Japanese maples, hydrangeas, hollies, boxwoods, camellias, and dwarf conifers are popular favorites to grow in pots. Often, they’re part of mixed plantings coordinated with colorful annual and perennial flowers.

If and when these outdoor trees and shrubs outgrow their pots, you have one of three options available: 1.) move plants into a bigger pot, 2.) repot the plant in the same pot after pruning back roots and shoot growth, or 3.) plant them in the ground.

Here are 12 plants (trees and shrubs) that are perfect for pot culture in residential landscapes. Note the USDA hardiness zones for each selection.

   1. Cutleaf weeping Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)- lacy green or purple foliage in spring and summer and colorful fall color. Tree form is umbrella-like. Recommended compact varieties are ‘Tamukeyama’, ‘Crimson Queen’, ‘Garnet’, ‘Shaina’, among others (zones 6-9).

   2. Hinoki false cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) – some favorites include ‘Crippsii’ (6-8 feet high) and ‘Verdonii (3-4 feet high). (zones 4-8).

  3. Nandina or heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica) – many varieties available from 2 – 6 feet. In southern climes, avoid invasiveness be selecting male only varieties. (zones 6-9)

  4. Japanese yews (Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’) grows 9 feet tall and 6 feet wide in containers (zones 4-7).

  5. Deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara) offer several shrub forms which are ideal for pot culture; recommend ‘Crater Blue’, ‘Feelin Blue’. (zones 6-9)

  6. Dwarf Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Schirrmann’s Nordlicht’) – this deciduous conifer grows 4-6 feet tall over 10 years. zones 5-8)

  7. Japanese plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia) – ‘Fastigiata’, dark-green, tight columnar evergreen; ‘Duke Gardens’ (4-5 feet high and wide); ‘Korean Gold’ (3-4 feet) (deer-resistant). (zones 6-9)

  8. Dwarf camellias (Camellia sasanqua) – compact growing dark evergreen foliage; ‘Shishi Gashira’; ‘Yuletide’ (6 feet tall and high) (zones 7-9).

  9. Panicle Hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) – select smaller forms at 3-6 feet height such as ‘Little Quickfire’, ‘Little Lime’, ‘Bobo’ with showy cone-shaped flowers from mid-summer to early fall. (zones 3-8)

 10. Tiger Eye® Sumac (Rhus typhina ‘Bailtiger’) -5-6 foot tall deciduous shrub or small tree with fine textured dissected chartreuse seasonal foliage. (zones 4-8)

 11. Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) – hardy hydrid forms are available including variegated form like Wedding Rings® and ‘Variegata’ (zone 5 -8)

 12. Inkberry holly (Ilex glabra) – native evergreen hollies like
Strongbox® and miniature Gem Box® are highly dependable for pot culture. (zones 4-9)R