What soil does Low Glow Japanese red pine grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, acidic.

Is Low Glow Japanese red pine hardy?

Hardy down to -34 °C (USDA zone 4, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

How far from the house should Low Glow Japanese red pine be planted?

Plant it at least 1.5 m from buildings. Keep it at least 0.5 m from paving.

How much water does Low Glow Japanese red pine need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: medium.

Low Glow Japanese red pine

Pinus densiflora 'Low Glow'

Low Glow Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora 'Low Glow') is a shrub. Light: full sun. Hardy down to -34 °C. Drought tolerance: medium.

Illustration of Low Glow Japanese red pine — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

A very slow, dense dwarf pine that forms a flattened globe: its soft, bright green needles in pairs may turn slightly yellowish in winter, and reddish brown bark shows on old plants. It grows more outwards than upwards and makes a mound roughly knee to waist high and a little wider in ten years, so it suits rock gardens, the front of gravel beds, front gardens and larger containers, and it hardly ever needs pruning. Give it full sun and free-draining, slightly acidic to neutral soil; it will not stand waterlogging.

Watch out for

On heavy, wet soil it dies from root suffocation, and it does not do well on strongly limy soil. In Central Europe the fungi that attack two-needled pines, mainly Diplodia tip blight and Dothistroma or Lophodermium needle diseases, can appear on it, mostly on plants weakened by a hot, dry summer; water newly planted and container plants in summer. The needles may turn yellowish in winter, which is not a disease. Sources differ a lot on its size (some give 40 cm after ten years, others about a metre), and plants grafted on a stem grow taller, so ask what you are buying.

Key facts

Light: Full sun
Water need: Medium
Care: Low
Size after 10 years: 90 cm × 1 m
Hardiness: down to -34 °C
Foliage: Evergreen

Group	Shrub
Light	Full sun
Size after 10 years	90 cm × 1 m
Ultimate size	0.5–1.5 m × 0.9–1.5 m
Hardiness	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Acidic
Foliage	Evergreen
Flowering	no data
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium
Maintenance	Low
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	at least 1.5 m
Distance from paving	at least 0.5 m
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	100 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	Non-toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	no data

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 18, 2026 · How our data is made

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