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A tree belongs in every garden. But what if the garden is small and doesn't offer much space? In this ultimate list you will find 50 different species and varieties that are great for small gardens.

In a nutshell

  • dwarf trees or large shrubs that have been grown or grafted as trunks fit very well in small gardens
  • Ball trees are ideal, as there is a large selection of small and compact varieties
  • columnar trees take up little space, but are allowed to grow taller
  • Training forms such as the trellis are very space-saving
  • always pay attention to the right location and soil so that the small trees in the garden thrive

Small trees / dwarf trees

Some tree species are naturally small, so you can easily plant them in a small garden or front yard without regular pruning - they will only need little space even when they are old.

Tip: The trellis shape is a space-saving form of tree culture, with which you can not only cultivate fruit trees such as apples, pears, peaches or quince, but also some deciduous trees in a confined space.

American Dogwood (Cornus florida)

One of the prettiest for small gardens, robust thanks to the grafting on Cornus kousa and wonderful to look at, especially during the flowering period.

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Soil: rich in humus, acidic to neutral
  • Growth height: up to three meters
  • Flowers: long-lasting, very luxuriant pink flowers from the end of May to June
  • Leaves: deciduous, red in autumn
  • Special features: hardy
Flowering Dogwood - Cornus florida

Mountain cherry (Prunus sargentii)

With an annual increase of 20 to 30 centimeters, the mountain cherry grows rather slowly, so it can also be planted in small gardens. Note, however, that it can become quite broad in old age and therefore needs a solitary position.

  • Location: sun
  • Soil: prefers heavy soil
  • Growth height: up to ten meters
  • Growth width: up to eight meters
  • Flowering: April, pink flowers
  • Fruits: small ornamental cherries, black-red
  • Leaves: deciduous, red in autumn
  • Special features: hardy, for single position

Bubble tree (Koelreuteria paniculata)

With a growth rate of about 20 centimeters, the bubble tree grows rather slowly. It remains compact even in old age and is very suitable for small plots in the city.

  • Location: sunny
  • Soil: permeable, rather dry
  • Growth height: up to eight meters
  • Growth width: up to five meters
  • Flowers: yellow panicle flowers between July and August
  • Fruits: decorative fruits, not edible
  • Leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: tolerates heat very well

Flower Ash (Fraxinus ornus)

The attractive flowering ash, also known as Manna ash, does well in dry soil.

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Soil: normal garden soil
  • Growth height: up to ten meters
  • Growth width: up to five meters
  • Flowers: creamy white panicles, May to June
  • Leaves: deciduous, yellow in autumn
  • Special features: valuable nutriment for bees
Flowering Ash, Fraxinus ornus

Vinegar (Rhus typhina)

The vinegar tree is also known as deer butt sumac. It forms attractive, inedible fruits that remain on the tree throughout the winter.

  • Location: sunny
  • Soil: permeable, no waterlogging
  • Growth height: up to six meters
  • Growth width: up to six meters
  • Flowers: large, greenish panicle flowers between June and July
  • Fruits: red cobs
  • Leaves: deciduous, bright red in autumn
  • Special features: Toxic to humans and animals

Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)

When young, lilac initially grows like a bush, but later develops one or more stems. Very suitable for small gardens and front gardens, also as a privacy screen.

  • Location: sunny to semi-shade
  • Soil: normal, deep garden soil
  • Growth height: up to approx. four metres
  • Growth width: up to approx. two metres
  • Flowers: white or crimson panicles, very fragrant, mid-May to early June
  • Leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: can be planted in groups

Common Judas Tree (Cercis siliquastrum)

The common Judas tree naturally grows as a large shrub, but can be cultivated as a small tree on a half or standard trunk through consistent pruning or grafting.

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: normal garden soil
  • Growth height: up to six meters
  • Growth width: up to four meters
  • Flowering: single, purple-pink flowers between April and May
  • Fruits: decorative fruits
  • Leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: well suited for dry soils

laburnum (Laburnum watereri 'Vossii')

The noble laburnum variety 'Vossii' flowers particularly richly and decorates both small gardens and front gardens. It is best to plant them individually.

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: well drained, fresh garden soil
  • Growth height: up to five meters
  • Growth width: up to four meters
  • Flowers: golden yellow grape flowers, end of May to June
  • fruits: yes
  • Leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: highly toxic
Source: Photo by David J. Stang, Laburnum x watereri Vossii 0zz, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Japanese maple (Acer japonicum)

This species, also known as aconite leaf maple, is similar to the better-known Japanese maple, but the leaves are less finely slit. There are many beautiful varieties for small gardens, such as the loosely bushy 'Aconitifolium'.

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Soil: rich in humus, permeable, no lime
  • Growth height: up to five meters
  • Growth width: up to five meters
  • Flowers: single racemes, purple with a yellow center, April to May
  • fruits: yes
  • Leaves: deciduous, bright red in autumn
  • Special features: excellent bee pasture
Acer japonicum

Japanese Cherry (Prunus serrulata 'Royal Burgundy')

This species also grows more like a shrub by nature, but can be grafted onto a half or standard trunk or trained accordingly by pruning measures.

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Soil: deep
  • Growth height: up to seven meters
  • Growth width: up to five meters
  • Flowers: dark pink umbels, end of April to May
  • Leaves: crimson, deciduous

Canadian Judas tree (Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy')

The Judas tree is a beautiful, easy-care and very robust tree with a loose growth. Well suited as a solitaire in not so small gardens.

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Soil: normal garden soil, preferably loamy, permeable
  • Growth height: up to eight meters
  • Growth width: up to eight meters
  • Flowers: pink, March to April
  • Leaves: red, deciduous
  • Special features: also suitable for keeping in buckets

Cake tree (cercidiphyllum japonicum)

Beautiful solitary tree for small gardens, also known as gingerbread tree or katsura tree. Leaves smell intensely of cinnamon.

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Soil: rich in nutrients
  • Growth height: up to ten meters
  • Growth width: up to seven meters
  • Flowers: carmine red, April
  • Leaves: deciduous, red in autumn
  • Special features: well suited for keeping buckets

Magnolias (Magnolia)

Magnolias, with their lavish blooms and small but bizarre habit, are the perfect choice for small gardens. There are many beautiful species and varieties, but the Tulip Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana) is particularly attractive.

  • Location: Sun, semi-shade to light shade
  • Soil: rich in humus, acidic pH
  • Growth height: up to eight meters
  • Growth width: up to nine meters
  • Flowers: large bowl-shaped flowers, white or pink, early April to May
  • leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: very hardy

Pagoda dogwood (Cornus controversa)

In addition to the species, there are also attractive varieties with variegated foliage ('Variegata'). These trees fit well as solitaires in small gardens.

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Soil: well drained, acidic to neutral pH
  • Growth height: up to eight meters
  • Growth width: up to five meters
  • Flowers: white umbrella panicles, early June to mid-July
  • leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: layered growth
Source: Sailko, Orto botanico, fi, cornus controversa variegata, edited by Gartenlexikon.de (MKr), CC BY-SA 3.0

False beech (Nothofagus antarctica)

Tolerates both urban climate and soil close to groundwater, very well suited for difficult locations.

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: normal garden soil
  • Growth height: up to ten meters
  • Growth width: up to six meters
  • Flowers: greenish yellow, inconspicuous, May
  • Leaves: deciduous, yellow autumn colour
  • Special features: very robust and hardy
Source: Wouter Hagens, Nothofagus antarctica E, edited by Gartenlexikon.de (MKr), CC0 1.0

Wild apple (Malus sylvestris)

Also known as crab apple, valuable native food for insects and birds.

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: undemanding, rich in nutrients
  • Growth height: up to six meters
  • Growth width: up to four meters
  • Flowers: white-pink, April to May
  • Fruits: small apples
  • leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: well suited for mixed plantings and hedges

Tip: Suitable trees for small gardens can often be found among the various species of wild and ornamental fruit. In the case of wild fruit in particular, the fruits are often edible or usable (e.g. for preserving or making jam).

Dwarf birch (Betula nana)

Also known as arctic birch, this species is widespread in Scandinavia. It is excellent for small gardens, but does not tolerate heat.

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: preferably moor or peat soil, otherwise normal garden soil
  • Growth height: up to 120 centimeters
  • Growth width: up to 120 centimeters
  • Flowering: April to May
  • Leaves: deciduous, yellow in autumn
  • Special features: tolerates extreme cold
Source: Frank Vassen from Brussels, Belgium, Dwarf Birch (Betula nana), Elsenborn, Ostbelgien (4860757421), Edited by Gartenlexikon.de (MKr), CC BY 2.0

Trees with a spherical crown

So-called spherical trees are perfect for small gardens, as they naturally remain rather small and compact. But be careful: not all of the species and varieties presented here form a spherical crown by nature, with some you have to keep it in shape with regular pruning measures. But you can look forward to a beautiful house tree.

Blood plum (Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra')

Can be cultivated both as a large shrub and as a tree with consistent pruning.

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: undemanding
  • Height of growth: up to four meters
  • Growth width: up to five meters
  • Flowers: pink cup flowers, April
  • fruits: edible
  • Leaves: dark red, deciduous
  • Special features: tolerates drought

Norway maple (Acer Globosum)

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: normal garden soil
  • Growth height up to six meters
  • Growth width: up to six meters
  • Flowers: yellowish green, inconspicuous, April
  • Leaves: deciduous, golden-yellow in autumn
  • Special features: straight trunk, attractive foliage

Ball sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua 'Gum Ball')

  • Location: sunny
  • Soil: rich in humus, slightly acidic pH
  • Growth height: up to five meters
  • Growth width: up to four meters
  • Flowers: green spike flowers, May
  • leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: densely branched

Globe ash (Fraxinus ornus 'Meczek')

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: fresh to moist, deep
  • Growth height: up to eight meters
  • Growth width: up to four meters
  • Flowers: Creamy white panicles, fragrant, early May to late June
  • leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: very robust

Ball maple (Acer campestre 'Nanum')

Often offered as a standard graft, it is a small, very compact growing tree with a densely closed crown. Very suitable for small gardens.

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: permeable, rich in humus
  • Growth height: up to three meters
  • Growth width: up to three meters
  • Flowering: intense
  • Leaves: deciduous, golden yellow autumn colour
  • Special features: valuable bee pasture

Tip: If you come across trees or shrubs with the variety designation 'Nana' or 'Nanum', this is always an indication of the growth behavior: these are always small.

Amelanchier arborea 'Robin Hill'

It is a narrow, upright growing small tree.

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: normal garden soil
  • Growth height: up to eight meters
  • Growth width: up to five meters
  • Flowers: white, profusely flowering, April to May
  • leaves: deciduous
Source: Krzysztof Golik, Amelanchier arborea in Hackfalls Arboretum (2), edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Globe ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba 'Mariken')

This dwarf tree fits in every garden - no matter how small.

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: rich in humus
  • Growth height: up to 150 centimeters
  • Growth width: up to 150 centimeters
  • leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: very good for keeping in tubs and small gardens

Globe Plane (Platanus hispanica 'Alphens Globe')

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: rich in nutrients, loamy
  • Growth height: up to five meters
  • Growth width: up to five meters
  • Leaves: deciduous, yellow autumn colour
  • Special features: beautiful house tree for small gardens

Round Robinia (Robinia pseudoacacia 'Umbraculifera')

Also known as the spherical acacia, this variety develops a dense, well-branched crown. It tolerates pruning well, but should be planted as a solitary plant.

  • Location: sunny
  • Soil: rich in nutrients, permeable
  • Growth height: up to five meters
  • Growth width: up to five meters
  • leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: loves warmth, poisonous

Ball cherry (Prunus fruticosa 'Globosa')

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: rich in humus, calcareous
  • Growth height: up to three meters
  • Growth width: up to three meters
  • Flowers: white, April to May
  • Fruits: pea-sized cherries, edible
  • leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: very heat tolerant, hardy, undemanding, well suited city tree
Source: HermannSchachner, Prunus fruticosa (dwarf sour cherry) IMG 8463, edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0

Ball Swamp Oak (Quercus palustris 'Green Dwarf')

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: rich in nutrients, permeable, no lime
  • Growth height: up to three meters
  • Growth width: up to two meters
  • Flowers: golden yellow umbelliferous flowers, May
  • Leaves: deciduous, bright yellow autumn color
  • Special features: very good for small gardens and narrow locations
An oak tree in the garden will last for centuries if the right location is chosen.

Ball Trumpet Tree (Catalpa bignonioides 'Nana')

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: rich in nutrients, permeable
  • Growth height: up to three meters
  • Growth width: up to three meters
  • Leaves: deciduous, yellow autumn colour
  • Special features: no flowers or fruits
Source: User:Guide22, Trumpet Tree, Edited by Gartenlexikon.de (MKr), CC BY-SA 3.0

Ball-leaved lime (Tilia cordata 'Green Globe')

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: adaptable
  • Growth height: up to eight meters
  • Growth width: up to three meters
  • Flowers: yellowish-white, very fragrant, June
  • Fruits: small nutlets
  • Leaves: deciduous, yellow fall foliage
  • Special features: valuable bee nutriment
Source: AnRo0002, 20220608Tilia cordata1, Edited by Plantopedia, CC0 1.0

Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata 'Paul's Scarlet')

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: rich in nutrients, loamy
  • Growth height: up to six meters
  • Growth width: up to approx. three metres
  • Flowers: dark red, May to June
  • Leaves: deciduous, beautiful autumn colors
  • Special features: bird protection wood

Evergreen oleaster (Elaeagnus × ebbingei)

In terms of location, the wintergreen oleaster is extremely robust and adaptable. It can be cultivated as a shrub, but also as a small tree.

  • Location: partial shade to light shade
  • Soil: normal garden soil
  • Growth height: up to three meters
  • Growth width: up to three meters
  • Flowers: white, fragrant, October to November
  • Leaves: evergreen
  • Special features: very suitable for hedges and container planting

Small trees with an overhanging / umbrella-shaped crown

So-called "mourning forms" in trees have a romantic effect and are an eye-catcher in every garden - even small ones. These types and varieties even fit in the front yard.

Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)

One of the best-known ornamental maples for small gardens. The trees, which originate from Japan, are not only very popular in Asian-style gardens, they also go well with the garden pond. There are many appealing varieties, the red-leaved variety 'Atropurpureum' is particularly popular.

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Soil: fresh to moist, but well-drained
  • Height of growth: up to four meters
  • Growth width: up to four meters
  • Flowers: inconspicuous, May to June
  • Leaves: dark red, bright red in autumn
  • Special features: comes into its own at its best

Golden Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos 'Sunburst')

  • Location: sunny
  • Soil: nutrient-rich, moist
  • Growth height: up to ten meters
  • Growth width: up to six meters
  • Flower: white, June
  • leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: hardy and very robust

Silver birch (Betula pendula 'Youngii')

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: normal garden soil
  • Growth height: up to seven meters
  • Growth width: up to four meters
  • Flowers: inconspicuous, March to April
  • Leaves: deciduous, yellow autumn colour
  • Special features: also known as weeping birch
Source: I, Mat86, Brzoza zwisla, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Hanging catkin willow (Salix caprea 'Pendula')

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: very adaptable, grows almost anywhere
  • Height of growth: up to approx. two metres
  • Growth width: up to 150 centimeters
  • Flowers: yellowish-white catkins, March to April
  • Leaves deciduous, yellowish autumn color
  • Special features: very nice as a solitaire on lawns
If you want to plant a hanging catkin willow in your garden, the location is crucial for the plants to be able to establish themselves. Source: I.Sáček, senior, Salix caprea 9999 4, edited by Gartenlexikon.de (MKr), CC0 1.0

Hanging mulberry (Morus nigra 'Pendula')

The variety is also known as the mourning mulberry. It is a special form of the white mulberry.

  • Location: sunny and warm
  • Soil: dry, calcareous
  • Growth height: up to six meters
  • Growth width: up to four meters
  • Flowers: inconspicuous, May to June
  • Fruits: black-red berries
  • Leaves: deciduous, yellow autumn colour
  • Special features: tolerates heat well, winter protection advisable
Source: Marija Gajić, Morus nigra (7), edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Hanging European Beech (Fagus sylvatica 'Purple Fountain')

  • Location: sun to shade
  • Soil: nutrient-rich, calcareous
  • Growth height: up to eight meters
  • Growth width: up to four meters
  • Flowering: May
  • Leaves: black-red, deciduous
  • Special features: comes into its own at its best

Hanging cord tree (Sophora japonica 'Pendula')

  • Location: sunny
  • Soil: well drained
  • Growth height: up to eight meters
  • Growth width: up to eight meters
  • Flowers: yellowish white grape flowers, July to August
  • Fruits: elongated legumes, not suitable for consumption
  • Leaves: deciduous, yellow autumn colour
  • Special features: attractive solitary tree for small gardens

Hanging ornamental pear (Pyrus salicifolia 'Pendula')

This attractive variety of wild pear is also known as the willow-leaf pear. It grows like a shrub, but can also be grown as a stem.

  • Location: sunny
  • Soil: permeable, dry
  • Growth height: up to six meters
  • Growth width: up to four meters
  • Flowering: April to May
  • Fruits: olive-sized, not edible
  • Leaves: deciduous, strong yellow autumn colour
  • Special features: location tolerant
Source: Averater, Pyrus salicifolia 'Pendula' 03, edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Japanese sweet cherry (Prunus serrulata 'Kiku-shidare-Zakura')

  • Location: sunny
  • Soil: deep, loose, calcareous
  • Growth height: up to five meters
  • Growth width: up to approx. five metres
  • Flowers: dark pink umbels, end of April to May
  • leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: grows overhanging, especially when young
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

Copper Pear (Amelanchier lamarckii)

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Soil: normal garden soil
  • Growth height: up to six meters
  • Growth width: up to six meters
  • Flowers: white grape flowers, April
  • Leaves: deciduous, beautiful autumn colors
  • Features: bee friendly

Columnar Trees

The columnar shape offers the inestimable advantage that the trees can grow very tall - but still remain narrow in diameter.

Tip: If you have a small garden and still want to harvest fruit, you can use columnar fruit trees. Whether apple, pear, cherry or plum - there is something for every taste.

Yellow columnar beech (Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Gold')

  • Location: sunny to shade
  • Soil: fresh to moist, rich in humus
  • Growth height: up to eight meters
  • Growth width: stays narrow
  • Flowers: inconspicuous, May
  • Fruits: beechnuts
  • leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: slow-growing, grows very slowly

Red columnar beech (Fagus sylvatica 'Rohan Obelisk')

  • Location: sunny
  • Soil: rich in humus, slightly calcareous
  • Growth height: up to eight meters
  • Growth width: stays narrow, up to three meters
  • Flowers: inconspicuous, June
  • Fruits: beechnuts
  • Leaves: red, deciduous, red-brown autumn colour
  • Special features: grows very slowly
Source: Joanna Boisse, Atlas roslin pl Buk zwyczajny 4547 6990, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Pillar beech (Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck')

  • Location: sunny to shade
  • Soil: rich in nutrients, fresh to moist
  • Growth height: up to 25 meters
  • Growth width: remains very narrow, up to three meters
  • Fruits: beechnuts
  • leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: tolerates shade very well

Columnar mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia 'Fastigiata')

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: rich in humus, loose, slightly acidic
  • Growth height: up to seven meters
  • Growth width: up to four meters
  • Flowers: white umbelliferous flowers, May to June
  • Fruits: bright red, pea-sized, not edible
  • leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: valuable wood for feeding birds

Pillar pear (Amelanchier alnifolia 'Obelisk')

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: normal garden soil
  • Growth height: up to five meters
  • Growth width: up to approx. three metres
  • Flowers: white, April to May
  • fruits: edible
  • Leaves: deciduous, yellow to red autumn colour
  • Special features: valuable wood for feeding birds

Pillar juniper (Juniperus communis 'Sentinel')

There are not too many evergreen trees for small gardens, so the low and very narrow juniper is a good choice, especially since the variety is very robust and undemanding.

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: normal garden soil
  • Growth height: up to three meters
  • Growth width: up to 50 centimeters
  • Flower: yellow
  • Leaves: evergreen
  • Special features: easy to care for, very robust, well suited for keeping in buckets

Pillar Cherry (Prunus serrulata 'Amanogawa')

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: rich in humus, well-drained, calcareous
  • Growth height: up to five meters
  • Growth width: up to approx. 2.5 metres
  • Flowers: light pink umbels, April to May
  • leaves: deciduous
  • Special features: also very suitable for narrow cut gardens
Like all ornamental cherries, columnar cherries do not need much care.

Column Aspen (Populus tremula 'Erecta')

  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Soil: normal garden soil, grows almost anywhere
  • Growth height: up to 15 meters
  • Growth width: up to four meters
  • Flowers: yellowish catkins
  • Leaves: deciduous, yellow fall foliage
  • Special features: adaptable and undemanding

frequently asked Questions

Which small trees are evergreen?

If you are looking for a small, evergreen tree for the garden, it is best to look around at the conifers. Recommended are u. a. the ball pine 'Mops', which, however, does not form a trunk and forms a bush ball up to one and a half meters high. The spherical cork fir 'Green Globe' also remains small with a growth height of up to two meters, as does the dwarf arborvitae 'Tiny Tim' with a maximum height of one meter.

Are there small trees that also thrive in the shade?

Beech, yew, linden and various types of maple are considered to be particularly tolerant of shade. However, these trees grow immensely and are therefore not suitable for small gardens, but you can opt for special varieties that remain rather small or narrow, such as the columnar beech 'Dawyck'. This also grows up to 25 meters high, but remains rather narrow with a diameter of around three meters.

Which small trees grow fast?

Very fast-growing small trees are the vinegar tree as well as mountain ash and Japanese cherry trees.

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