Miniature trees for containers?

Does anyone have suggestions on miniature trees, other than maples or conifers, particularly crabs or cherries, that might do well planted in containers? I'm looking for things that stay small, 4-6 feet maximum, ideally with spring flowers or other interesting features. I'm really not so interested in bushy types, more tree-looking. I'm in zone 5a but I overwinter my containers in a detached unheated garage, so could probably keep things as high as zone 7 alive through our winters.

Thanks!

Elizabeth

Have you thought about bonsai trees? Bonsai trees range from 1-48 inches in size and there is tons of information about them. I would start by finding trees that you like and going from there. There are lots of flowering trees that make really nice bonsai, I like weeping cherry trees, myself.

Here is the link to the Bonsai forum.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/bonsai/all/

I agree, most anything that's amenable to being grown as a bonsai ought to work on your situation.

Japanese Maples possibly.

uhhh...last I checked a Japanese Maple was ether a maple or a conifer, I just for get which one right now... :P

I would say, get some crab and cherry tress and put them in pots they should do just fine, so long as you do some reading on how to care for a bonsai. Bonsai's need more TLC then a lot of other plants but there are lots of people that find it worth it.

Here is a post with a link that will lead you to a website where you can find tons of photos of Bonsai so you can see what bonsai is all about.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/824411/

Oh sorry - it was specified "other" than Japanese maples. Duh! It's just that they lend themselves so well to that type of planting.

Try the Container Garden forum.

How about Serviceberry? Amelanchier.

Snapple, I have six JM's already (two with buds starting to swell - yeah!!!) and another eight on order for the year from two different nurseries. I have somewhere in the realm of a dozen dwarf and miniature conifers on order and have lists and lists of both additional JM's and conifers that I want. I'm just trying to mix things up a bit and see what else might be nice to grow in containers. I do read the container gardening forum regularly but they seem to be more towards the flowers/annuals, or at least that is my impression.

I've been leery to actually get into Bonsai, I'm not sure I'm up for THAT much work. But, it might be worth it to check out a few books from the local library.

Elizabeth

I don't know about everyone else, but I wasn't suggesting that you get into Bonsai, just that the types of trees that do well as Bonsai ought to also do well for you in containers. So if you head over to the bonsai forum you may get some ideas of trees that will grow well for you.

A ginkgo would be interesting. Many cultivars (varieties) to choose from too.

Speaking of Ginkgo's I'm growing two of a single cultivar called 'Chris' Dwarf' . It is definitely a dwarf. At ten years 8 x 8. It's single trunked and vase shaped. It's very nice in the landscape. I get about 3" a year. It may be even more dwarf than listed. Try a blue container. It would be a nice contrast with the lime green leaves and gorgeous with the butter yellow leaves in the fall.

Snapple: Sorry, I was just giving you a hard time, I do that often... Also, could you post a photo of that Ginkgo of yours? I would like to see the tree. I am planing on making a bonsai Ginkgo soon...

I did order a Ginkgo 'Majestic Butterflies' which is a stable variegated male and I plan on keeping that containerized, at least for awhile. The description states that it forms a "globe shaped, heavily branched tree." I actually have a really neat ceramic "urn" type container that I will use for it. It is a shiny brown that I think will contrast really nicely with the yellow and light green variegation. It is not a dwarf, though, so I'll probably have my work cut out for me to try to keep it smaller.

Elizabeth

ic,
Ginkgo biloba 'Majestic Butterflies' is a dwarf ginkgo. G. b. 'MB' is a variegated sport of G. b. 'Jade Butterflies', which is a dwarf ginkgo cultivar.
tl³

Ok, I must ask...where do you all get your trees from? I am new to growing plants and trees thus my knowledge of good sources for plants is very small. I have found a couple of places to get trees but they are smaller sights without much pickings. I would like to find some place that has a larger choice of trees and even some of the cultivation that I hear a lot of...

Herbey_canopy the Chris' dwarf are just two years old here and still under 30" tall. They are listed to become 8 x 8, but I think smaller. I will send a pic dormant and leafed out shortly. One is from Greer Gardens and the other was from Forest Farm.

Treelover3, I know that 'Majestic Butterflies' is a sport of 'Jade Butterflies' but the source that I ordered from (http://www.songsparrow.com/2008new/plantdetails.cfm?ID=765&type=WOODY,&pagetype=plantdetails) said it gets to be 7-8' tall and 3' wide in 5 years. That is outside the classification of "dwarf", isn't it?

Herby, I buy things from all over the place. Dave's Garden is GREAT for choosing vendors, I find the rating system to be very accurate. I ordered my Japanese Maple grafts from Mendocino Maples (www.mendocinomaples.com) last September and was very happy with both the customer service and product received. The year I have orders in for Dave's Nursery (www.davesnursery.com), Klehm's Song Sparrow (www.songsparrow.com) and Arrowhead Alpines (www.arrowheadalpines.com). I hope to order from Eastwoods Nurseries (www.japanesemaples.com) and Mountain Maples (www.mountainmaples.com) in the fall. Of all those listed, I think only Klehm's is mail-order-only. The rest have retail operations and you can tour their gardens or purchase things on-site.

Shipping is very expensive through most of the "better" companies. Expect to spend about 1/4 to 1/3 of your total purchase on shipping and handling, more if you are ordering larger specimen sizes. Also, adjust your "size" expectations. By ordering rarer materials from mail-order companies, you have the chance to grow something really neat that probably no one in your area has. To purchase ONE of a common variety of a Japanese Maple last fall from a local nursery would have cost me around $250 for a specimen. For that much, I was able to get six uncommon varieties as grafts from MM, and that included S&H. They really look like twigs when young. My smallest is about 8" and the tallest is a 20" whip. My thinking was that if two make it my purchase was justified. I think all of them made it through winter, so I'm just tickled!

Now I'm hoping we don't have a week of warm weather and then a killing frost...

Elizabeth

Also try smallplants.com

It's a division of pendulousplants.com which often has plants I've seen nowhere else....

Malus sargentii is a small crabapple that is not supposed to get taller than 8', and the cultivar Tina is supposed to be smaller than that. They have a profusion of white Spring flowers and small red fruits that hang on into the Winter. I have one planted in the ground. I'm not sure how they would do in a pot, but they are definitely tree-like.

How about a miniature weeping cherry? Mine is four years old and doing very well. It's about 4 1/2 feet tall. The picture is kind of fuzzy and from last year. It get s covered in white flowers every spring.

Many of the cornus species would remain in pots with an occasional root pruning. Alterfolia, Kousa 'Satomi' etc. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/137091/

This message was edited Apr 1, 2008 11:07 PM

I saw a lot of nice suggestions on the smallplants.com website and also stumbled across this article on choice crabapples: http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/plants/2005sp_malus.html. I think I'm going to have to find a 'Tina' this year!

Elizabeth

Bet no one will have this by you. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/53834/

I'm sure you can keep that under 6ft for a long time. Very interesting tree. If it gets to big 10 years from now or so just start another one.

Core, I'm zone 5a though! I don't like anything that I can't store in my unheated detached garage over winter, so I think your suggestion would be out.

Elizabeth

That's good to 5 degrees. Your garage gets under 5 degrees F ?

It sure does : )

The garage stays only about ten degrees warmer than the outside. We had plenty of days this past winter when it was below zero, even in the garage. It is uninsulated and drafty. I would like to insulate it this summer, but don't know that I'll have the time and ambition.

Elizabeth

Wow, I would insulate it. Weather strip the doors or doors, that's usually the biggest offender. Those foam insulation boards might be the quick and easy way to do it.