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Potted plants can conjure up a great ambience. However, not all of them are hardy and very few survive the cold days of winter without being damaged. However, there are some particularly robust and hardy species that can even hibernate in the tub outside and thus provide a beautiful sight all year round. In some cases, however, a light protection against frost may also be necessary for hardy potted plants.
Hardy potted plants
How hardy plants are depends on frost tolerance and site conditions. However, potted plants are generally more sensitive to frost. In extreme cold in winter, even supposedly hardy plants can sometimes be damaged. Then you should protect the bucket with insulating materials. However, the selection of hardy species is larger than you might think.
small trees
Japanese maple 'Shaina' (Acer palmatum)
The Japanese maple grows up to 150 cm high and wide. The special feature is its deeply slit, light red and later wine-red leaves. It grows upright and branched with overhanging branches. Its winter hardiness is good, but protection of the root area against severe frost is recommended. However, he does not like waterlogging.
notice: Not all trees are suitable for pot planting. 19 trees that are suitable for the tub can be found here.
Hanging catkin willow 'Pendula' (Salix caprea)
The overhanging catkin willow reaches a height of 80 to 150 cm. In spring, around March, their silvery, slightly fragrant flowers appear, also known as pussy willows. This small tree is also hardy, deciduous, has dull, ovate leaves and tolerates pruning well.
Almond tree (Prunus triloba)
- Almond tree is deciduous and also a hardy container plant
- Growth is upright, bushy and branched
- Growth heights of up to 250 cm
- Flowering time from March/April to May
- Flowers pink and double
- Leaves initially dark green and toothed
- Leaves turn yellow to orange in autumn
Crab apple 'Tina' (Malus sargentii)
This ornamental apple variety is particularly well suited to being kept in a tub, for example in a classic cottage or Japanese garden. It grows upright and spreading, with a height of up to 150 cm. In May, the countless white flowers and pink-red buds turn this small tree into a radiant eye-catcher. The red fruits are tiny but still edible.
Dwarf hawthorn 'Compacta' (Crataegus monogyna)
Dwarf hawthorn also grows as an upright, bushy, dense, squat and globular small tree. It reaches a size between 200 and 400 cm. It is covered with simple, small white flowers from May to June. These form a nice contrast to the dark green foliage. The high ornamental value is also due to the red, spherical berries that develop in summer.
Shrubs that stay small
Boxwood 'Blauer Heinz' (Buxus sempervirens)
The evergreen, bluish shimmering boxwood is also a hardy container plant. It grows slowly, compactly and spherically, with growth heights between 40 and 50 cm. In the winter months, its leaves turn dark green.
tip: Even if this book is well suited for topiary, it should be avoided in hot weather and in periods without precipitation.
Red carpet berry (Gaultheria procumbens)
- Red carpet berry grows creeping and carpet-like
- Grows up to 20 cm high
- Red, spherical fruits are particularly decorative
- Develop from small pink flowers
- Give off an aromatic scent
- Fruits poisonous and not edible
- Leaves glossy dark green
- Turn bronze in winter
Gaultheria procumbens
Winter heather (Erica carnea)
While most plants remain dormant over the winter, the winter heather provides distinct color accents with its bell-shaped, white and purplish-pink flowers or variegated foliage varieties. And that from November/December until spring. With growth heights between 20 and 40 cm, it remains quite small.
Dwarf Deutzia 'Yuki Snowflake' (Deutzia rosea)
The hardy dwarf mayflower shrub presents itself with snow-white, star-shaped flowers from May to June. In autumn it convinces with an intensive red coloring of the leaves. It grows a maximum of 50 cm high in the tub and is perfect for use as a hardy tub plant.
tip: If kept in buckets, particular attention must be paid to a good water supply.
Medium-sized and large shrubs
from B - J
Flowering dogwood (Cornus kousa var. chinensis)
This attractive ornamental tree delights with up to 13.5 cm large, creamy-white flowers, which are actually bracts. Also striking is the dark green foliage, which turns from yellow to orange to red-violet in autumn. It reaches growth heights of 250 to 400 cm.
Chinese dwarf lilac (Syringa meyeri)
In spring it is a true beauty, the Chinese dwarf lilac. With its delicate purple and pink flowers and their pleasant scent, it awakens anticipation for summer. It grows slowly, densely branched, with heights of 100-150 cm.
tip: If you cut off the withered flowers immediately after flowering, a second bloom is possible.
Noble broom 'Luna' (Cytisus scoparius)
The large-flowered noble broom 'Luna' grows stiffly upright, with many shoots and up to 150 cm in height. Its pure yellow flowers appear from May to June. This deciduous tree is poisonous in all parts of the plant.
Common broom, Cytisus scoparius
Garden marshmallow 'Ardens' (Hibiscus syriacus)
This flowering tree shines with a long flowering period from the end of June to October and beautiful, full, purple to reddish-violet flowers. It grows stiffly upright and broadly compact, with growth heights of up to 200 cm.
Hanging Pea Bush 'Pendula' (Caragana arborescens)
This clear stem is adorned with feathery, fresh green leaves and light yellow butterfly flowers in May. The eponymous pea-like fruits appear in summer. Its shoots hang down in a cascade, especially in the pot. The growth height depends on the grafting height.
Jasmine 'Little White Love'(R) (Philadelphus)
With its pure white, double-double flowers, this dwarf form of the garden jasmine is a real gem. The flowers appear from May to June and exude an intense fragrance. The jasmine is undemanding and grows up to 100 cm high.
Philadelphus coronarius, peasant jasmine
from R - S
Rhododendron 'Kalinka' (Yakushimanum hybrid)
A very attractive species among the hardy potted plants is the 'Kalinka' rhododendron. From May to June it bears large, pink-red flower balls with a yellow-green eye and a slightly wavy edge. The dark green foliage of this compact, up to 110 cm tall plant is also beautiful.
Belt flower (Loropetalum chinense)
The belt flower impresses with pink, fringed and delicately scented flowers as well as with the dark violet foliage. This keeps its coloring all year round. Flowering time is in February and March. The plant is sufficiently hardy, grows bushy and densely branched with growth heights of 70 to 100 cm.
Red laurel (Kalmia angustifolia)
The laurel rose easily survives minus temperatures in winter. The greatest adornment of these plants is the graceful, intensively pink colored blossom from June to July. It forms a nice contrast to the fresh green foliage. These evergreen plants grow to a height of 80-100 cm.
tip: The red laurel rose loves lime-free and acidic soil.
Snowball hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)
Brilliant white flower balls adorn these plants between July and October. They turn green both at the beginning of flowering and when they fade. They lose their dark green leaves in autumn. The growth heights are between 100 and 150 cm.
Skimmia (Skimmia japonica)
Skimmia is a slow, densely growing, evergreen shrub to 150 cm tall with laurel-like, dark green foliage. It forms pink to reddish-brown buds in late summer, which develop into highly fragrant, white-pink inflorescences in the coming spring.
Skimmia, Skimmia japonica
tip: If the shrub is to bear fruit, wilted flowers must not be cut off.
Holly, Ilex 'Casanova' (Ilex meserveae)
Ilex 'Casanova' does not produce flowers, but impresses with its green-cream-white variegated foliage. The leaf edges are covered with small thorns. In contrast to other Ilex varieties, this one is reliably hardy and well suited for pots. Its maximum growth height is 300 cm.
perennials
Amur Adonis (Adonis amurensis)
The bright yellow flowers of these upright, compact and herbaceous plants are particularly striking from February to April. The slightly reddish and later reddish-green, deeply slit leaves are also pretty to look at. They grow 20-30 cm high.
Amur Adonis
tip: The Adonis is poisonous even in the smallest amounts.
Hosta 'Minute Man' (Hosta x cultorum)
The hosta is actually a leaf ornamental shrub. The foliage is bright green with a snow-white, slightly arched edge. The light purple, grape-shaped flowers appear from June to July. The Hosta grows roundish and compact, with a height of 50 to 60 cm.
Almond Leaf Purple Spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea')
This evergreen perennial changes appearance several times throughout the year. In winter the leaves turn dull crimson to mahogany. In early spring, the lower leaves turn green and small wine-red tips appear on the shoots. From April they develop into lime-yellow to greenish inflorescences.
Palm Snow Rose 'Wester Flisk' (Helleborus foetidus)
The most attractive thing about this snow rose is its extraordinary light green, red-edged flowers. They rise above the feathery, blue-grey leaves from February to April. They can reach a height of up to 50 cm.
Red Hellebore (Helleborus orientalis)
The first flower buds are often already visible in winter, at the beginning of February, and then bloom until April. The flower color varies between different shades of red and color gradients. The bright yellow stamens are striking. The growth height is a maximum of 40 cm.
conifers
Thread Arborvitae 'Whipcord' (Thuja plicata)
With its thick, thread-like, drooping and fresh green needles, this tree of life is a real eye-catcher in decorative planters. It grows like a cushion, with overhanging branches and heights of 40-50 cm.
Korean fir (Abies koreana)
- Dwarf, extremely decorative dwarf shrub
- Carries fine needles that are bluish-dark green on top and silvery frosted underneath
- Needles curled upwards
- Wood appears silvery as a result
- Korean fir grows extremely stocky
- Up to 80 cm in height and 120 cm in width
Dwarf Pine (Pinus mugo var. Pumilio)
The dwarf pine does not grow higher than 150 cm. It is very hardy, forms deep green, low cushions and bears light yellow male flowers and pink-red female flowers in May/June. When choosing the planter, you should take into account that these plants are deep-rooted.