Compact Versions of Commonly Grown Trees and Shrubs

Making the most of limited landscaping space can be a challenge. This is particularly true if you live in a townhouse, condo, or urban neighborhood where houses are built on small lots.  Depending on the size of the lot, conventionally sized trees or shrubs may be too large for the space.  Fortunately, compact versions of many commonly grown trees and shrubs may offer a viable solution to the problem.

ABOUT COMPACT WOODY PLANTS

As its name implies, a compact plant (often referred to as a dwarf) is one that, when fully mature, is typically shorter and narrower than the species.  Many compact woody plant varieties have evolved naturally without human intervention.  Many other compact plants have been developed through the efforts of plant breeders and horticulturalists and are referred to as cultivars (short for cultivated variety).  Here’s a tip:  Some compact plants include the word ‘nana’ in the name.  This is from the Latin ‘nanus’ which means dwarf or small.

Using compact woody plants makes sense when you consider they:

• Offer the same blossoms, foliage, and seasonal interest as their full-sized counterparts.
• Provide height, mass, and structure in the landscape but on a smaller scale.
• Are useful in foundation plantings or along narrow walkways or garden paths where full-size specimens might overwhelm the space available.
• Generally require less pruning due to their smaller size.
• May be used in container gardens where a full-size counterpart can’t fit. Many of the smaller dwarf conifers, for example, are useful in year-round container gardens.

While compact woody plants offer many obvious benefits to the homeowner with limited gardening space, they are also useful in larger landscape settings where they may:

• Blend in more effectively than full-size versions in mixed borders.
• Be grouped together in a low-maintenance mass planting, which is an ideal way to cover the soil, control weeds, and cut back on the use of so much mulch in the landscape.
• Work well in a low hedge where a barrier is desired but on a modest scale.

A SAMPLING OF COMPACT TREES AND SHRUBS

The compact woody plants described in the following paragraphs are just a few examples of the many commercially available alternatives to conventional, full-sized plants.  Unless indicated otherwise, these plants are native to the eastern United States, deer resistant, and suitable for growing in the piedmont area of Virginia.  Many of these compact cultivars have been determined to be as equally beneficial ecologically as the straight species. For more on woody plant species native to Virginia, check out the Plant Virginia Natives website as well as The Garden Shed article entitled Coming to a Garden Center Near You in the April 2022 issue.

All sizes listed are approximate.   Actual plant sizes may vary depending on site conditions, climate, and the age of the plant.  Many plant tags list the “mature” size of a plant when it reaches 10 years of age.  However, plants may continue to grow well beyond that point and may exceed the size stated on the tag.  Should that be the case, the plant may need an occasional pruning to contain it within the space available.  Keep this possibility in mind as you visualize how the plant will fit within your landscape.

Fothergilla (F. gardenii), also called dwarf Fothergilla, is a deciduous shrub that suckers but is otherwise trouble free.  It typically grows 3’ tall and wide with white bottlebrush-type flowers in spring, attractive bluish-green disease-free foliage in summer, and brilliantly hued late fall foliage.  Don’t confuse this species with Fothergilla major, which is a much larger species at 6’ to 10’ tall and 5’ to 9’ wide.  Examples of compact cultivars include:

• ‘Mt. Airy’ (F. x intermedia) is a hybrid cross between F. gardenii and F. major. It grows 4’ to 5’ tall and wide with an upright habit and displays intense yellow-orange-red fall color. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society selected ‘Mt. Airy’ for its Gold Medal plant award program in 2014, based on several factors, including multiple seasons of interest, commercial availability, and appropriateness for the Mid-Atlantic region.
• ‘Blue Mist’ grows 2’ to 3’ tall and wide with a rounded habit and attractive frosty-looking blue-green foliage in summer. The size is better suited to a small landscape than ‘Mt. Airy’, but the fall color is not as spectacular.
• ‘Legend of the Small’ (F. x intermedia) grows 2’ to 2.5’ tall by 2’ to 3’ wide and has all the attributes of the species.

Inkberry (Ilex glabra) – This is an upright, rounded, multi-stemmed evergreen shrub that often shows sparse foliage on the lower stems.  The full size of the species is variable depending on the growing conditions but, in general, it averages 6’ to 10’ tall with a wider spread of 8’ to 12’.  Male and female plants are separate from one another. A male plant is required for female plants to produce berries. The berries are normally black and somewhat inconspicuous. The smaller cultivars listed below have a denser habit than the species and are good substitutes for boxwood in the landscape.

• ‘Compacta’ grows 3’ to 4’ tall and 4’ to 6’ wide with a somewhat oval-rounded shape. This female cultivar produces lots of fruits and has good lower stem leaf retention.
• ‘Shamrock’ is a little larger than ‘Compacta’ at 5’ tall and with a compact, rounded, denser habit. It retains its leaves on the lower stems better than the species, but as the plant ages, it will exhibit some loss of leaves on the lower stems.
• ‘Gem Box’ grows 2’ to 3’ tall and wide and retains its foliage all the way to the ground. It looks good as a container plant, blends in well in a mixed border, or used as a short hedge.

  

Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is a deciduous multi-stemmed, mounding shrub that thrives in full sun to part shade in moist soil.  It is noted for its distinctive, boldly textured foliage, showy white flowers, and stunning fall foliage.  At 10 years, it can reach an average of 8’ tall and wide.  Several considerably smaller cultivars are listed below.

• ‘Little Honey’ grows 3’ to 4’ tall and 3’ to 5’ wide and provides a long season of interest. The deeply lobed spring foliage on this dwarf cultivar is golden-yellow maturing to chartreuse in summer and crimson red in autumn.
• ‘Munchkin’ grows 3’ tall and 5’ wide. This cultivar, which was developed by the U.S. National Arboretum, produces many flowers that are held above the foliage.  The white flowers gradually turn a medium pink color as they age.
• ‘Sikes Dwarf’ grows 2’ to 3’ tall and 3’ to 4’ wide. It is more densely leaved and less spreading than the species. The leaves and flower panicles on this dwarf are much smaller than those of the species.
• ‘Pee Wee’ grows 3’ to 5’ tall and 3’ wide. The leaves and flower panicles are about half the size of those of the species. It has a more restrained growth habit and doesn’t sucker as much as the species.

  

Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a small tree by nature, topping out at of 20’ to 30’ with a spread of 25’ to 35’.   Smaller, dwarf cultivars, including some weeping varieties, of this popular spring-blooming deciduous tree include:

• ‘Ace of Hearts’ grows 12’ tall by 15’ wide and is approximately half the size of the species. It features abundant light violet-pink flowers, a dome-shaped canopy, and small, heart-shaped leaves.  The dark green summer foliage turns bright yellow in fall.
• ‘Rising Sun’ is a completely different looking redbud. The foliage occurs in varying shades of orange, yellow, and gold. It grows 12’ to 15’ tall and about 8’ wide.
• ‘Ruby Falls’ is a weeping form with reddish-purple leaves that grows to an average height of 6’ and 4’ wide.
• ‘Don Egolf’ is a non-native compact redbud worthy of mention. This Chinese redbud (Cercis chinensis) cultivar was introduced by the U.S. National Arboretum, where it grew only 9’ tall and 9.5’ wide at 15 years. It does not develop pods (fruits) like its canadensis cousins.

  

Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) is considered by many to be a “weed” tree because it can quickly populate vacant properties.  However, it can be very attractive in the right setting.  It grows 40’ to 60’ high on average and up to 20’ wide.  It is dioecious, meaning there are separate male and female plants.  The females produce small bluish berry-like cones.  Two smaller, more compact varieties are:

• ‘Brodie’ grows 20’ to 25’ tall but is comparatively narrow at 4’ to 6’ wide at maturity. This female cultivar has an attractive tight, columnar form that works well as a hedge or screen.
• ‘Taylor’ grows 15’ to 20’ high and 3’ to 4’ wide, is assumed to be male (since it does not produce the berry-like cones), and is believed to be resistant to cedar apple rust (Phomopsis juniper blight). It can be used as a narrow vertical accent or as a screen. The Missouri Botanical Garden selected this cultivar as a Plant of Merit in 2016.

  

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) and its smaller but less showy relative Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) are deciduous shrubs that are valued in the sunny border for their high wildlife value, showy spring blossoms, colorful berry displays, and glorious red autumn foliage. Sources vary on their deer resistance, but the Rutgers University’s Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance rates A. arbutifolia as “seldom severely damaged.”  While Aronia grows an average of 6’ to 10’ tall and wide, smaller cultivars include:

• ‘Low Scape Mound’, a cultivar of melanocarpa, measures a mere 1’ to 2’ tall and 1.5’ to 2’ wide. Like the full-size species, it displays showy black fruit and red fall foliage.
• ‘Nero’ is a popular melanocarpa cultivar that grows 3’ to 4’ tall but has all the attributes of the species.
• ‘Brilliantissima’, a widely available cultivar of arbutifolia, is slightly smaller than the species at 6’ to 8’ tall and wide but has superior scarlet red fall foliage and more abundant clusters of glossy red fruits. In Michael A. Dirr’s Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, he states: “Having observed this form in greater numbers, I am giving it a first class rating.” This cultivar may be too large for some small landscapes but if space allows, it will earn its keep in the right setting.

  

Red Twig Dogwood (Cornus sericea) is a deciduous, shrubby form of dogwood with colorful stems that make a huge impact in the winter landscape. The best stem color appears on new growth, which turns bright red (or yellow depending on the cultivar). A sizeable shrub, the species can grow 8’ to 10’ tall with a spread of 10’ or more.  In comparison, a number of compact cultivars are less than half that size, including:

• ‘Arctic Fire’ tops out at 3’ to 5’ tall and wide.
• ‘Kelseyi’ grows 2’ to 2.5’ tall and wide with a rounded shape.
• ‘Pucker Up’ grows 3’ to 4’ tall and wide. The name of this plant is inspired by the small, dark green leaves, which have a very attractive puckered look.

  

River Birch (Betula nigra) is a deciduous tree that grows 40’ to 70’ high and 40’ to 60’ wide. It is “perhaps the most heat resistant of all North American birch species,” according to Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs.  In his book Bringing Nature Home, author Douglas Tallamy states that birches provide food for a variety of wildlife, including several hundred species of moths and butterflies, songbirds, and small mammals.  Compact varieties include:

• ‘Little King’ (Fox Valley®) is a dense, compact cultivar with a uniform, compact habit. It grows 10’ to 15’ tall and 12’ wide. The cinnamon-brown to pale salmon bark is similar to the species.
• ‘Studetec’ (Tecumseh Compact™) is a compact cultivar with a rounded crown and graceful, drooping branches. It grows 10’ to 15’ tall with a spread of 15’ to 20’. The exfoliating trunk and branches expose cinnamon-colored bark.  Best used in a moist site.  It doesn’t do well in drought conditions.

Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) can grow 60’ to 80’ tall and 30’ to 50’ wide, which is much too large for a small yard.  Several smaller versions of this evergreen species include:

• ‘Little Gem’ grows 20’ to 25’ tall by 10’ to 15’ wide. It is a widely planted, popular smaller species with leaves and flowers about half the size of those on a standard magnolia.
• ‘Teddy Bear’ grows 15’ to 20’ tall by 12’ wide. It is a little smaller than ‘Little Gem’ but grows faster and has larger flowers.

Sweet Pepperbush or Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) grows 4’ to 8’ tall and slowly spreads by suckering (sends out new shoots from the roots).  The flowers of this deciduous shrub bloom white in mid- to late summer, but several cultivars bloom in shades of pink.  The flowers are fragrant and attract butterflies and bees. This low-maintenance plant prefers part shade and consistently moist soil.  The glossy deep green foliage is disease-free and very attractive, which makes this a good selection for foundation plantings.  The Virginia Native Plant Society honored this deserving shrub as Wildflower of the year in 2015.  Several small cultivars include:

• ‘Hummingbird’ is a popular, slow-growing selection that grows 2’ to 4’ tall by 3’ to 5’ wide. It produces sweetly fragrant white flowers in midsummer and tends to be more floriferous than the species.
• ‘Sixteen Candles’ is another popular selection that is similar in size to ‘Hummingbird’ but holds its 6” white flowers more upright.
• ‘Sugartina Crystalina’ grows 2’ to 3’ tall and wide with fragrant, creamy-white flowers.

Virginia Sweetspire (Itea Virginica) is a deciduous shrub that grows 6’ to 10’ tall and 4’ to 6’ wide or wider. It is appreciated for its abundant display of white bottlebrush flowers in spring and red and purple fall color.  It grows well in sun or shade. While it prefers moist soil, where it will spread by suckering, it adapts to dry soil once it is established.

• ‘Little Henry’ grows 3’ tall and wide and is a dwarf form of award-winning ‘Henry’s Garnet’, which is considered one of the best selections in terms of habit, floral display, and fall color. The only real difference between the two is size. ‘Henry’s Garnet’ grows to about 5’ to 6’ tall.
• ‘Merlot’ grows 3’ to 4’ feet tall and wide and has wine red fall color on leaves that persist well into winter.
• ‘Scentlandia’ grows 2’ to 3’ tall and wide with larger, more fragrant blossoms than the straight species.  The fall foliage turns bright orange and red.

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) is a “must have” deciduous shrub for the winter garden – but only if there’s enough room for two of them.  Winterberry is dioicous, meaning that male and female blossoms occur on separate plants.  To produce berries, a female winterberry must have a male pollinator located within about 40’ to 50’.   The spectacular berry display lingers until late winter when the robins return and devour them. For comparison purposes, ‘Winter Red’, a widely planted variety, grows 9’ tall and 8’ wide, whereas the dwarf cultivars listed below grow less than roughly half that size.

• ‘Berry Poppins’ grows 3’ to 4’ tall and 4’ wide. Use ‘Mr. Poppins’ (4’ tall and wide) as the male pollinator.
• ‘Little Goblin’ grows 3’ to 4’ tall and wide. Use ‘Little Goblin Guy’ (4’ tall and wide) as the male pollinator.
• ‘Nana’ Red Sprite’ (also sold as Red Sprite) grows 3’ to 4’ tall and 5’ wide with an attractive mounded habit. Use ‘Jim Dandy’ (3’ tall and wide) as the male pollinator.  In 2015, the Missouri Botanical Garden designated this cultivar as a Plant of Merit and in 2016, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society selected it for its 2016 Gold Medal award.

  

SUMMARY

Compact woody plants fill a need in small landscapes that can’t accommodate full-size trees and shrubs.  Even in larger landscapes, these smaller selections may aesthetically perform better in certain landscape applications than their full-sized counterparts. The compact trees and shrubs described in this article are just a sampling of the many, many smaller varieties available for smaller landscapes. Because shrubs and trees are major long-term investments, it is wise to research plant choices thoroughly before committing to them to make sure they are right for your landscape needs both now and in the future.

SOURCES:

Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs, Dirr, Michael A., 1997

Essential Native Trees and Shrubs for the Eastern United States, Dove, Tony and Woolridge, Ginger, 2018

Gardener’s Guide to Compact Plants, Walliser, Jessica, 2019.

Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, Dirr, Michael A., 2009

“Eastern Redcedar,” University of Maryland Cooperative Extension Factsheet

“Fothergilla,” North Carolina State University  Dwarf Fothergilla Factsheet

“Ilex verticillata”  Common Winterberry, University of Connecticut College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources

Landscaping with Dwarf Conifers, American Conifer Society,  Conifer Size Categories

“Magnolia,” Clemson Cooperative Extension Factsheet HGIC 1015

Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea Quercifolia – Smaller Selections), University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

“Redbud,” Clemson Cooperative Extension Factsheet HGIC 1021

Rutgers University List of Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance

Selecting Landscape Plants:  Conifers, Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication 426-605

“Summersweet Clethra,” Clemson Cooperative Extension Factsheet HGIC 1090

“The Evaluation and Introduction of a Unique Dwarf River Birch,” Chicago Botanic Garden Plant Evaluation Notes

Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic, Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia website.

“Virginia Sweetspire,” Clemson Cooperative Extension Factsheet HGIC 1080

“Winterberry,” Clemson Cooperative Extension Factsheet HGIC 1871