Best trees to grow in pots

Alan Titchmarsh's favourite trees for pots

Alan Titchmarsh discusses his favourite trees to grow in pots, including Japanese maple, snowy mespulis and apples:

How to care for a tree in a pot

Tree pots should be large to ensure a good root run and adequate moisture and nutrient levels. Remember that patio trees have less access to water than trees growing in the ground, so you will need to water it more often than you would normally. Every spring, scrape off as much of the top layer of compost as you can and replace with fresh, loam-based compost, to give the tree a boost of nutrients. Feed fortnightly in summer, following the instructions on the bottle or packet. After four or five years, you'll need to repot your tree into a slightly larger pot. Alternatively, you can root-prune the tree and replant it into the same pot with fresh compost.

Best trees to plant in pots

Apple (Malus domestica)

Spring blossom, followed by fruit in the autumn. Look for an apple growing on an M26 or M27 (dwarfing) rootstock. Many fruit trees grown on small rootstocks can be grown in tree planters – read our guide to growing dwarf fruit trees.

• Buy apple trees from Thompson & Morgan, Crocus and Suttons

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida f. rubra)

Slow-growing with long-lasting, pink bracts in spring and purple autumn leaves. The conical shape of this flowering dogwood adds architectural interest.

• Buy flowering dogwood from Crocus, Thompson & Morgan and Suttons

Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)

Although Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) grows very tall, it can be clipped to keep it in check. Create a formal look with a matching pair.

• Buy Italian cypress from Crocus, Thompson & Morgan and Suttons

Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)

Japanese maples are slow-growing and come in a huge variety of colours. They are among the best trees for small gardens. Keep them in a sheltered position, out of strong winds and hot midday sun. There are some lovely varieties to choose from, with Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream' being a particular favourite.

• Buy Japanese maples from Crocus, Gardening Express and Thompson & Morgan

Snowy mespilus (Amelanchier lamarckii)

This delicate, small tree boasts spring blossom and vibrant autumn colour. Snowy mespilus is often grown multi-stemmed.

• Buy Amelanchier from Crocus, Gardening Express and Thompson & Morgan

Olive (Olea europaea)

Olive trees are ideal for sheltered urban plots and should be moved into a greenhouse or porch when the weather gets very cold.

• Buy an olive tree from Primrose, Gardening Express and Dobies

Persian silk tree (Albizia julibrissin)

The Persian silk tree has finely divided, mimosa-like leaves and flowers that resemble pink shaving-brushes, which give this hardy, shrubby tree an exotic look. Copes well with full sun and heat.

• Buy Albizia julibrissin 'Summer Chocolate' from Thompson & Morgan, Crocus and Gardening Express

Starry magnolia (Magnolia stellata)

Most magnolias grow too large for pot, but the star magnolia is a compact, multi-stemmed type, with star-like flowers.

• Buy star magnolia from Crocus, Thompson & Morgan and Gardening Express

Citrus trees

Citrus trees, including oranges and lemons (pictured) do very well in pots, particularly terracotta pots as they are porus and don't hold on to moisture (ideal for these Mediterranean species).

• Buy citrus trees from Thompson & Morgan, Crocus and Gardening Express

Bay tree

Bay trees are well-suited to growing in pots. They're easy to prune into topiary shapes, so can be used to make formal 'lollipop' shapes to position on either side of your front door.

• Buy bay trees from Thompson & Morgan, Crocus and Gardening Express