The Top 5 Small Trees For Compact Spaces

August 22, 2019

By Matt

Our Top 5 Best Small Trees For Compact Spaces In Landscaping

Are you shopping for a tree for a tight, compact spot?

Unfortunately, many trees grow much too tall for small gardens or in front of the house!

Luckily, there are some small trees you can still select for these purposes! The key word to remember is “dwarf/semi-dwarf.” Dwarf/semi-dwarf plants are ideally meant for compact spaces and won’t overgrow your garden or shade out your yard.

While there are more options than the small trees listed in this article, we chose these 5 because of their outstanding characteristics!

Let’s get to it!

Plant breeders have bred cultivars to be more ideally sized for planting in tight places.

Crape Myrtle: Lagerstroemia indica

“The Lilac Of The South”

Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is native to Japan, China, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas. It has become naturalized in the southeastern regions of the U.S.

This species is the most widely recognized and cultivated of all crape myrtles. It is the quintessential southern plant and is known as “crepe” myrtle to southerners. However, the correct spelling/term in botany is “crape.”

“Flowers (Lagerstroemia indica)” by Hafiz Issadeen is licensed under CC by 2.0

Native Area(s):

Japan, Southeast Asia, China, Himalayas
Southeastern regions of the U.S.

• Height:	6-25 feet
• Width:	6-20 feet
• Zones:	6-9
• Growth Rate:	Moderate
• Sun:	Full sun
• Climate:	Warm, does not do well in cooler regions
• Soil:	Arid/dry soil

Image result for distribution map lagerstroemia indica — Distribution Of Lagerstroemia indica

Beautiful Attributes

The crape myrtle is a tree to be admired with its lush green foliage. It’s most notable feature is the flowers that make this tree an explosion of pinks, reds, and lavenders in summer depending on the cultivar grown.

Cultivars

There are literally hundreds of different cultivars of crape myrtle of all different sizes, shapes and colors.

We are going to focus on a few hybrids that have been developed to be disease-resistant and cold-hardier since crape myrtles can become difficult to overwinter in zones 6 and north. Be aware that non cold-hardy crape myrtles can (and will) succumb to winter temperatures below 0 degrees or be killed back to the ground.

The cultivars with Native American names are bred to be some of our best cold hardy crapes. Here are a few favorites for the Mid Atlantic region that tend to hold up quite well:

‘Potomac’

This cultivar is perfect for the Mid-Atlantic region as a shrub or tree. Its pink summer blooms are followed by beautiful fall color colors. The ‘Potomac’ adds a captivating focal point for landscapes! Grows tall without being too aggressive and can easily be pruned.

Size: 15-20 feet tall
Form: upright
Disease Resistance: high
Cold-Hardy: moderate

‘Tuskegee’

This cultivar is one tough little tree! It will grow in a variety of climates ranging from the heat of the south to temperatures dipping below zero with no issues once established. It is one of the best cultivars to withstand adverse elements of cold weather.

Size: 15-20 feet tall
Form: broad spread
Disease Resistance: high
Cold Hardy: high

Credit: http://plants.newgarden.com/12190005/Plant/18868/Tuskegee_Crapemyrtle

Cornelian cherry Dogwood: Cornus mas

“Tiny Dancing Flowers”

The cornelian cherry dogwood (Cornus mas) puts on a great show come every spring with a cheerful mist of bright yellow flowers! The tiny little yellow blossoms pop open long before other trees do. What this tree is notably known for is its cherry-like drupes that ripen in late summer.

“Cornus mas” by asfethan is licensed under CC by-nc 2.0

The bright red cherries are remarkably sought after by naturalists that forage for wild food as well as those that want something a little different to make a jam or wine! When asked, one describes the taste of these cherries as a combination of carnations and black cherries.

Habitat

Native Area(s): Central/southern Europe and western Asia

• Height:	15-25 feet
• Width:	15-20 feet
• Zones:	4-8
• Growth Rate:	Slow
• Sun:	Full sun to partial shade

This tree is typically multi-stemmed, but it can be trained into a single leader with some patience

Cornus mas range.svg — Distribution of *Cornus mas*.