PINUS LEUCODERMIS 'SMIDT'

Discovered in 1926 by Eugene Smidt, the original plant was growing in the mountains of Bosnia, near Sarajevo. It was over 100 years old and about 3 meters tall. It was conical with a rounded top.

A scion grafted onto Pinus sylvestris was planted at Pruhonice Arboretum, Prague, Czech Republic. When I saw it in 1999, it was almost 80 years old and still less than 1 meter tall.

It has a light green color and is thought by some to be a hybrid between P. leucodermis x P. mugo, due to its color and the proximity of Pinus mugo to the original tree.

This plant is commonly listed as Pinus leucodermis 'Schmidtii'. Since Germany controlled the Czech Republic for many years, the name of the plant and its founder had been Germanized. In discussions with my Czech friends, I ascertained that Eugene Smidt was the discoverer's correct name. He was Czech, not a German, and the correct spelling is used at the top of this page.

 Pinus leucodermis 'Smidt' will occasionally develop a conical shape. I observed this effect on a number of old plants in the Czech Republic and here the effect may be seen in one of our gardens.  The plant to the right is a Picea abies 'Pusch'.

 Most specimens develop like this plant, growing in the same garden as the one above. Both of these are the same age and were propagated from center shoots on the same plant. The plant to the right and slightly to the rear is a 10 year old specimen of Pinus sylvestris 'Bennett Compact'.

The following pictures are of the original Pinus leucodermis 'Smidt' growing on a hillside at the Pruhonice Arboretum, Prague, Czech republic.