Swiss stone pine
Pinus cembra
The Swiss stone pine, Pinus cembra is beautiful. Perfectly proportioned, the can grow to reach 25-40 ft. tall. The needles are very soft and beg to be touched. The tree itself is wickedly hardy and almost never experiences winter browning. It has no significant pest or disease issues either. So why don’t we see it more often? Because it grows slowly. Very slowly.
That said, the Swiss stone pine is highly adaptable, gorgeous, and becoming more available. It is unlikely to outgrow its allotted space and can be a welcome addition to a small yard or garden if you make allowances for the fact that some day, it is going to be quite large. A few large specimens do exist on the prairies, but they are infrequent.