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When looking for suitable trees for your own garden, the available space must be kept in mind. Many trees play a dominant role on the property due to their size and width. If you only have little space available, you can rely on a dwarf tree, because it stays small or grows slowly. Likewise, certain species can be raised smaller, which expands the selection of available plants.

Grows slowly and stays small

A dwarf tree is great for a variety of garden projects and is often the only option for people with small plots, patios or balconies. Some of the trees can easily be grown in containers. In order for a tree to be called small, certain conditions must be met. Mainly this refers to the final growth height. On average, these trees reach heights of two to ten meters, which even makes planting in the front yard possible. Alternatively, there are cut-resistant types that have no problem being trimmed to the desired size. In the coming sections, you will be introduced to 40 suitable tree species that take up little space.

20 small trees

If a tree stays small, it doesn't exceed a certain size, which you can take advantage of. Mainly certain cultivated forms or naturally smaller species are suitable for this purpose. Some trees, on the other hand, can be raised as a standard, which modifies the natural shrub shape in favor of a dwarf tree.

Hanging catkin willow (bot. Salix caprea)

  • Growth height: 200 to 1,500 cm
  • Flowering time: March to April
  • hardy: yes

Laurel (bot. Laurus)

  • Growth height: 200 to 500 cm
  • Flowering time: March to May
  • hardy: limited
  • Education to the high trunk necessary

Mountain pine (bot. Pinus mugo subsp. mugo)

  • Growth height: 200 to 300 cm
  • hardy: yes
  • Education to the high trunk necessary

Boxwood (bot. Buxus sempervirens)

  • Growth height: 200 to 500 cm
  • Flowering time: March to May
  • hardy: yes
  • Education to the high trunk necessary

Lilac (bot. Syringa)

  • Growth height: 200 to 600 cm
  • Flowering time: mid-April to mid-July
  • hardy: yes
  • Education to the high trunk necessary

Red hanging beech 'Purple Fountain' (bot. Fagus sylvatica 'Purple Fountain')

  • Growth height: 200 to 800 cm
  • Flowering time: May
  • hardy: yes
Source: Photo by David J. Stang, Fagus sylvatica Purple Fountain 2zz, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Japanese ornamental willow (bot. Salix hakuro 'Nishiki')

  • Growth height: 200 to 350 cm
  • Flowering time: March to mid-April
  • hardy: yes
  • Education to the high trunk necessary

Currant (bot. Ribes)

  • Growth height: maximum 200 cm
  • Flowering time: mid-April to late May
  • hardy: yes
  • Education to the high trunk necessary

Gooseberry (bot. Ribes uva-crispa)

  • Growth height: maximum 150 cm
  • Flowering time: April to late May
  • hardy: yes
  • Education to the high trunk necessary

Crabapple 'Tina' (bot. Malus 'Tina')

  • Growth height: maximum 150 cm
  • Flowering time: May
  • hardy: yes
Source: Ruff tuff cream puff, Malus tina, Edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0

Willow-leaved pear (bot. Pyrus salicifolia)

  • Growth height: 400 to 700 cm
  • Flowering period: late April to late May
  • hardy: yes

False cypress (bot. Chamaecyparis)

  • Growth height: 200 to 1,500 cm
  • hardy: yes
  • Education to the high trunk necessary

Cypress (bot. Cupressaceae)

  • Growth height: 400 to 1,500 cm
  • hardy: yes (depending on location)
  • Education to the high trunk necessary
Source: Tortie tude, Juniperus chinensis 'Prostrata' bonsai, Edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0

Olive tree (bot. Olea europaea)

  • Growth height: up to 1,000 cm
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • hardy: no

Real wine (bot. Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera)

  • Growth height: up to 120 cm
  • Flowering period: mid-May to early July
  • hardy: yes
  • Education to the high trunk necessary
Source: Vassil, Vigne inflorescence 2, Edited by Plantopedia, CC0 1.0

Tulip magnolia (bot. Magnolia soulangeana)

  • Growth height: 400 to 800 cm
  • Flowering time: April to mid-May
  • hardy: yes
  • Education to the high trunk necessary

Japanese carnation 'Kanzan' (bot. Prunus serrulata 'Kanzan')

  • Growth height: 350 to 800 cm
  • Flowering time: Beginning of May until after the ice saints
  • hardy: yes
Source: Famartin, 2022-04-16 17 25 16 Kanzan Cherry flowers opening along White Bark Lane in the Franklin Farm section of Oak Hill, Fairfax County, Virginia, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

18. Tree of Life (bot. Thuja)

  • Growth height: 500 to 700 cm
  • hardy: yes
  • Education to the high trunk necessary

19. Leatherleaf Hawthorn 'Carrierei' (bot. Crataegus lavallei 'Carrierei')

  • Growth height: 300 to 500 cm
  • Flowering time: May
  • hardy: yes
Source: VoDeTan2, Crataegus lavalei carrierei fruit, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

20. Weeping birch 'Youngii' (bot. Betula pendula 'Youngii')

  • Growth height: 200 to 450 cm
  • Flowering time: mid-March to mid-April
  • hardy: yes
Source: I, Mat86, Brzoza zwisla, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Make sure that some species in the bucket are no longer hardy. To get these, you need to box the pot or provide some other form of winter protection.

Notice: A great advantage of the mentioned species is the possibility to raise them small and in this way to limit the size. Some taxa, such as the weeping birch or the catkin willow, can reach heights of up to 15 meters with good care, which can get a little cramped, especially in front gardens.

Slow-Growing Trees: 8 Suitable Species

Not every dwarf tree reaches full size within a few years. Such a tree grows slowly, which makes it easy to raise and cultivate. Typical features of such trees are:

  • Final height after 20 to 30 years (at the earliest)
  • cut resistant
  • usually form spherical crowns
  • robust

If you choose a tree from the following species and varieties, you can sit back and relax because it grows slowly and stays small. These are investments that stay in the family for a long time, which is what makes them so attractive. Especially families with a small garden benefit from these 8 varieties:

Blood plum 'Nigra' (bot. Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra')

  • Growth height: 200 to 450 cm
  • Flowering time: April
  • hardy: yes

Rock pear 'Robin Hill' (bot. Amelanchier arborea 'Robin')

  • Growth height: 250 to 550 cm
  • Flowering time: April to mid-May
  • hardy: yes

Globe tree 'Globosum' (bot. Acer platanoides 'Globosum')

  • Growth height: 500 to 550 cm
  • Flowering time: April
  • hardy: yes
Source: Wouter Hagens, Acer platanoides Globosum C, Adapted from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Hawthorn 'Paul's Scarlet' (bot. Crataegus laevigata 'Paul's Scarlet')

  • Growth height: 400 to 700 cm
  • Flowering period: May to early June
  • hardy: yes
  • well suited for city climate

Globe trumpet tree 'Nana' (bot. Catalpa bignonioides 'Nana')

  • Growth height: 200 to 350 cm
  • hardy: no (requires winter protection)
  • smells
  • drives away mosquitoes
Source: User:Guide22, Trumpet Tree, Edited by Gartenlexikon.de (MKr), CC BY-SA 3.0

Swamp Oak 'Green Dwarf' (bot. Quercus palustris 'Green Dwarf')

  • Growth height: maximum 300 cm
  • Flowering time: May
  • hardy: hardy
  • extremely undemanding

Globe cherry 'Globosa' (bot. Prunus fruticosa 'Globosa')

  • Growth height: 200 to 300 cm
  • Flowering time: April to mid-May
  • hardy: yes

Globe acacia 'Umbraculifera' (bot. Robinia pseudoacacia 'Umbraculifera')

  • Growth height: up to 500 cm
  • hardy: limited (protection recommended)
  • suitable for city climate

An important point in the selection mentioned is the final growth height. Many well-known slow-growing trees such as the classic oak or the popular yew become very tall and sometimes wide with age, which is not recommended if space is limited. For this reason, do without such specimens if it can be assumed that the space will not expand in the coming decades.

Tip: Keep an eye out for varieties with the suffix 'Nana' at nurseries or specialist retailers. In most cases, the designation indicates cultivars of a particular species that remain small or are even a dwarf tree.

Bonsai: 7 recommended species

Have you thought about a bonsai as a possible dwarf tree? Bonsai exert their own charm as they are permanently small. This is caused by the extensive pruning measures and the small amount of substrate and space available to the trees. Bonsai can be established from a variety of different species that are extremely decorative and can withstand even intense pruning. You can also keep bonsai outdoors during the warmer seasons. The following list gives you an overview of suitable species. The growth height is not specified for these, as this is determined by the cut:

Japanese pine (bot. Pinus parviflora)

  • Flowering period: May to June
  • hardy: yes
  • very decorative
Japanese pine, Pinus parviflora

Trident maple (bot. Acer buergerianum)

  • Flowering time: May
  • hardy: yes
  • insect pasture
Source: Wouter Hagens, Acer platanoides Globosum C, Adapted from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Japanese maple (bot. Acer palmatum)

  • Flowering period: May to June
  • hardy: down to -20°C
  • forms a beautiful spherical crown

Juniper (bot. Juniperus)

  • Flowering time: April to June
  • hardy: yes
  • can bear fruit
Creeping juniper, Juniperus horizontalis

Chinese elm (bot. Ulmus parvifolia)

  • Flowering period: August to October
  • hardy: down to -20°C
  • one of the most popular bonsai species
Source: Sailko, Pescia, museo del bonsai, ulmus parviolia, stile sabamichi (tronco scavato), dalla cina, circa 250 anni, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Japanese apricot (bot. Prunus mume)

  • Flowering time: March to April
  • hardy: no (winter protection required)
  • can bear fruit

Toringo apple (bot. Malus toringo)

  • Flowering time: April to mid-May
  • hardy: down to -16°C
  • can bear fruit
Source: Sage Ross, Toringo Crabapple bonsai 20, October 10, 2008, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Another advantage: a bonsai grows slowly. If you like to let your trees grow over a longer period of time, you should choose these mini trees.

Column trees: 5 taxa for the garden

Another variant of small trees are those that are raised as a column. While many species can be brought into this form, only certain ones remain permanently small. These are cultivars that have been bred specifically as a column and will only grow excessively when neglected. The following 5 are meant:

Hornbeam 'Monumentalis' (bot. Carpinus betulus 'Monumentalis')

  • Growth height: 400 to 600 cm
  • Flowering time: April to late May
  • hardy: yes

Rowan 'Fastigiata' (bot. Sorbus aucuparia 'Fastigiata')

  • Growth height: 400 to 700 cm
  • Flowering period: May to mid-June
  • hardy: yes

Pillar cherry 'Amanogawa' (bot. Prunus serrulata 'Amanogawa')

Source: Arz, Prunus Amanogawa zoom-in, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Growth height: 300 to 500 cm
  • Flowering time: April to mid-May
  • hardy: yes
  • pleasantly scented

Columnar hawthorn 'Stricta' (bot. Crataegus monogyna 'Stricta')

  • Growth height: 500 to 700 cm
  • Flowering period: May to late June
  • hardy: yes

Golden elm 'Wredei' (bot. Ulmus hollandica 'Wredei')

Source: Wouter Hagens, Ulmus wredei A, Adapted from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
  • Growth height: 500 to 1,100 cm
  • hardy: yes
  • decorative golden yellow foliage

Notice: In general, the cultivation of columnar fruit is suitable for every balcony and even smaller terraces, as they have been specially bred for these conditions. If you choose columnar fruit, you can also harvest the fruit at the end of the season and look forward to healthy fruit.

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