Dwarf Pine

Dwarf Pine

　　Also known as low pine, it is called creeping pine on Changbai Mountain. Belonging to the Pinaceae family, it is a small shrub-like tree. Its branches lie prostrate and grow in clusters, with new shoots densely covered in short hairs. The leaves are arranged in bundles of five needles, each 3–7 cm long, triangular in cross-section, with resin canals on the margins, and the sheaths shed. Major branches lie flat on the ground, and the bark is grayish-brown to dark brown. The cones are oval-shaped, 3–5 cm long. The seeds are wingless. Dwarf pine is sparsely distributed in the Changbai Mountain region at elevations above 1,800 meters, growing on shady and damp slopes. It is a highly ornamental tree species, suitable for potted plants, and is quite valuable.