Growing evergreen plants in pots is one of the most unglamorous but truly useful things you can do to improve the design of your garden. It isn’t hard and colorful – more like bonsai without all the tedious snipping. But what you get for your efforts is lots of interesting textures, colors, and shapes to round out your container garden collections and other garden areas – all year round.
If you have followed me for a while, you know I prefer a container garden style that is almost never thriller-filler-spiller and almost always a one-plant-one-pot collection style of container garden design. I find it more satisfying to be able to rearrange the plants whenever I want (and as needed). Also, I can choose a pot and the soil mix and maintenance for each plant so that they can be their most beautiful.
Adding evergreen plants to your outdoor pots and containers is a simple way to boost curb appeal and bring life to your patio, porch or deck all year long. Unlike deciduous plants that shed their leaves in winter, evergreens maintain their foliage providing permanent structure and color when other plants have died back. With so many compact varieties available evergreens are ideal candidates for container gardens.
When selecting the best evergreen outdoor plants for pots, consider your climate and growing conditions. Most varieties need full sun for optimal growth but some tolerate partial shade. Provide well-drained potting mix and do not allow pots to become waterlogged Situate containers out of drying winds and mulch or insulate the roots in cold winters. Here are 10 of the top evergreen plants to grow in pots
1. Boxwood
Boxwood (Buxus) is a classic broadleaf evergreen shrub with small, glossy oval leaves. It has a dense, mounded habit and holds up well to pruning and shaping. For containers, choose compact boxwood cultivars such as ‘Green Velvet’, ‘Green Mountain’, or ‘Green Gem’ that grow 12-30 inches tall. Give boxwood well-drained soil and protect from harsh winter winds. Established plants are quite drought tolerant.
2. Dwarf Alberta Spruce
Dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca ‘Conica’) is a hardy, slow-growing conifer that forms a perfect miniature Christmas-tree shape. Its short green needles and compact, mounded form work nicely in pots. Grow dwarf Alberta spruce in full sun to partial shade. Avoid windy locations which can damage the foliage. Protect from extreme cold in winter.
3. Dwarf Mugo Pine
Dwarf mugo pine (Pinus mugo) is an extremely cold tolerant pine. Compact cultivars like ‘Mops’ grow in dense mounds just 1-2 feet tall, with two-toned green and white needles. Give mugo pine full sun, good drainage, and protect from excessive winter moisture. Use as a low-growing thriller in mixed evergreen containers.
4. Globe Blue Spruce
Globe blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca Globosa’) is a dwarf cultivar with steel-blue needles and a perfect globe form. It grows very slowly, tolerates most soils, and does well in pots. For best results, situate in full sun and provide consistent moisture. Protect from excessive winter winds. Prune lightly if needed to maintain the rounded shape.
5. Dwarf Hinoki Cypress
Dwarf hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) is an exceptionally graceful evergreen with lacy, fern-like foliage. ‘Nana Gracilis’ and other dwarf cultivars grow very slowly into mounded forms perfect for containers. Give hinoki cypress light shade, shelter from winter winds, and moist, well-drained soil. Does not tolerate soggy conditions.
6. Variegated Euonymus
Variegated euonymus (Euonymus japonicus) offers evergreen leaves edged in white and pink that provide year-round color. Compact cultivars like ‘Silver King’ and ‘Silver Queen’ work well in containers. Give euonymus partial sun to full shade and well-drained soil. Tolerates heat, drought, cold, and salt spray. Protect from severe winters until established.
7. Heavenly Bamboo
Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica) has lacy green leaves that turn fiery red in fall and winter. Compact cultivars like ‘Gulf Stream’ and ‘Firepower’ thrive in pots. Heavenly bamboo needs well-drained soil and partial sun to light shade. New foliage is sensitive to late spring frosts. Evergreen in warm climates, semi-evergreen where winters are cold.
8. Japanese Skimmia
Japanese skimmia (Skimmia japonica) offers fragrant spring blooms and attractive red berries that persist into winter. It prefers moist, acidic soil and thrives in partial shade—full sun causes leaf scorch. Good container varieties include ‘Rubinetta’ and ‘Magic Marlot’. Combine skimmia with other shade-lovers like camellias, azaleas, and ferns.
9. Dwarf Cryptomeria
Dwarf cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica ‘Globosa Nana’) is a compact evergreen conifer that grows into a dense, rounded mound. Its soft, feathery foliage emerges bronze-green, maturing to deep green. Give cryptomeria full sun or partial shade and moist, acidic soil. Protect from harsh winter winds. Slow growing and easy to maintain at a small size.
10. English Laurel
English laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) has lustrous, evergreen leaves and tolerates pruning well. Compact cultivars like ‘Otto Luyken’ and ‘Zabeliana’ are excellent for containers. English laurel prefers moist, well-drained soil and light shade. Provide some protection from winter winds and sun. Prune back shoots in spring to control size and shape if needed.
When designing evergreen container gardens, combine plants with different forms, textures, and colors for added interest. Trailing junipers make nice spillers, while dwarf cypress, spruce, and pine provide vertical accent. Broadleaf evergreens like boxwood, euonymus, and heavenly bamboo offer unique leaf shapes and color. With the right selection and care, evergreens can give your pots year-round color and structure.
Evergreen Plants in Pots – Design Considerations
An evergreen plant growing in a movable pot really is a universal problem solver in so many ways that you might not expect.
In a collection, they are the backbone – the plant that you never have to worry about deadheading, going out of bloom or needing a lot of extra care.
They can fill in a hole (I’ve been known to use houseplants and evergreen pots in beds to fill in while something else is taking root), and they provide something to enjoy and look at when all the perennials are dormant.
Since they are evergreens – these are the pots I will have not just in summer, but they are the anchor of a year-round container collection that carries my garden through every season.
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Types of Evergreens for Container Gardens
The bottom line: you can incorporate almost any evergreen into a container garden. For the longest lasting options that won’t outgrow your pots too quickly, choose small, slow-growing, or dwarf varieties. Generally speaking, evergreens last 1-2 years before they need to be transplanted to a larger pot or to the ground. Variables such as the size of your pot, the specimen you use, and your growing environment will all impact this timeframe.
Evergreens are lumped into two main categories, coniferous and broad-leaved. I use both kinds, often mixed together. I love the way the needles of conifers stand out against the smooth surface of broad-leaved varieties, and vice versa!
Conifers bear cones and have needle-like leaves. While they may feel “Christmassy”, they can take on an entirely new vibe when surrounded with colorful flowers and lush foliage outside of the winter season. Most of the conifers I work with prefer at least partial (4-6 hours) if not full (6 hours or more) sun, which matches the light preference of many of the flowers I like to plant with them in spring and summer.
My go-to conifers for adding height to container gardens are Dwarf Alberta Spruce, Deodar Cedar, Carolina Sapphire Cypress, Fat Albert Colorado Blue Spruce, and Blue Point Juniper. For lower arrangements, I love the round dome habit of Globosa Nana Dwarf Japanese Cedar. Trailing Juniper is a nice, tough coniferous spiller.
Low Maintenance Evergreen Shrubs to Grow Around Your Home!
FAQ
What is the best evergreen plant to grow in pots?
Evergreen trees in pots The classic choices of evergreen trees for pots are bay and olive trees. Both can be slightly tender, so if you have harsh winters, plant them in a sheltered spot or close to the house wall. The walls of houses in winter often retain some heat and can be good places for protecting plants.
Can evergreens survive winter in pots?
While Mother Nature does an excellent job of providing a liveable environment for evergreens during the winter, you can plant them in containers—and keep them thriving with a little TLC.
What is the best plant for all year round pots?
- ‘Golden Sword’ yucca combines with almost anything. …
- Golden creeping Jenny is perfect for the edge of the pot. …
- ‘Emerald’ arborvitae works where you need some height. …
- Heucheras provide small spots of interest, while redtwig dogwood is big and beautiful.
What plant pots can stay outside in winter?
Unlike terracotta or ceramic planters that can shatter under freezing temperatures, fiberglass boasts exceptional resistance to cracking. Its flexible nature allows it to expand and contract slightly with fluctuating temperatures, preventing the formation of cracks that can compromise the integrity of the planter.