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Recommendations for container-planted trees - acers, magnolias, cherry

BlueBirderBlueBirder Posts: 212
edited February 2022 in Plants
I have been saving some cash to invest in a reasonably mature tree to live in a container in my garden (sadly not able to plant into the ground). My garden is teeny and as it will be in a container I'm thinking I need a tree which won't get much bigger than 2.5m, or which can be pruned to keep small.

I would love to get a Japanese acer. I know some are OK for containers, but my main Q is about sun: does 'part shade' mean dappled light, or is 3 or 4 hours of sun and the rest of the day in shade OK? Most of my garden is pretty sheltered but it all gets quite a bit of sun in summer (it's small but south facing). My favourite find so far has been Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum', but I know it doesn't like too much sun.

Other thoughts I've had are a semi evergreen magnolia like Magnolia 'Fairy Cream', or an ornamental cherry. I'd love to have a Tibetan cherry but I'm guessing it would not do well in a container, so I've been looking at smaller trees like Prunus cerasifera 'Hessei', Prunus 'Kursar' and Prunus nipponica kurilensis 'Brilliant' (apparently these manage OK if pruned hard to keep small?)

Last thing is that recently someone suggested a weeping kilmarnock willow or the Japanese pink pussy willow.

I'm happy to put plenty of effort into making sure my tree is happy and healthy but I want to make sure I get one which will be OK in my garden! Has anyone had experience of growing these trees in containers? Any recommendations for specific trees? 

Thanks in advance (and apologies for the essay).

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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The dark Acers are fine with a few hours of sun, but you just have to be more vigilant with anything in a container. The advantage of that though, is that you can move them around. The palmatums are very easy though, which is why supermarkets etc sell them.
    Avoid a south facing site, or one which catches early morning sun, as damage can occur after frosts. Wind is also a problem, so a bit of shelter is best. They're essentially woodland plants, so if you don't have the right conditions, don't get one  :)

    Most of the others will struggle in a container unless you make a purpose built, large one. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • BlueBirderBlueBirder Posts: 212
    edited February 2022
    @Fairygirl I've found a lot of sites online which advertise trees as suitable for container planting - I know they will always do better in the ground, but will they struggle that much in a large container? I haven't grown a tree before in a pot so am not sure. I know they need a lot of water. I have a 70L pot lounging in the shed which I was thinking of putting to good use - it's 54cm across the top and 48cm deep. Is that large enough? 

    I'm still a bit confused about the conditions. If I have a spot which is pretty sheltered from wind, gets sun in the afternoon for around 3 hours, and is shaded the rest of the time, is that OK for an acer? 

    Sorry for all the questions! I have a background in biology and botany but it doesn't seem to transfer all that well to horticulture...
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I wouldn't really recommend trying trees- especially mature ones - in a pot that size, unless you've done it before.
    If you want to experiment though, you might be better getting something young. At least if it doesn't work, you haven't spent a fortune, and it'll take a while to get large, so that helps. It certainly contains them a bit if you prune, but that can also be tricky if you haven't done it before, and it's easy to lose the natural shape. You may also have to root prune in future. They need ongoing attention re soil replacement and food.
    I don't want to put you off, but it's something that needs a fair bit of research.  :)

    That site would suit an Acer quite well. Afternoon sun is fine, it's hours of mid day sun that does the damage, and that even applies here!  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • BlueBirderBlueBirder Posts: 212
    Thanks @Fairygirl - I am up for learning how to prune and root prune and happy to give a tree a lot of attention - but it sounds a good idea to start with something younger and slow growing. 

    I will keep reading stuff! (And if I do get a tree, I'll keep you posted...) 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Certainly try an Acer.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    edited February 2022
    I have a Prunus serrula in a (very large) container, it seems very happy so far. It's an old water tank (£10 on local Gumtree), about 1/3 filled with pea shingle, the rest with topsoil. The extra height of the container is helpful. This tree doesn't mind sun and heat, and I haven't needed to water religiously. Just the odd bucket of water if the weather is particularly dry.

    Eventually the tree will reach it's limit in that container and stop growing, and ultimately go into a premature decline. Hopefully I'll get a good few years out of it before that happens. (Almost) any tree in a container is "temporary". 


    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    Bob Flowerdew grows sweet cherries in containers successfully so some ornamentals might also work. I haven't tried it but I think I have read that magnolias won't be happy in containers although magnolia stellata seems small enough that it might be Ok.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The size of the container is certainly the main factor. The OP's pot isn't that big, when it comes to large specimens. 

    You could always try shrubs @BlueBirder, rather than trees as such. Many can be pruned into a more tree-like shape -Elder, Cotinus etc, and that would be a much cheaper option too. I've had Buddleias in pots before ,due to moving house frequently etc.
    Pot's still a bit small, but would do a few years, and you could maybe find something bigger in the meantime - the kind of thing @Loxley is describing.  :)
    I expect some of the apples on dwarf rootstocks would be fine for a while too @steephill.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    Agree with the others, who suggest avoiding trees, and going with a shrub. We have grown Cotinus and Sambucus Black Lace in pots successfully. 
  • StephenSouthwestStephenSouthwest Posts: 635
    ...maybe think bonsai?
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