledgebase
Identification #923723
Asked January 17, 2026, 11:40 AM EST
Hancock County Ohio
Expert Response
Your pine appears to be a Mugo Pine, native to the high-elevation, mountainous regions of Central and Southern Europe. It is a lovely ornamental plant that thus far has not begun invading any of our wild spaces.
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/plantfinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=284978
Should you prefer to plant a native plant of a similar stature that will perform ecological services and benefit wildlife, I would recommend the plants below.
Grey Owl Juniper:
Host Plant For:
- Butterflies & Moths: Olive Hairstreak, Imperial Moth, Whitemarked Tussock Moth, Periploca laeta, Periploca mimula.
- Birds: Provides nesting, shelter, and food (cones) for many songbirds like Robins, Bluebirds, Mockingbirds, and Cedar Waxwings.
Eastern White Pine (Nana Group- Dwarf)
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=261617
Host Plant For:
- Insects: Caterpillars (moths/butterflies), Zimmerman pine moth, aphids (adelgids), pine needle scale, spruce mites, bark beetles, pine weevils.
- Wildlife: Songbirds, small mammals, deer, snowshoe hares (food/shelter).
Common Dwarf Cultivars & Traits:
- 'Nana' Group: Compact, slow-growing, shrubby, good for rock gardens.
- 'Macopin': Broad, irregular, compact shrub form.
- 'Pendula': Weeping habit, can form a groundcover or screen.
- 'Sea Urchin': Dwarf shrub with fine, blue needles.