About Pinus uncinata Ramond ex DC.
This species, Pinus uncinata Ramond ex DC. (here referenced by its synonym Pinus mugo), is a coniferous tree. It has dark green needle-shaped leaves that grow in pairs, measuring 3 to 7 centimetres (1+1⁄4 to 2+3⁄4 inches) long. Its cones are nut-brown, and range from 2.5 to 5.5 cm (1 to 2+1⁄8 inches) long. Pinus mugo is native to the subalpine zones of the Pyrenees, Alps, Ore Mountains, Carpathians, northern and central Apennines, and higher mountains of the Balkan Peninsula, including ranges such as Rila, Pirin, Korab, and the Accursed Mountains. It most commonly grows at elevations between 1,000 and 2,200 m (3,281 to 7,218 ft). Occasionally, it grows as low as 200 m (656 ft) in the northern part of its native range in Germany and Poland, and as high as 2,700 m (8,858 ft) in the southern part of its range in Bulgaria and the Pyrenees. It also occurs in Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park in Kosovo. Pinus mugo was introduced to Scandinavia, Finland, and the Baltic region in the late 1700s and 1800s. It was originally planted in coastal regions to stabilize sand dunes, and later grown as an ornamental plant around residential areas. In Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, the species has naturalized and become invasive, displacing fragile dune and dune heath habitats. In Estonia and Lithuania, Pinus mugo only naturalizes occasionally outside of plantations, and sometimes becomes established in raised bogs. Pinus mugo is classed as a wilding conifer, and spreads as an invasive species in the high country of New Zealand, coastal Denmark, and other areas of Scandinavia. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant, used as a small tree or shrub in gardens, and in larger pots and planters. It is also used in Japanese-style garden landscapes, and grown as larger bonsai specimens. In Kosovo, its trunk is used as construction material for the regional mountain vernacular architecture called "Bosonica". Mugo pine is used in cooking. Its young cones can be processed into a syrup known as "pinecone syrup", "pine cone syrup", or mugolio. Buds and young cones are harvested from the wild in spring, then left to dry in the sun through summer and into autumn. The cones and buds gradually drip syrup, which is then boiled down to a concentrate and combined with sugar. As an alternative preparation method, pinecones can be macerated in sugar, fermented, and strained.
