Golden Scotch Pine

Golden Scotch Pine (Pinus sylvestris ‘Trollguld’) is a slow-growing, dwarf Scots pine selected for golden foliage through the year. Its needles become golden-green in summer and often show stronger gold tones in winter, while older plants can develop a more upright, conical outline. ## Form and seasonal color The American Conifer Society records the named selection’s Swedish origin and describes an approximately 3-foot-by-3-foot size after ten years; it also notes that older unsheared plants may become conical. The Royal Horticultural Society describes a rounded or pyramidal dwarf conifer with seasonal golden color. [American Conifer Society](https://conifersociety.org/conifers/pinus-sylvestris-trollguld/) and [RHS](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/361088/pinus-sylvestris-trollguld/details) profile the exact cultivar. ## Growing conditions RHS recommends full sun; brighter exposure intensifies the gold color, and well-drained soil is recommended. The species’ eventual size and outline should be allowed to develop gradually rather than inferred from a single short-term nursery measurement. ## Maintenance The cultivar can be left to form a more upright cone with age or selectively pruned when a compact outline is desired. Avoid routine shearing if the naturally changing form is preferred.