plants that are abnormally small for a given species or genus. Dwarf varieties of birch, pine, willow, and fir develop as a result of poor soil or adverse climatic conditions in the arctic and the antarctic, as well as on high mountains. Dwarf fruit trees and ornamentals are produced by artificial grafting on stocks with poorly developed root systems or by cultivating seedlings in pots filled with tightly packed soil. Artificial dwarfs include oak, gingko, maple, cherry, and plum trees. In a lifetime of 100 years, dwarfs barely reach the height of 1 m. Dwarf plants are widely cultivated in Japan.