As the old saying goes, everyone should plant a tree once in their life. However, not everyone has a large garden in which this project could be put into practice. In a sufficiently large bucket and with proper care, such a tree can also be cultivated on the balcony. Of course, a 20 meter high maple doesn't fit there, but one of the numerous dwarf breeds can be found almost anywhere.
Dwarf trees are ideal for the balcony
Dwarf trees are ideal for balcony gardens
There are special dwarf breeds of almost every tree species, which grow up to a maximum of two meters high and usually grow more like a bush. However, high or medium-high stems are often available in nurseries and garden centers, which can be kept wonderfully as mini trees in pots.
deciduous trees
Many of the large representatives from forests and parks are also available in mini format. Whether maple, beech, oak, ash or chestnut: If there is a "dwarf" in front of the variety designation in the description of the plant, it is a miniature breed. For example, the following are particularly nice for the bucket:
- Dwarf hornbeam 'Monumentalis' (Carpinus betulus): columnar, very slow-growing
- Dwarf columnar oak 'Menhir' (Quercus palustris): grows to a maximum height of 200 centimeters
- Dwarf ash 'Abiona' (Fraxinus excelsior): grows to about 100 centimeters high
- Dwarf beech 'Sandrode' (Fagus sylvatica): reaches a maximum height of 150 centimetres
- Dwarf copper beech 'Purpurea Nana' (Fagus sylvatica): grows to around 200 centimeters high
- Dwarf beech 'Asterix' (Fagus sylvatica): up to about 100 centimeters high, very slow growing
- Dwarf ornamental cherry 'Kojou-no-mai' (Prunus incisa): grows to about 100 centimeters high
When it comes to the sizes, keep in mind that these are not fixed: the actual growth of a tree depends heavily on the local growth conditions as well as the location and the soil conditions.
fruit trees
Fruit trees belong to the deciduous trees, but they occupy a special position due to the use of their fruit. Since there is now a large selection of columnar and dwarf fruit varieties, you don't have to do without apples, pears, cherries and plums from your own harvest on the balcony either. Column fruit in particular - be careful: Not everything that says "column" on it is real columnar fruit! - is ideal due to its narrow growth. Very suitable are for example:
- Pillar apple 'Sonata'
- Dwarf apple 'Delgrina'
- Dwarf pear 'Luisa Kirchensaller'
- Dwarf sour cherry 'Morellini'
Even if these fruit trees remain rather small, the fruits still reach normal dimensions. As a rule, it is enough to plant these trees in a pot with a volume of ten liters.
conifers
There are also many conifer species in a pleasing dwarf form. Pretty for the bucket are, for example:
- Dwarf or creeping pine (Pinus mugo var. pumilio): flat spherical, up to 150 centimeters high
- Dwarf spruce 'Shadow's Broom' (Picea orientalis): very slow-growing, up to approx. 80 centimeters high
- Dwarf fir 'Meyer's Dwarf' (Abies cephalonica): up to approx. 150 centimeters high
- Dwarf Balsam Fir 'Nana' (Abies balsamea): fragrant needles, very slow-growing, up to 80 centimeters high
- Dwarf Nordmann fir 'Robusta' (Abies nordmanniana): up to approx. 300 centimetres, slow-growing
tips
Bonsai are also great for balconies and terraces. However, these are not dwarf trees, but normal trees - which are only kept small by special cutting and care techniques.