Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Pinus peuce 'Latgale'
Latgale Macedonian Pine
- Family
- Pinaceae
- Height
- 3 to 4 ft
- Width
- 3 to 4 ft
- Flower color
- Produces small seed and pollen cones
- Foliage color
- Soft, evergreen needles in dense clusters, blue-green to rich green overall
- Bloom time
- Spring, with pollen and seed cones
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Moderate; prefers regular watering in average, well-drained soil
- Maintenance
- Low; very slow-growing dwarf with compact, globose habit and minimal pruning needs
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 4 to 8
- Wildlife
- Provides shelter for small birds; cones may offer food for seed-eating birds and small mammals
About this plant
Pinus peuce 'Latgale' is a dwarf Macedonian pine with a compact, rounded outline and dense branching. Soft blue-green needles cover the shoots, giving it a smooth, layered appearance throughout the year. Cones form even on young plants, adding interest early in its life cycle. As a conifer, it produces small yellowish pollen structures in late spring, marking its blooming season, followed later by developing seed cones.
Pinus peuce is native to mountain regions of the Balkans and has been cultivated since the 19th century. The cultivar 'Latgale' originated from a naturally occurring growth mutation discovered in eastern Latvia and was propagated for its consistent dwarf form and appealing foliage. Its rounded shape and year-round color make it well suited to rock gardens, mixed conifer plantings, and containers.
Works well in
Sun Gardens · Rock Gardens · Containers · Bird Gardens
Companion plants
Aster · Firethorn · Sneezeweed · Blue grama grass · Hebe · Manzanita
Design tip
A sequence of rounded evergreens can create rhythm in a planting, and ‘Latgale’s’ compact silhouette is especially effective in this role. Its soft blue-green needles keep the effect from feeling overly formal, adding fine texture and subtle color variation within the repeated forms.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at Vista Gardens.
