Many gardens, especially in the regions around large cities, only have a small area today. Nevertheless, garden owners do not have to do without their own house tree. Ball trees that remain small are an attractive alternative.
The spherical maple grows spherically all by itself
What are ball trees?
There are basically two different forms of spherical trees. The first includes shrubs that do not naturally grow spherically, but can be pruned into any shape. Typical examples of this are the common boxwood and the various false cypresses. However, this article is about the second form of spherical trees: These are special breeds that tend to remain small and have a naturally round crown. These trees rarely need pruning to shape and will grow to a spherical crown without the regular use of pruning shears.
The best varieties for the small garden
Ball trees are often top-grafted, i. H. only the crown is grafted onto the trunk of another species that grows quickly or slowly, depending on the variety. Some spherical trees can grow up to ten meters high, while others only remain three to four meters even in old age. In order not to experience any nasty surprises, always pay attention to the expected final size specified by the retailer when making your selection. However, the tree can still get bigger or stay smaller, because the actual growth depends on factors such as location, soil conditions and climatic conditions. Ball trees that are well suited for the small garden are, for example:
- Ball willow (Salix purpurea 'Nana'): up to 150 centimeters high, ideal for moist soil
- Ball maple (Acer platanoides 'Globosum'): up to 450 centimeters high, remains spherical even without pruning
- Ball trumpet tree (Catalpa bignonioides 'Nana'): up to 300 centimeters high, produces neither flowers nor fruits
- Ball swamp oak (Quercus palustris 'Green Dwarf'): up to 300 centimeters high, slow growth
- Ball cherry (Prunus fruticosa 'Globosa'): up to 300 centimeters high, white blossom and small, red fruits
- Ball cork fir (Abies lasiocarpa 'Green Globe'): up to 200 centimeters high, low water requirement
- Fan leaf tree / ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba 'Mariken'): up to 150 centimeters, perfect for tubs
tips
In principle, spherical trees require the same care as their larger relatives. The biggest difference, however, is the pruning, which should be done more or less regularly depending on the species and variety. Some spherical trees get by with almost no pruning, while others require scissors to be used more frequently. However, this is less important to preserve the spherical shape, but mainly to prevent balding.