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It is best to start by selecting a pot large enough to fit the root ball of the size tree you are considering planting. Container size will eventually determine how large your tree can grow as it gives you the opportunity to manipulate how large the tree is able to grow.
You can choose between, clay, cement plastic, fibre-cement or permanent planters. Ensure your container has enough drainage holes for water to drain out as trees will not tolerate water build-up. Use good quality potting soil that will retain the correct amount of water, but will also drain well.
Remembering that containerised trees dry out much quicker than trees grown directly in the soil is also crucial. For this reason, it is important to make sure that your container-grown tree receives regular watering to ensure it flourishes.
The following trees can be considered when planning your container garden:
| Deciduous | Evergreen | ||
| Japanese Maple | Acer palmatum | Tree Aloe | Aloidendron barberae |
| Silver Birch | Betula pendula | White Pear | Apodytes dimidiata |
| White Stinkwood | Celtis africana | Ponytail Palm | Beaucarnea recurvata |
| Common Wild Pear | Dombeya rotundifolia | Coast Silver Oak | Brachylaena discolour |
| Coral tree | Erythrina lysistemon | Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow | Brunfelsia pauciflora |
| Fruiting Fig | Ficus carica | Camellia | Camellia japonica |
| White Gardenia | Gardenia thumbergia | Lemon, Orang, Lime, Naartjie, Kumquat | Citrus sp. |
| Cross -berry | Grewia occidentalis | Cocos palm | Cocos plumosa |
| Tree Fuchsia | Halleria lucida | Pencil Cyprus | Cupressus sempervirens Stricta |
| Hibiscus | Hibiscus rosa-sinensis | Japanese Sago Cycad | Cycas revoluta |
| River Indigo | Indigofera jacunda | Bladdernut | Diospyros whyteana |
| Pride of India | Lagerstroemia indica | Sand Olive | Dodonaea angustifolia |
| Tulip Magnolia | Magnolia X soulangeana | Cycad | Encephalartos sp. |
| Apple | Malus domestica | Weeping Fig | Ficus benjamina |
| Crab Apple | Malus spectabilis | Laurel Fig | Ficus microcarpa (nitida) |
| Weeping Mulberry | Morus alba Pendula | Cape Jasmine | Gardenia augusta |
| Plum | Prunus domestica | Lavender Tree | Heteropyxis natalensis |
| Flowering Plum | Prunus cerasifera Nigra | Bay leaf | Laurus nobilis |
| Pomegranate | Punica granatum ‘Bhagwa’ | Little Gem magnolia | Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’ |
| Pear | Pyrus communis | Johannesburg Gold | Melaleuca bracteata Jhb Gold |
| Quinine | Rauvolfia caffra | Forest Elder | Nuxia floribunda |
| Keurboom | Virgilia oroboides | Wild Olive | Olea africana |
| Fruiting Olive | Olea europaea | ||
| Dwarf Date Palm | Phoenix roebelenii | ||
| Matipo tree | Pittosporum tenuifolium | ||
| Frangipani | Plumeria rubra | ||
| Henkel’s Yellowwood | Podocarpus henkelii | ||
| Sneezewood | Ptaeroxylon obliquum | ||
| Northern white-cedar | Thuja occidentalis | ||
| Natal Mahogany | Trichilia emetica | ||
| Windmill Palm | Trachycarpus fortunei | ||
| White Ironwood | Vepris undulata | ||
| Sweet Viburnum | Viburnum sinensis | ||
| Sandanqua Viburnum | Viburnum suspensum | ||
| Laurustinus viburnum | Viburnum tinus | ||
