Tips for success with container-grown trees

Need privacy on your porch? Move in a hedge of container-grown evergreens to shield the view. Patio too sunny? Add a touch of shade with a kousa dogwood in a pot. Want more color in a shady spot? Try a burgundy-foliaged Japanese maple in a teal pot like the one above. The great thing about trees grown in containers is that they are relatively mobile, so you can place them wherever you want.

Container-grown trees provide height in spots where you can’t plant in the ground and add drama and permanence where you might normally just grow annuals. But there are a few tips and techniques that can help you keep them growing healthy for years. Although you can plant almost any tree in a container, you’ll have the best results with varieties that are naturally small. Read on to find a few good candidates to grow well in a pot.

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Choose the best container to grow a tree

To grow a tree in a pot, use a container at least 20 inches in diameter and height. The larger the pot, the better your tree will grow, plus it will be heavier and less likely to blow over. Though I love the look, I avoid containers that narrow at the top — they are hard to pull the root ball out when you need to repot or root-prune. Instead, I tend to choose a pot that flares out at the top.

Best Trees to Grow in Containers

• Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)
• Crabapple (Malus hybrids)
• Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
• Dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca ‘Conica’)
• Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)
• Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp. and hybrids)
• Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)
• Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa)
• Orange (Citrus x sinensis)

Prune roots to keep container-grown trees healthy longer

To encourage smaller feeder roots to grow and control the plant’s size, the tree should be root-pruned every two to three years. This is important because over time, roots will circle inside the pot and may girdle the trunk, which constricts the flow of water and nutrients and could kill the tree.

See how I root-pruned and repotted an arborvitae from the test garden in our video. Many trees can be grown in pots for up to 20 years or more. Keeping the roots healthy will ensure your container tree lives a long, full life.

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No-Fail plants for hanging baskets

Growing beautiful hanging baskets is easy when you choose the right plants. Generally, those that have a trailing or mounding habit work best — they fit the proportions of the basket and spill over the edge creating an elegant draping look. Plants with upright habits can get too tall and look out of balance. Add a few foliage plants and they'll provide color all season, even when flowers take a break. Now let's take a look at 10 plants that are great hanging basket performers.

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Double duty houseplants

It only takes one look to realize these containers have a twist! Plants you might normally keep indoors are pulling double duty, adding unique color, shape and texture to each combo. In fact, they’re the structural stars of these containers. The foliage was chosen first, and the surrounding plants and flowers actually came next.

Using a few of the helpful tips here, you can bring houseplants outside and give your containers a whole new look, too. Plus overwintering both them and tender perennials indoors saves you money next year. Houseplants, such as scarlet star, cordyline and mother-in-law’s tongue, are actually extremely easy to care for — another reason why they’re the perfect foundation to start with when planning containers.

Keeping houseplants happy outside

These houseplants will really thrive outside with a little bit of planning. Accommodate their needs, such as less water or more sun, when you plant them in separate containers before adding them to a larger pot. And this way, if the plant starts to struggle, you can insert something else in that hole to keep your combos bright, lush and healthy. Now let’s get started planting!

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Fantastic foliage

Scarlet star, an easy-to-find bromeliad, is quite an eye-catching thriller in this combo. The strong spike is a great contrast to the trailing Algerian ivy and variegated airplane plant, too. If water catches and sits in the base of scarlet star’s arching foliage, though, the plant will struggle. Keep this dry-loving tropical healthy, even in a combo that likes to stay moist, by leaving scarlet star in its own nursery pot. This way, it’s easy to pull out and dump excess water from the cup of the plant's foliage, then tuck back into the larger container after you water. You can also remove scarlet star before fertilizing because it won’t need regular feeding.

Container care tips

• Part shade
• Feed once a week with water-soluble fertilizer
• For even faster drainage, sprinkle turkey grit or pea gravel in the bottom of the hole before setting it inside the main planter

Plant list (number to plant)

A) Scarlet starGuzmania lingulata (1)
B) Australian tree fernCyathea cooperi (1)
C) ColeusSolenostemon Kong Red^™ (3)
D) Variegated airplane plantChlorophytum comosum ‘Variegatum’ (2)
E) Algerian ivyHedera canariensis (1)
Container is 12 in. square

Bold purple container

Keep the vigorous bloomers of this container, petunia and calibrachoa, performing their best with regular feeding. In early summer, start using a water-soluble fertilizer every two weeks. As the weather gets warmer, fertilize once a week. And if it’s hotter than average, you may even have to feed as often as every third or every other watering to keep their energy high. Wetting foliage with water-soluble fertilizer could burn leaves — be careful not to water during the hottest part of the day. Slow-growing cordyline won’t get much larger in a season, so buy a good-sized plant to begin with.

Container care tips

• Full sun
• Don’t remove ornamental peppers — they’ll turn from white to red as the season goes on
• In early summer, start using a water-soluble fertilizer every two weeks. As the weather gets warmer, fertilize once a week

Plant list (number to plant)

A) PetuniaPetunia Sanguna^® Plum Vein (1)
B) CordylineCordyline australis ‘Torbay Dazzler’ (1)
C) Ornamental pepperCapsicum annuum ‘Shu’ (1)
D) CalibrachoaCalibrachoa Superbells^® Grape Punch (3)
Container is 11 in. in diameter

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Mix textures

From the sleek, upright mother-in-law’s tongue to the fine foliage of the mother fern, this container boasts tons of interesting texture. Remember the trick you used for the scarlet star earlier? You can do the same thing with the begonia and mother-in-law’s tongue in this combo to keep them from getting too wet—just keep them in their own nursery pots and sink them into the soil of the container. Plus, planting the two in their own separate containers first makes it mess-free to bring both inside.

Container care tips

• Part sun
• Don’t let impatiens dry out or they’ll have a hard time recovering
• Avoid overwatering

Plant list (number to plant)

A) Mother-in-law's tongueSansevieria trifasciata (1)
B) FuchsiaFuchsia ‘Gartenmeister Bonstedt’ (1)
C) Golden club mossSelaginella kraussiana (1)
D) ImpatiensImpatiens Impreza^® Cherry Splash (1)
E) BegoniaBegonia x hiemalis 'Julie' (1)
F) Mother fernAsplenium bulbiferum (1)
Container is 14 in. in diameter

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Love those leaves!

Plants can’t survive without leaves — they manufacture food. But leaves don’t have to be simply utilitarian; they can be star performers, too. All in all, great foliage can keep your garden interesting and colorful much longer than almost any flower. In truth, they are the workhorses of a container combo. (In truth, of any garden combo... just check out the gorgeous options in this beautiful book, Fine Foliage: Elegant Plant Combinations for Garden and Container.) Which foliage plants will work best in your containers?

A neutral green foliage, like Boston fern, can weave a diverse bunch of flower colors and shapes together into one stunning container. Or choose a plant with vivid leaves, such as a coleus, and make it the centerpiece of a combo with pale pastel or white flowers. Maybe your color scheme didn’t come out the way you expected and clashes with the container. A cascade of foliage can disguise the pot so it doesn’t show as much. Better yet, just embrace foliage and try a container with leaves only. Make it interesting by mixing up the textures and colors. You’ll never miss the flowers!

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Best foliage plants for containers

Autumn sunset container with ornamental grasses

Welcome autumn with a bold statement! This container (created in late summer, just for fall!) works with the rest of the fall decor on the porch: The grasses echo the corn stalks, while the orange bougainvillea and bittersweet pick up the orange of the pumpkins.

Container care tips

Bougainvillea is a tropical vine that can handle average to dry conditions. But set in full sun and given even moisture, it thrives! Prune it back to a set of healthy leaves if it starts getting too long. (Be careful to avoid the thorns!) Salvia, smokebush and the grasses are all low-care plants. Put them in place, and let them be. Then move them to the garden if they’re hardy (Japanese silver grass and smokebush survive as far north as zone 5, Napier grass into zone 7) or toss them and start fresh next year.

Plant list (number to plant)

A) BougainvilleaBougainvillea ‘Bengal Orange’ (1)
B) Japanese silver grassMiscanthus sinensis ‘Blutenwonder’ (3)
C) SmokebushCotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ (1)
D) SalviaSalvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ (1)
E) Napier grassPennisetum purpureum ‘Prince’ (1)
F) American bittersweetCelastrus scandens (1 cut branch)

Container is 22 in. diameter

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Tremendous texture with ornamental grasses

Warm rusty-red chrysanthemums are the stars in this container...or are they? That’s a tough call! You could make a pretty good argument that foliage rules the roost here, too! But while you’re deciding whether it’s flowers or foliage that’s at the top of the list, take a look at how well they work together.

Bronze switchgrass and the red tips on the euphorbia echo the color of the mums (and the container!), while the lilyturf shares the same variegated edges as the euphorbia. And this gathering of plants will look great in your late summer or fall garden for weeks.

Container planting tips

There are a couple of ways to approach this container. You may decide to plant it in late summer, just in time for fall. If that’s the case, for the longest bloom time, choose chrysanthemums with lots of buds that haven’t opened yet. You won’t have to worry much about how much sun or fertilizer it gets if you use this approach — those plants won’t be in their container long enough for it to matter.

Or, try the old plant-swap technique: Plant this container up in spring, and include summer-flowering beauties like starflower, marigolds or even miniature roses. When they start to fade, pull them out and tuck mums and the kale in their place, to keep your container going even longer.

Plant list (number to plant)

A) SwitchgrassPanicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’ (1)
B) ChrysanthemumChrysanthemum ‘Helen’ (2)
C) EuphorbiaEuphorbia x martini Helena’s Blush (‘Inneuphhel’) (1)
D) Ornamental kaleBrassica oleracea acephala (1)
E) LilyturfLiriope spicata ‘Silver Dragon’ (1)

Container is 14 in. in diameter

Idea #1: Keep a container thrilling with fabulous fern foliage

With leaves like this, who needs flowers? This Australian sword fern is the thriller of this container. The rich red tones play against the lush green palette and provide color all season long. Texture plays an important role in this container, too. The medium-sized leaves of the red coleus form a focal point that’s set off by the finer textures of the fern, the creeping Jenny and the trailing coleus. The large leaves of the elephant ear, as well as the bulk of the dark, solid container, keep the overall effect from being too “busy” and messy.

Design tip: Limit the colors

How do you keep a combination of plants from looking too busy? Choose a couple of main colors and be sure that all the plants adhere to that color palette. Here, the dark red is picked up in all the coleus leaves and the ribs of the elephant’s ear leaves. A sparkle of chartreuse is scattered across the container to brighten it, both in the creeping Jenny and the edgings of the coleus cultivars.

Container maintenance tip: Keep it tidy

Pinch back the coleus as needed in midsummer to keep them neat and compact so they don’t take over the container.

Fern & coleus container recipe (number to plant)

A) Australian sword fern (Nephrolepis obliterata ‘Emerald Queen’) (1)
B) Coleus (Plectranthus ‘Redhead’) (3)
C) Elephant ear (Colocasia ‘Coffee Cups’) (1)
D) Coleus (Plectranthus ‘Strawberry Drop’) (1)
E) Coleus (Plectranthus ‘Trailing Plum’) (3)
F) Coleus (Plectranthus ‘Kong Jr.™ Scarlet’) (1)
G) Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’) (1)
Container is 22 in. square

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Idea #2: Fill out your container with a spunky green fern

Although ferns are often a quiet backdrop for other plants, sometimes they like to take center stage. This chartreuse Boston fern is like a ray of sunshine spilling out from the container. It contrasts nicely with the dark purple of the black varnish plant and the ruby colored caladium.

Container design tip: Angle it

Tip the Boston fern forward slightly when planting so that it angles out. This way the fern leaves will reach out and over slightly and keep growing that direction — instead of inward toward the other plants where it could start to take over.

Container maintenance tip: Give it some sun

Place this container in a spot with morning sun to get the brightest color from all these plants and to keep the geranium blooming.

Fern & caladium container recipe (number to plant)

A) Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata Rita’s Gold™) (1)
B) Caladium (Caladium ‘Freida Hemple’) (1)
C) Black varnish plant (Pseuderanthemum atropurpureum ‘Rubrum’) (1)
D) Caladium (Caladium ‘Raspberry Moon’) (1)
E) Geranium (Pelargonium ‘Persian Queen’) (1)
F) English ivy (Hedera helix ‘Gold Child’) (1)
Container is 16 in. in diameter

You might also like this lovely plant combination for shade

The best container plants for your garden

When you're shopping at the garden center for the best container plants every spring, it's easy to become overwhelmed by aisles after aisle of options. Some of the blooming beauties you see there may last all summer while others may quickly fade. And vice versa: Some plants might not look like much in spring, but just get better and better through fall. How do you know which is which? Let us help you choose the best container plants for your garden every year!

We think the plants we chose here are some of the best [container](https://www.gardengatemagazine.com/articles/containers/ "Containers") plants. Maybe they have plentiful flowers, colorful foliage or graceful trailing stems. Perhaps they’re durable plants you can count on to look good all summer long. Whatever its star quality, each of the plants below (and in the the video of our editor Kristin’s favorites above) has that extra something that every gardener can use. If you’re ready to grow great-looking containers, it all starts with the best plants. Find your new favorites here!

Our favorite plants for container gardens

Check out our top picks for reliable favorites for your best container gardens this year for both sun and shade. You won't be disappointed!

New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hybrids)

It doesn’t get any easier than New Guinea impatiens… just plant them, keep them watered, and enjoy the show until frost finally zaps them. Most New Guinea impatiens are self-cleaning, meaning they drop their spent blooms without any deadheading from you. (Of course, if they’re in containers on your deck, you may have to sweep up fallen petals.)

Other than shade, the most important thing to remember about New Guinea impatiens is to keep them watered — their fleshy stems and leaves droop the instant the soil gets dry. Although they’ll perk back up as soon as they get more moisture, getting too dry too often will stress them, causing fewer flowers and sparse foliage.

Type Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual) Blooms Shades of lavender, purple, pink, red, orange and white from spring to frost Light Full sun to full shade Size 8 to 48 in. tall, 6 to 36 in. wide Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11

Geranium (Pelargonium hybrids)

Geraniums love the heat and don’t mind getting a bit dry, which makes them fantastic container plants. Plus they come in a wide range of flower colors. And look for tulip-, rosebud- or cactus-flowered geraniums to give a traditional planting a twist. But don’t forget the foliage! Many geraniums have a “zone” marked off on the center of each leaf.

Type Tender perennial (usually grown as annual) Blooms White, lavender, pink, orange or red blooms from spring to fall Light Full sun Size 5 to 24 in. tall and wide Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 10 to 11

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Canna (Canna spp. and hybrids)

Cannas grow bigger and better all summer, and they're economical choices for containers because even just a few rhizomes can make a large impact. If they're hardy for you, you can leave them in pots year round. If not, dig up the rhizomes after frost has killed the foliage and save them in barely damp peat moss in the basement until spring, when you can plant them outdoors again. The pretty blooms attract hummingbirds, but the large leaves are the real star. You'll find varieties with green, burgundy and even variegated foliage.

Type Tender rhizome Blooms Red, orange, yellow, pink, white or salmon in summer Size 18 to 96 in. tall, 12 to 48 in. wide Light Full sun Hardiness Cold Hardy in USDA zones 7 to 11

Payprus (Cyperus papyrus and Cyperus involucrata)

There’s something about papyrus that elevates a container from average to amazing. It must be the tufts of foliage rising from ramrod-straight stems to give a planting structure and size without stealing from the colorful components. Papyrus is perfect for height in a small container -- it stretches tall, but isn’t a space hog, staying narrow in habit. You can even pot up papyrus and move it indoors to save it for next year. It will need some light and may lose leaves, but come spring, set it outside and new sprouts will take off.

Type Tender grass Blooms Tiny yellow flowers at the ends of dramatic green tufts Size 18 to 72 in. tall and wide Light Full sun to part shade Hardiness Cold Hardy in USDA zones 10 to 11

Fanflower (Scaevola aemula)

Whether you prefer white, pink or blue, like Whirlwind^® series above, this is a great annual to drape over the edge of a mixed container. The common name comes from the flower petals that are arranged like fans. Drought- and heat-tolerance mean this plant will survive if you forget to water occasionally. It doesn’t need to be deadheaded, either. But to keep it tidy, shorten a few stems back a few inches every now and then to make a denser plant.

Type Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual) Blooms White, pink or blue flowers late spring through fall Light Full sun Size 6 to 18 in. tall, 16 to 24 in. wide Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 10 to 11

Rex begonia (Begonia rex)

A silver-leafed rex begonia like ‘Rum Painkiller’ is a great choice for perking up a shady corner. While most cultivars have other colors, such as red, mixed into their leaves, it’s the silver that makes them stars. Keep these tender perennials out of direct sunlight or the leaves will scorch.Moist, but not wet, soil is ideal. And feed them with a water-soluble organic fertilizer at half strength every two weeks.

Type Tender perennial (usually grown as annual) Blooms Not showy Light Part to full shade Size 8 to 12 in. tall and wide Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 10 to 11

Coleus (Plectranthus hybrids)

Coleus is so versatile! Its beautiful leaves make it interesting enough to grow as a single specimen or with loads of other annuals. It's a fast grower, so start with small plants. Plant growing too tall at the end of the summer? Pinch it back. That’s all there is to it!

Type Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual) Blooms Leaves in shades of green, yellow, orange, red, pink and black, many with fancy markings; insignificant blue or white flowers all summer and fall Light Full sun to full shade Size 6 to 48 in. tall, 10 to 30 in. wide Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 10 to 11

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Angelonia (Angelonia angustifolia)

In a small container, the upright spikes of summer-blooming angelonia could be a focal point. But in a larger combo it's a good supporting player, too. It benefits from a weekly dose of water-soluble fertilizer. Remove spent flower stems to help promote more blooms, too.

Type Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual) Blooms White, blue, purple, pink or red late spring through frost Light Full sun Size 4 to 30 in. tall, 8 to 20 in. wide Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 10 to 11

Winged begonia (Begonia hybrids)

Winged begonias are tough and drought-resistant. They're known for clean foliage and prolific blooms, too. Colors hold best in afternoon shade, but they tolerate full sun, too. This is a self-cleaning plant, so the flowers drop off as they fade — you never need to deadhead!

Type Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual) Blooms White, pink or red flowers top shiny foliage spring through frost Light Full sun to full shade Size 12 to 18 in. tall, 15 to 18 in. wide Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 11 to 12

Starflower (Pentas lanceolata)

Want to attract butterflies to your garden? As soon as they find a starflower, they'll flock to it. Use this plant in the middle or back of a container. Starflower needs sun and heat to get going, so don't set one out until summer arrives. Deadhead the spent flowers for a tidy plant and more blooms.

Petunia (Petunia hybrids)

Any petunia gives you lots of bang for your buck. All you have to do is choose your favorite color. Some petunias cascade over the edge of the pot while others are a bit more upright, so be sure to check the tag for size and height when you’re buying starts. You need full sun to keep these annuals blooming and going strong. And every few weeks, snip off a few stems here and there to stimulate side branches — and more flowers.

Type Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual) Blooms Many colors, spring through frost Light Full sun Size 4 to 24 in. tall, 8 to 96 in. and wide Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 10 to 11

Euphorbia (Euphorbia hypericifolia)

If you like baby’s breath as a filler in your bouquets, you’ll love this annual euphorbia in your conatiner garden plantings. Diamond Frost^® is the standard white. But now there is Breathless^™ Blush, above, with burgundy-speckled leaves and pale pink flowers. Wet soil can be fatal, so let plants dry out between waterings. As you plant, make sure all of the companions in your container like the same conditions.

Type Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual) Blooms White or pink flowers late spring through fall Light Full sun to part shade Size 12 to 18 in. tall and wide Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 10 to 12

Late-season sages (Salvia spp. and hybrids)

When tender sages are packaged in 4-inch pots and lined up along the greenhouse benches at the nursery in spring, it’s difficult to believe that their handful of compact bloom spikes daintily dancing above tidy foliage could make an impact on the garden come fall. But these plants get better all season and keep going despite dropping temps!

What makes these plants so lovable? They’re problem-solvers for tricky situations: They tolerate drought, handle high heat, don’t mind humidity, and deer don’t usually eat them. Even better, pollinators love them — especially hummingbirds.

Type Perennial Blooms Red, pink, orange, purple, blue or white tubular flowers on long stems from summer through fall Size 10 to 48 in. tall, 8 to 60 in. wide Light Full sun Hardiness Cold Hardy in USDA zones 7 to 11

Persian shield (Strobilanthes dyeriana)

Slightly shiny purple foliage make a great contrast or backdrop for plants with bright-colored flowers. The foliage color is best in part shade. Persian shield also has pale blue blossoms in late summer or fall — you can leave them or pinch them off. Don't let the soil get too dry or it will drop leaves. Persian shield overwinters nicely indoors as a houseplant.

Type Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual) Blooms Iridescent purple leaves; insignificant blue flowers in late summer or fall Light Full sun to full shade Size 18 to 36 in. tall and wide Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11

Calibrachoa (Calibrachoa hybrids)

Calibrachoa’s trailing habit makes it ideal for hanging baskets. And a single plant, can cover a small container. Even though the billowy flowers slow during the heat of summer, they come barreling back as the weather cools. With consistent moisture, they’ll bloom until frost or the days get short.

Type Tender perennial (usually grown as annual) Blooms Flowers in shades of blue, violet, white, yellow, red, orange, peach, bronze or pink from spring through fall Light Full sun to part shade Size 6 to 10 in. tall, 18 to 24 in. wide Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11

Sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas)

Cascades of [burgundy](https://www.gardengatemagazine.com/articles/flowers-plants/designing-with/black-flowers-and-foliage/ "Black flowers and foliage"), brown, gold or variegated leaves make this tender perennial popular. Occasionally snip the tips of the stems back a couple of inches to keep the vine under control. It grows quickly, so you can start with a small plant and reap big rewards in no time.

Type Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual) Blooms Burgundy, brown, gold, green and variegated leaves spring through fall Light Full sun to part shade Size 4 to 12 in. tall, 18 to 72 in. wide Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 8 to 11

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When you have a container in a prominent spot, such as near the front door or on the patio, you want to make sure it always looks good. So choose plants that keep themselves looking their best with minimal effort from you. Self-cleaning plants are the best choice. That’s because they don’t require deadheading to remove spent flowers — petals just fall off. While it’s not necessary, occasional snipping back still helps them rebloom and tidies the plant if you want instant good looks. So which plants are self cleaners? Click through the slideshow below for some of the best!

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