Recommendations for slow growing slim trees?
greenlove
Posts: 164
We have just built an extension at the front of the house and the front garden is now a mere 2.5 m deep by 7m wide. I have decided to go for the clean flagged option with plants in pots. before the extension was done the centre point of the garden was a very stunning all year around Acer Sango Kaku multi stem tree. Beautiful tree but unfortunately it spread quite a bit and rather fast.
So this time I am looking for a single stem tree which is slow growing and slim and that can be trained to grow in a fairly large pot (170 l or 230 l). I have seen some young Betula Jacquemontii Snow Queen that fit the description but I am not quite sure how fast they grow and if they suit pots? I have also seen some young Ginkgo Bilobas which also seem to be upright, single stem and slender and slow growing by the sounds of it. However, I wanted to check if going for the Ginkgo is the right choice or whether there is another tree species which may be more suitable?
The trees will be planted in large pots on each side of the front of the house. They will look a bit like two guards one on each side of a castle door if that makes sense.
Any recommendation please?
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Most sites will list the height x spread of trees, the Betula is listed by ornamental-trees.co.uk at 7 x 3.5m, Ginkgo at 10 x 4m. So fairly big - they would probably outgrow the containers... You could see them as temporary specimens and keep them until they either start to outgrow the space or the containers.
Something like Amelanchier 'Obelisk' might be a better long term option... stays narrow and is a size more suited to your containers.
Thanks Will. I am conscious that I will struggle to find a tree which will keep to my required size naturally. Apart from the Amelanchier that you mentioned I have also seen a similar tree which has a narrow obelisk shape and has pink flowers. I always thought that was a type of flowering cherry tree but I might be mistaken.
I think my best bet will be to choose a slow growing tree which, with some prunning every year, I can easily keep to the required shape and size. I have resigned myself a long time ago to the fact that I cant keep the trees for more than 10 years in these pots anyway. Either that or I abandon the idea of narrow obelisk shaped trees and go for something different such as those lovely pine trees which I often see in pictures of Japanese gardens.
Juniper SKyrocket might fit the bill if looking for a conifer. Or two of the columnar flowering cherries.
Or the fastigiate Japanese holly ... Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil'
Slow growing naturally upright and evergreen and doesn't turn brown if clipped hard, unlike some other types of evergreen.
Last edited: 16 October 2017 18:39:56
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
You can buy fruit trees that don't have branches, they just stay narrow and bear the fruit on short spurs.
Probably Prunus 'Amanogawa'. I sense you're not particularly keen on being restricted to narrow columnar trees, and I know where you're coming from. They're not 'real trees' are they! Maybe Ginkgo biloba 'Fastigiata' (a more upright form but not totally columnar) would work; I think it would be many years before they outgrew their pots.
Both the juniper Skyrocket and the Japanese Holly look perfect for what I need. The holly reminds me a bit of The Shard in its irregularity.
The fruit trees wont look right within the look I am trying to achieve I'm afraid. And they might not do very well considering they will be against a north facing wall which gets about 4 hours of sun in summer.
The holly will be very happy in the shade.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Looks like we have a winner in that case.
It's a shame that the ginkgo is a fast grower because it is a beautiful and unusual tree and rather striking when it turns yellow in autumn.
Last edited: 17 October 2017 13:08:50
That's the one I was thinking about, Prunus Amanogawa. Gorgeous tree. Used to drive past a house on my way to work which had several of these Prunus about 4-5m tall planted on each side of their path leading to the house. They looked stunning.
The Ginkgo is what I would really love to have and I thought they were fast growers but I am glad you have corrected me. I can have a Japanese Holly on each side of the house front and have the ginkgo in the centre area (which is at least 1 m wide) between the front door and window. I have seen quite a few Ginkgos which are about 2m tall and narrow enough to fit that space. Plus I am sure that with some clever prunning every year I will manage to keep it at bay for about 5-10 years. And then I can replace it "with a younger model".
Whilst I am at it I might get a small Acer Sango Kaku and some dwarf pines to put around the Ginkgo which would create a nice 3D effect.