A Fun, Upright Dwarf Pine Shaped Like Its Name

Green Penguin Scotch Pine (Pinus sylvestris 'Green Penguin') is a compact, upright dwarf with a charming narrow, slightly rounded silhouette - a tidy little column of green Scots-pine needles. Slowly reaching 4-7 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide, it is a playful, low-maintenance accent for foundations, entries, and small-yard beds.

Green Penguin Scotch Pine Plant Details

Green Penguin Scotch Pine Uses in Minnesota Landscapes

Narrow Upright Foundation Accent

At just 2-3 feet wide and 4-7 feet tall, Green Penguin slips into spots where wider conifers crowd out - under a window, beside a front door in Edina, or tucked along a narrow foundation strip. Its dense, columnar form adds vertical evergreen interest without ever needing to be sheared back off the walk.

Containers and Small-Yard Focal Point

Slow-growing and compact, it makes an excellent year-round container plant for a Minneapolis or St. Paul porch, or a tidy focal point in a small Twin Cities yard. In a pot, give the roots winter protection - move it against the house, heel it into a bed, or mulch heavily, since container roots are far more exposed to cold than those in the ground.

Rock Gardens and Conifer Collections

The novelty upright form and fine green needles make it a favorite for rock gardens, troughs, and dwarf conifer collections. Pair it with mounded and spreading dwarfs in Plymouth or Maple Grove for a low-maintenance bed full of texture and four-season structure.

Best Time to Plant Green Penguin Scotch Pine in Minnesota

As an evergreen, Green Penguin establishes best when planted in late summer to early fall - late August through mid September is the ideal Twin Cities window, giving roots time to settle before the ground freezes and reducing winter desiccation. Spring (late April through May, after the ground thaws) is the strong second choice. Avoid midsummer planting, and never plant after mid-October or before the ground thaws.

How to Plant Green Penguin Scotch Pine

1. Dig the hole two to three times as wide as the root ball but no deeper - in heavy clay, go wider still and set the top of the root ball slightly above grade.
2. Check for clay hardpan: if water pools in the bottom of the hole, break through the compacted layer or mound-plant to improve drainage. Pines especially dislike wet feet.
3. Backfill with the native soil mixed with 20-30% compost; avoid creating a pure-compost pocket that traps water around the roots.
4. Space plants 2-3 feet apart for a low row, or give a single specimen its own small footprint.
5. Build a 3-4 inch watering basin around the root zone, then flatten it before winter to prevent ice damage.
6. Mulch with 2-3 inches of shredded bark or wood chips, kept a couple of inches back from the trunk. Do not use gravel mulch - it offers no winter insulation in Minnesota.

Watering Green Penguin Scotch Pine in Minnesota

First Year Watering Schedule

• Weeks 1-2: water deeply every 1-2 days, soaking the root ball slowly.
• Month 1-2: water every 3-4 days.
• Month 3 onward: water every 5-7 days through the growing season, easing off when rainfall is adequate. Scotch pine resents soggy soil, so let it dry between waterings.
• Stop watering 2-3 weeks before the ground freezes (late October in the metro). A single deep soak in early December helps if fall was dry, since evergreens lose moisture all winter.

After Year One

• Established plants are drought-tolerant and need supplemental water only during extended dry spells.
• Water deeply and infrequently, and let natural rainfall do most of the work.

Will Green Penguin Scotch Pine survive a Minnesota winter?

Easily. It is hardy to roughly -40F (USDA zone 3), well beyond the Twin Cities metro range of zone 4b-5a. In-ground plants are bulletproof; only container-grown plants need extra winter root protection.

Is Green Penguin Scotch Pine deer-resistant?

Moderately. Deer largely leave mature pines alone, but they may nibble tender new growth, especially in winter. In high-pressure western suburbs like Minnetonka and Wayzata, a repellent or a wrap in the first couple of winters is worthwhile.

How big does it get, and how narrow does it stay?

It matures slowly to about 4-7 feet tall and only 2-3 feet wide, so it holds its tidy upright shape for many years without crowding neighbors or needing heavy pruning.

Can I grow it in a pot through a Minnesota winter?

Yes, with care. Its slow growth suits containers, but pot roots are vulnerable to deep cold. Sink the pot in a bed, push it against a sheltered wall, or heavily mulch it for winter, and water once before the ground freezes if the soil is dry.

You May Also Like

• Dwarf Blue Scotch Pine - a compact blue-needled Scots pine for the same small-space, dwarf-conifer role with cool blue color.
• French Blue Scotch Pine - a striking silvery-blue Scots pine selection that pairs well in a conifer collection.
• Dwarf Alberta Spruce - a dense, cone-shaped dwarf spruce that complements Green Penguin's upright form.
• Little Gem Norway Spruce - a tiny nest-shaped dwarf spruce for the front of a rock garden or trough.

How Many Green Penguin Scotch Pine Do I Need?

Green Penguin is a specimen and accent plant, not a hedging conifer. Use a single plant as a vertical exclamation point in a foundation bed or rock garden (give it a 3-foot circle), or a matched pair flanking an entry. For a low rhythmic row along a walk, space plants 2.5 feet apart:

In a dwarf-conifer collection, set it 3–4 feet from mounded neighbors so its upright silhouette reads clearly.

Green Penguin Scotch Pine Season-by-Season in Minnesota

• Spring: Upright "candles" of new growth extend from every branch tip, then flush into fresh green needles.
• Summer: A dense, tidy green column — 4–8 inches of growth a year means it never outgrows its spot.
• Fall: Needles hold solid green while deciduous neighbors go bare, and the orange-tinged Scots pine bark starts to show character.
• Winter: The star season — a little green penguin standing in the snow, unbothered by -40°F.

At a Glance

✔ Drought-Tolerant   ✔ Evergreen   ✔ Four-Season Interest

Plant It With

• Dwarf Blue Scotch Pine — the blue-needled counterpart for a green-and-blue Scots pine pairing.
• French Blue Scotch Pine — silvery-blue color and the same tough constitution for the conifer collection.
• Little Gem Norway Spruce — a tiny nest-form dwarf for the front of the bed below Green Penguin's column.
• Globe Blue Spruce — a blue mound that contrasts beautifully with the upright green form.

Is Green Penguin Scotch Pine Right for Your Yard?

If you have a sunny, well-drained spot and want a slow, no-prune vertical evergreen accent for a foundation, entry, rock garden, or container, Green Penguin is a charmer that stays put for decades. It's not a fit for shade or soggy ground — Scots pines need 6+ hours of sun and resent wet feet, so skip it for north-side beds and low, damp corners.