Skip to main content

The 5 best patio trees to adorn your outdoor space

Trees make great additions to yards and gardens. They can be a source of shade, fruit, and fun, depending on the tree. Unfortunately, not every living space has room for a magnificent, towering oak tree, but doesn’t mean you have to give up on having trees altogether! There are some really excellent trees that are suited for smaller spaces.

Crepe myrtle

Crepe myrtles — or crape myrtles, depending on where you live — are wonderful trees for patios or small gardens. They stay relatively small, with full-sized varieties growing to between 10 and 20 feet. They are available in dwarf and semi-dwarf varieties as well, making them extremely versatile. Crepe myrtles take very little care and offer lovely masses of pink or red flowers in spring.

Recommended Videos

Crepe myrtles are sun-loving trees that prefer well-draining soil, as they can develop root rot if planted in soil that retains too much water. Otherwise, crepe myrtles require no special care. They aren’t picky about soil pH or quality and don’t need any fertilizer under most circumstances. Pruning a crepe myrtle is rarely necessary except in the case of damage after storms or the occasional light thinning.

A crepe myrtle in full bloom with pink flowers.
Noel V. Baebler/Shutterstock

Kumquat tree

Kumquats are delicious little citrus fruits that resemble a cross between cherry tomatoes and oranges. The trees they grow on are equally small; they grow to only about 8 to 15 feet. They do require a little more care than some trees, but their small size makes them great candidates for a container garden. When grown in a container, they rarely reach their full height.

Kumquats, like most citrus fruits, prefer full sun. However, they are more cold-tolerant than most other citrus trees. They grow best in sandy soils and need regular fertilization, especially if you are intending to harvest the fruits of your labor.

Three small kumquat trees with fruit, in small, square, white pots
Victoria Kurylo / Shutterstock

Blue spruce

Blue spruce trees can grow to be enormous, so you may wonder what they’re doing on a list of patio trees. Surprisingly, blue spruce trees actually make lovely container trees. They’re relatively slow growing, and the dwarf varieties stay much smaller than the full-sized spruces, only growing to 12 feet tall.

Many trees find it more difficult to tolerate cold temperatures when grown in containers since their roots have less protection. For those who live farther north and want a container tree, dwarf blue spruce is a great option. Place your spruce in full sun, and make sure your potting soil is rich and loamy, and your blue spruce will do just fine.

A woman holding a small bay tree in a plastic pot
Pixel Shot / Shutterstock

Sweet bay tree

Sweet bay trees stay small when grown in containers and don’t stand out much in terms of appearance. Pick a few leaves, though, and you’ll soon find a fragrant and flavorful addition to any pasta, soup, or meat. Bay leaves are typically used dry, not fresh, but having your own tree to harvest from means you can have bay leaves for your kitchen whenever you’d like.

Sweet bay, or bay laurel, trees enjoy sunny, warm climates. They are notably drought tolerant and only need occasional watering. These trees can be kept outdoors on a sunny patio for most of the year, but they don’t do well in the cold or in high wind.

Virginia fringe tree with white flowers, standing in a field
Kit Leong/Shutterstock

Virginia fringe tree

Virginia fringe trees get their name from the interesting, feathery flowers they grow — and they certainly grow a lot of them! If you’re looking for a tree to serve as a conversation starter or centerpiece, the fringe tree is the tree for you. This tree is also a good choice for those looking to attract birds, as the tree produces bluish-purple berries that birds love.

Fringe trees enjoy the sun but can tolerate partial shade, as well. The sunnier the planting location, though, the more flowers you’ll see. These trees aren’t particularly drought tolerant but should be able to subsist on rain alone in mild climates.

Whether you’re looking for a small tree to plant next to your patio or an even smaller one to grow in a container, these five trees are a great place to start looking. No matter what your climate or space availability, there’s a tree out there that suits your needs. Look for slow growing trees, trees that naturally stay small, or dwarf varieties of larger trees and go from there! Each region is different, so don’t hesitate to reach out to a local nursery for advice on which trees thrive in your area.

Topics
Cayla Leonard
Cayla Leonard is a writer from North Carolina who is passionate about plants.  She enjoys reading and writing fiction and…
When do banana trees fruit? Here’s what you should know
Your guide to banana harvest times
Banana tree with ripe fruit

Bananas are a delicious, nutritious, and versatile fruit. If you’re a fan of bananas, you might be interested in growing your own banana tree. These tropical trees can be grown easily in greenhouses for a hearty harvest of bananas. If you've planted your own banana trees, you might be wondering how long you'll have to wait before you can enjoy your fresh bananas. When do banana plants fruit, and what should you do if your banana tree isn't growing any fruit? We’ll answer all your banana questions so you know what to expect from your banana tree's harvest.
How long does it take banana trees to mature?

Banana trees are interesting, as they aren’t technically trees. They're actually herbaceous perennials, which is helpful since we no longer grow bananas from seeds. Instead, the roots of a banana tree send up a sucker, or smaller but still attached, plant. These suckers are then separated from the parent tree and planted elsewhere, to grow into a mature plant on its own.

Read more
Beautyberry care made easy: Your complete guide to growing this shrub
Growing your own beautyberry tree
American beautyberry shrub

There are several reasons you might want to add a shrub to your garden. They can have gorgeous flowers, they keep your garden from looking bare during winter, they create a small privacy hedge, and they even benefit your local wildlife. While fruit may not be at the top of your list of reasons, we have a shrub that might change your mind on that! Beautyberry shrubs, true to their name, have incredibly beautiful berries. Want to grow your own? Here’s what you need to know about growing a beautyberry shrub and how to care for your beautyberry in winter.
What are beautyberry shrubs?

Beautyberry shrubs are a group of shrubs in the Callicarpa genus with a fairly wide native range. There are species native to North America, South America, Australia, and most of Asia. There are both evergreen and deciduous varieties, and the berries are technically edible (although the raw berries have an unpleasant flavor). Callicarpa americana, the American beautyberry, is found primarily in the southeastern U.S. It’s a deciduous species, and the berries are sometimes used to make a jam that is much tastier than the raw berries.

Read more
Hickory trees: Everything you want to know about these hardwoods
Growing a gorgeous hickory tree
Hickory tree branches

Trees are incredible plants with many fantastic benefits. Their roots keep the soil from washing away, they provide food and shelter for people and animals, and they are particularly good at absorbing carbon dioxide. If you want to plant a tree in your yard for one or more of these benefits, one of your options is to plant a hickory tree. Hickory trees are lovely, they're fairly easy to grow, and there are several excellent species you can choose from. Here’s what you need to know to get started.
Why should you grow hickory trees?

Hickory trees offer the benefits that most trees do, such as preventing soil erosion and absorbing CO2, but there are a few additional benefits that are good to know. Hickory nuts are a great food source for wildlife during fall and winter, and you can eat them, too. Aside from bitternut hickory trees, which, true to their name, produce incredibly bitter nuts, hickory nuts are described as rich, sweet, and similar to pecans. This is actually because pecan trees are in the hickory family.

Read more