The history of growing trees in containers to grace an intimate garden goes back many hundreds of years. Beginning with the Chinese, and perhaps most practiced today by the Japanese, the blending of indoor space and outdoor living spaces brings nature into our daily lives and adds a wonderful dimension to a home. A grouping of small trees in containers can create a beautiful setting even on a small balcony or deck, but the idea of growing trees in containers can be intimidating, especially when it comes to root pruning, which is necessary if a tree is to remain healthy in a pot for many years. There has been very little written on the subject, but we can learn a lot by studying the cultural methods used in bonsai.

Bonsai is an art form with specific rules of style that may or may not interest you, but the horticultural techniques used are equally valid when applied to larger container trees for a patio, deck or small garden. Trees grown in larger containers, and genetically dwarfed trees that do not require exacting pruning to remain small can give us the mood we are looking for without the time consuming care required for bonsai. I have found this kind of container garden entirely satisfying, and very undemanding. Regular attention to water, fertilization and root-pruning every few years is all it takes.

Choosing Maples for Patio Containers

Japanese maples are beautiful small trees, with a gentle sweetness that can bring a sense of peace to our lives. These jewels of Mother Nature come in colors from deep ruby red to pastel green and cream and have wonderful fibrous root systems that make them a great choice for container trees. The challenge is to find the perfect maple for YOUR situation and taste. With hundreds of cultivars of Acer palmatum to choose from, as well as several other species of small maples with their own charms, choosing can be daunting. By taking a step-by-step process we can make the task more reasonable.

When choosing a tree for your project the first criteria should be love. This is a tree that will be your companion in an intimate seating area, and it should make your heart sing to be with it. A tree is a long-term project, and you can have it with you for the rest of your life, so consider carefully. Changing seasonal color, size and habit (i.e., upright, spreading or pendulous) should come into the discussion, but don't forget the cultural considerations. All will be for naught if the tree you chose is not appropriate for your site. Is it hardy to your USDA zone; is it tolerant of the shade/sun position you have? Is it interesting enough to be viewed up close?

I start the process of selection by weeding out any cultivars that are not vigorous easy-to-grow trees. Since maples are such strong growers, that leaves me with plenty of choices. Next I consider size. Most of us do not wish to fight with our trees to keep them from outgrowing their positions, and wish to prune for structural and aesthetic considerations only. This brings me to the more exciting part of the process of selection, where the artistic decisions are made. Habit is a very important decision since the feeling that the tree brings to its location is most affected by the way the tree grows: stiffly upright, spreading, weeping, vase shaped or round-headed. Now there is only color to choose, and the perfect tree is yours. You may find our Tree Finder very useful to your selection process. You can choose either list format, with photos and a short description, or the comparison format that gives you a table with height, colors, and form, for your results.

I have chosen some of my favorites for you to consider, presented by size, with a selection of habits and colors in each size range. Japanese Maples are very adaptable to many conditions and do well in containers. They will remain considerably smaller in containers, adapting to the limits of the container, and grow larger with unlimited space, light, water and nutrients. Remember that maples in containers need more protection from hot afternoon sun and prolonged temperatures below 15 degrees. Sizes given are design heights, usually attained by approximately ten years of age.

Outstanding Maples for containers:
Three to Five Feet
Six to Ten Feet
Eleven to Fifteen Feet