{"id":611966943558,"date":"2025-10-16T16:41:53","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T16:41:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/blogs\/uncategorized\/15-ideal-trees-for-growing-in-pots\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T08:42:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T08:42:26","slug":"15-ideal-trees-for-growing-in-pots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/blogs\/trees\/15-ideal-trees-for-growing-in-pots\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Ideal Trees for Growing in Pots"},"content":{"rendered":"

According to the proverb, \u2018To be happy for a year, get married; to be happy for life, plant a garden.’
The right tree, in the right place, gives a garden height. Plant one in a pot and you can add the third dimesion to even balcony-sized gardens. Container grown trees are a focal point and they add variety, permanence, colour and even fruit to your garden. For \u2018Generation Rent\u2019, a pot grown tree can move house with you.<\/p>

Best small trees for pots<\/h2>

Trees that are naturally small or slow growing are the obvious place to start when looking for a suitable garden tree to grow in a pot. As with any tree purchase, think carefully about where it will go and what you want from it \u2013 whether that be a long season of interest, fragrant flowers, vibrant foliage, or structure. Here are some of our favourites.<\/p>

1. Japanese Maple<\/a>\n<\/h3>

Japanese maples are elegant small trees that make an excellent subject for containers. In autumn, the delicately serrated leaves accent the garden in vivid shades of red, orange and gold. If you have space, grow a selection of different varieties to enjoy a sensational colour palette through summer and into autumn.<\/p>

\"Japanese<\/figure>

2. \u2018Kilmarnock\u2019 Willow<\/h3>

This dwarf weeping willow is a popular choice for pots. Salix caprea \u2018Kilmarnock\u2019 has a compact, pendulous habit that\u2019s tailor-made for injecting architectural interest into small gardens or patios. In spring, its fluffy grey and yellow catkins flower provides an important early source of fodder for pollinating insects; in autumn, its foliage turns golden yellow before falling to reveal the dramatic silhouette of its bare branches.<\/p>

3. Olive<\/h3>

Add a touch of Mediterranean glamour to your garden with a potted olive tree. These silver-leaved evergreens are slow-growing and work well in containers. Over time they will develop into real characters with gnarly grey bark and contorted trunks. Choose a compact variety, and an occasional light prune will be enough to keep it in shape. Place in a sunny spot and use a well-drained loam based compost such as John Innes No. 3.<\/p>

\"Potted<\/figure>

Best evergreen trees in pots<\/h2>

Plants have to work hard in small gardens, and trees are no exception. Evergreen trees are good value as their foliage offers year round interest, screening and structure. Here are some top evergreen trees that can be grown successfully in containers.<\/p>

4. Dwarf conifers<\/h3>

Although best known for their towering height (Italian cypress<\/a> can grow to 20 metres tall, Leylandii cypress<\/a> to 40 metres), conifer trees come in all sizes, including extra small. A neat dwarf pine, cedar, cypress or juniper tree is perfect for popping in a pot to bring a calming evergreen presence to a patio. Place in part shade and avoid full sun to prevent the foliage from scorching.<\/p>

5. Bay<\/a>\n<\/h3>

Bay trees are the classic evergreen trees for containers. Nothing looks smarter than a pair of standard bay trees on either side of a front door. Bays clip well and can be trained as topiary, so you could equally well have pyramids, cones or spirals beside your entrance. The aromatic leaves can be used in cooking, so a container grown bay is much more than just an ornamental tree.<\/p>

\"Twisted<\/figure>

6. Holly<\/a>\n<\/h3>

English holly is another option for a front door tree grown in a pot. The traditional lollipop shape looks handsome in suitably large containers beside a front porch or stationed in a courtyard. If you want to enjoy bright red winter berries as well as glossy green foliage, choose a female tree, or plant several trees to ensure pollination. Japanese holly, Ilex crenata, is worth considering, too: it grows well in containers and clips easily to shape (it’s often used as an alternative to box as it\u2019s resistant to blight).<\/p>

Best fruit trees in pots<\/h2>

There can be few more rewarding activities in the garden than growing fruit. Potted patio fruit trees<\/a> make this possible even in tiny gardens, and if you\u2019re growing tender fruit such as lemons or peaches in a container, containers mean you can easily bring your trees into a frost-free greenhouse or porch to overwinter safely. Here\u2019s our pick of the crop:<\/p>

7. Apple<\/a>\n<\/h3>

Juicy and flavoursome, a freshly-picked apple is worlds away from supermarket fruit. Patio apple trees grown on highly dwarfing rootstocks are ideal for pots as they won\u2019t exceed much more than about 1.5 metres. If you only have room for one tree, choose a self-fertile variety such as \u2018Braeburn<\/a>\u2019 or \u2018Cox\u2019s Orange Pippin<\/a>\u2019. For versatility in the kitchen, opt for \u2018James Grieve<\/a>\u2019, a lovely dual-purpose apple tree.<\/p>

\"Worcester<\/figure>

8. Pear<\/a>\n<\/h3>

As with apples, growing pear trees successfully in pots is down to the rootstock. Also known as \u2018miniature trees,\u2019 these patio trees are grown on an extremely dwarfing rootstock, producing small trees of up to 1.5 metres maximum. The well-known dessert variety \u2018Conference<\/a>\u2019 makes a great choice for a small garden as it\u2019s self-fertile, and you\u2019ll get fruit even if you only grow one tree. If you prefer cooking pears, try \u2018Winter Nellis<\/a>\u2019, a flexible culinary pear that is fine fresh as well.<\/p>

9. Fig<\/a>\n<\/h3>

With their lush foliage and succulent fruits, fig trees bring added value to any garden. They naturally perform better when their roots are restricted, but even so, varieties such as \u2018Brown Turkey<\/a>\u2019 can become very large. Enter \u2018Little Miss Figgy<\/a>\u2019, a self-fertile dwarf fig variety that won\u2019t exceed 2 metres in height and spread. This petite fig tree is ideal for containers and will produce generous crops of sweet, burgundy coloured fruit. Position against a south-facing wall and protect with horticultural fleece in winter.<\/p>

10. Lemon<\/h3>

Just imagine adding a slice of homegrown lemon to your gin and tonic for sundowners in the garden… bliss. This doesn\u2019t have to be a fantasy: it\u2019s surprisingly easy to harvest your own lemons if grown correctly. Although citrus trees thrive in much warmer climates than ours, varieties such as Citrus x limon (lemon) can survive in the UK if kept in a cool, frost free place over the winter. Terracotta pots are the traditional container for growing citrus trees; use a well-drained compost such as John Innes No. 3 and position in a sunny, sheltered spot.<\/p>

\"Lemon<\/figure>

Best flowering trees for pots<\/h2>

Lovely in their own right, a tree that flowers is just the icing on the cake. There\u2019s no need to miss out on the floral fireworks if you have a small garden \u2013 here are some of our favourite flowering trees that can be grown in pots.<\/p>

11. Star Magnolia<\/h3>

This slow growing small tree blooms prolifically in early spring when flowers of any kind are particularly welcome. Magnolia stellata produces its white star-shaped flowers on bare stems before the leaves emerge, making the display all the more sensational. It prefers acid soil, so growing in a large pot will handily provide the right growing conditions if your garden soil is alkaline. Choose a partially-shaded spot for the best results.<\/p>

12. Amelanchier lamarckii<\/a>\n<\/h3>

One of the trees most often recommended for small gardens, amelanchiers are also one of the best garden trees for pots. Part of their appeal lies in their long season of interest: abundant racemes of starry white flowers in early spring are followed by bold copper coloured foliage which blazes brilliant red in autumn. In summer, the juneberries that give the tree its common name are popular with birds, making it a wildlife friendly choice too.<\/p>

\"Amelanchier<\/figure>

Best trees in pots for screening<\/h2>

13. Portugal Laurel<\/a>\n<\/h3>

Planting trees as a screen is tricky when they are in pots as well, and you want a fuller hedge effect. You can use privet for this, but Portugal Laurel is more handsome up close.<\/p>

Best large trees in pots<\/h2>

Given the right conditions, it\u2019s technically possible to grow any tree, regardless of size, in a pot. The Japanese arts of bonsai and cloud pruning are the best known and perhaps most effective ways of accomplishing this (Bonsai literally translates as \u2018planted in a container\u2019). Here are a couple of large trees that can be grown as bonsai or cloud pruned.<\/p>

14. Yew<\/a>\n<\/h3>

Evergreen English yew (Taxus baccata) is a native conifer that responds particularly well to clipping and training. Although it will reach up to 20 metres as a full-grown tree, it will grow happily in containers where you can restrict its size by annual pruning. Keep container grown yews well fed and watered to maintain their luxuriant feathery foliage.<\/p>

15. Oak<\/a>\n<\/h3>

Few gardens have room for a full grown oak tree, so growing one in a pot as a bonsai might be the perfect solution. They are simply magnificent trees, and there are numerous varieties to choose from. Oak is famously slow-growing, and growing a bonsai from an acorn will take up to 15 years \u2013 the alternative is to grow one from a sapling or buy a ready-made bonsai. Prune pot-grown oak trees in early spring and apply a liquid fertiliser weekly throughout the spring and summer.<\/p>

Tips for caring for potted trees<\/h2>

Growing a tree in a pot is a bit like having a pet, as your tree will depend on you for its care. Regular watering, feeding and pruning will keep potted trees in tip top shape and, unlike a dog, at least won\u2019t have to worry about taking it on walks! Here are some of the key points to bear in mind when caring for trees in pots:<\/p>