Any Horticulturalists Around?

It may seem a bit out of place here, but here is where I am, so I'm looking for advice about dwarf trees. I have been reading a magazine that came to "resident", and because I have 4 15" planters sitting idly, I was considering getting some dwarf trees of some kind.

Since the only places that they can be put is either indoors, or only the balcony, which only gets direct sunlight in the morning, I don't know that any such trees would like the environment much, and I would need to keep them pruned to a maximum of 6' tall and perhaps a maximum of 3' in diameter. Most, of the trees in that magazine tend to grow taller...I don't know about wider.

I am not at all a gardener, and as far as plants are concerned, I have a brown thumb. I'm hoping that I can fare better with trees.

The bottom line is whether there is a tree that could survive, and possibly flourish under these conditions? Most of what I have found are fruit trees of some kind, which would be a plus.

Dwarves do not grow on trees.

Yes, but nuts do.

I resemble that remark.

We are growing two calamansi trees that have faired well for the past several years. They fit the description that you have provided.

How about Bonsai trees, or are they too small?

DeVandal said:

I resemble that remark.

We are growing two calamansi trees that have faired well for the past several years. They fit the description that you have provided.

I never heard of them until now, so I Googled this:

Calamondin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sounds interesting, but it speaks of them growing from 3-6m tall, which is taller than I can deal with...unless they would do okay pruned back to 6'? Even if they would be cut back in that fashion, I'm wondering how they would do in a 15" planter? Somehow that seems somewhat cramped for a tree of that type....? I live in Oklahoma, which it sounds as though it wouldn't like the winters here, unless brought indoors, thus the planter size that it requires would be an issue.

It doesn't sound as though the fruit would be very good eaten raw, but the article lists a number of other uses, that might be good. It says that it is primarily an ornamental tree in the US...does that mean that it doesn't bear fruit well, or that the fruit isn't too popular here?

jfar said:

How about Bonsai trees, or are they too small?

Not a bad thought but large Bonsai can be quite pricey and need a lot of attention. I once had close to 20 thriving Bonsai that had done well nearly 10 years and I had to be on travel for 10 days and left my wife instructions on how to care for them, they were dead when I returned.

I would suggest a small Conifer, a Japanese Dead Man Fingers Maple, a Fig Tree and perhaps a Paper White Birch, all of these can be potted and trained as miniatures, I have 2 in 1/2 barrels and they are at 4 1/2' and over 20 years old and stay outside 24/7/365 and outside of pruning get nothing except what Mother Nature provides, you will need to feed them initially until capable of being left alone but that's all.

I once had close to 20 thriving Bonsai that had done well nearly 10 years and I had to be on travel for 10 days and left my wife instructions on how to care for them, they were dead when I returned.

Was she in hospital for long.

seekermeister said:

I never heard of them until now, so I Googled this:

Calamondin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sounds interesting, but it speaks of them growing from 3-6m tall, which is taller than I can deal with...unless they would do okay pruned back to 6'? Even if they would be cut back in that fashion, I'm wondering how they would do in a 15" planter? Somehow that seems somewhat cramped for a tree of that type....? I live in Oklahoma, which it sounds as though it wouldn't like the winters here, unless brought indoors, thus the planter size that it requires would be an issue.

It doesn't sound as though the fruit would be very good eaten raw, but the article lists a number of other uses, that might be good. It says that it is primarily an ornamental tree in the US...does that mean that it doesn't bear fruit well, or that the fruit isn't too popular here?

Ours are about 7 feet tall including planter. We prune against height and for breadth. I am in Virginia. The trees "winter" in the house. The planters help to keep the growth to a minimum. Last year, a greenie friend of ours repotted the trees in the same planters, but she did some fairly major surgery on the roots - a rootectomy of sorts.

Ours bear fruit in abundance. We do not eat the fruit, rather we we squeeze the juice into a variety of dishes. Like a lemon, just not as intense.

I am so accustomed to grabbing a few fruit for the dinner table that I am loathe to think of not having them.