Image – Flickr/Marco Verch Professional Photographer
Is it a good idea to have trees on the patio? Yes of course. But it is necessary to choose the species very, very well, taking into account the characteristics of the climate as well as the terrace itselfbecause for example it may not be exposed to the sun throughout the day, in which case it would be necessary to look for plants that prefer shade, or on the contrary it is the case and therefore trees are needed that can be in sunny places.
So let’s see what are the best potted trees for patios: its main characteristics, and its resistance to cold, very necessary information to know whether or not we can have them where we live.
Contents
Potted trees for sunny terraces
Is it possible to have potted trees on sunny terraces? The answer is yes. In addition, when we look for plants of this type to put in places like this, it will not be as difficult as if we wanted to find some to put in the shade (although there are also some, like we will see later). Here are the ones we recommend:
tree of love (Cercis siliquastrum)
Image – Wikimedia/Zeynel Cebeci
The Tree of Love, or Judas Tree as it is also called, It is a deciduous plant that is filled with lilac flowers in the spring, and it does so before its leaves., which are heart-shaped, grow. It can be around 6 meters tall, but don’t worry: in a pot it will stay smaller, maybe 3-4 meters. However, you can prune it in the fall (when the foliage falls) if you want it even shorter. Resists down to -18ºC.
Citrus (Citrus sp)
Image – Wikimedia/Petar43
Citrus fruits, i.e. lemon, tangerine, orange, etc., are evergreen fruit trees that lend themselves very well to container life. I myself planted a 4-season lemon tree in a large pot (about 60 centimeters wide for about the same height) on the terrace. These plants are always very pretty, especially in the spring when their small, fragrant white flowers bloom.. As for their resistance to cold, it depends on the species, but in general they can withstand down to -4°C.
Laurel (laurus nobilis)
Image – Wikimedia/Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz
The laurel is a plant that, if you like to cook, you will surely like to have it on your terrace, because You can use the leaves to season your dishes. It is an evergreen tree that can reach 12 meters in height when planted in the garden, but stays at around 3-4 meters when kept in a pot. However, it supports the pruning very well. It resists down to -12ºC.
Olive (Olea europaea)
Image – Flickr/Stefano
The olive tree is an evergreen tree that grows slowly, and therefore lives very well in pots. In addition, you can give your crown any shape you want, since it tolerates pruning well as long as it is done at the end of winter. It flowers in spring, and produces its fruits – olives – in summer.. Also, be aware that it is resistant to cold and frosts down to -12ºC.
Potted trees for shaded or semi-shaded terraces
If your patio doesn’t get a lot of sun, or is always in shade, you’ll want to look for trees that can live in those conditions and/or can at least adapt without a problem, such as the following:
Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)
Image – Wikimedia/Krzysztof Golik
The Japanese maple is a deciduous tree, or a shrub depending on the cultivar, which grows between 1 and 12 meters approximately. It is a plant with webbed leaves, which can be green, orange, pink or red at certain times of the year.. It adapts phenomenally to pot life, provided it is kept in an acidic plant substrate (on sale here), and the climate is temperate, with high air humidity. It resists down to -18°C, but temperatures above 30°C are detrimental to it.
Japanese privet (Ligustrum japonicum)
Image – Wikimedia/KENPEI
The Japanese privet is not a tree, but a bush that can be shaped into a small tree. It is evergreen and does not exceed 3 meters in height, so it can be luxurious in a pot. The leaves can be green, golden or variegated depending on the cultivar. Produces very fragrant yellowish-white flowers in summer. And it resists frosts down to -18°C.
Small-leaved chestnut (Aesculus parviflora)
Image – Wikimedia/Sten Porse
The small-leaved chestnut is a deciduous tree that reaches a height of about 5 to 15 meters. In a pot, it stays at around 4-5 meters, and it can even be reduced if necessary by pruning it. It has webbed green leaves, which turn yellowish in autumn. In spring, it produces white flowers in erect inflorescences that appear in the upper part of the crown.. It tolerates very well down to -20°C, but it does not like very high temperatures (30°C or more).
male dogwood (horned more)
Image – Wikimedia/Cayambe
The male dogwood is a small deciduous tree that reaches about 6 to 8 meters in height; if in a pot, having less space, it remains smaller. It is a plant with green leaves, which turn orange or reddish in the fall before falling. Its flowers are yellow and grow very early in the spring, before the leaves. Of course, it must be planted in a pot with an acidic plant substrate, because it cannot live in alkaline soils. It can withstand temperatures down to -20°C, but very hot summers, with temperatures above 30°C, are detrimental to it.
Magnolia (magnolia grandiflora)
Image – Flickr/Ruth Hartnup
The magnolia or magnolia is an evergreen tree which, although it can reach 30 meters in height, being in a pot slows its growth. The good thing about it is that blooms from an early age, so you won’t have to wait long to see its fragrant white flowers. These grow in the spring and last about 4 days or so. Of course, it must be taken into account that it is a plant that needs an acidic plant substrate to avoid ferric chlorosis, which is a problem when planted in alkaline soils or lands. It resists down to -18ºC.
Did you know some of these trees that can be kept in pots? Do you already know which one you are going to put on your terrace?