looking for edible tree topiary for long term container

[prillo]

Hi,

Firstly, thank you all for this site.  I have learned much from this forum.  I'm in zone 10A and about 3 years into fruit tree study.

I'm looking for an ideal tree that'll be happy in a container long-term, in full sun at the front of our house.  Actually two, one for either side of an entrance way.  I would like to hide an old ugly repair that's at either side of our French doors where the stucco changes pattern and there are odd ending places in the trim.

I'd thought a topiary type shape might work, more an evergreen silhouette, like a long tear shaped taper... maybe olive or bay laurel would do it.  But would I be growing the thing for a decade before I'd get that nice shape?  I just don't know.  I looked at olive trees yesterday, but they'd all been pruned into a nice high canopy.  Beautiful, but the opposite of what I need.

Then I thought maybe jaboticaba?  It's such a unique tree, it would be eye appeal to distract from what's behind it, especially if I allow horizontal bushy growth.  It likes full sun and can handle the excess water from the dripline of the eaves.  But then the questions... would it take forever to grow to 5-6 ft tall?  How old is a 6 ft jaboticaba going to be, if I can even find one to purchase that's that old?  It's such a slow grower... and would it be happy in a pot for many years?

Or is there another edible tree that fits these parameters?

Thanks for reading

April

[roblack]

Hi April. I like your idea. Funny, I was thinking jaboticaba before I read your entire post. You just would want to start off with a larger plant. As for it being happy long term, depends on the size of the pot and your willingness to repot it when needed, and/or root prune.

Jabos are pretty trees. They have a nice growth habit, and their bark peels and is multicolored. Cherry of the Rio Grand is similar in this respect. Barbados cherry might work well.

[Ulfr]

Also thought jaboticaba before reading the entire post.

Regular sabara hasn’t been that slow here. Mine took 3 years to get to a full 6ft tree with some pruning (I think I started with a 5 gallon, if not smaller).

[prillo]

Thank you both!  Roblack, what is root pruning?  You mean cutting the roots that are getting bound/curled around when repotting, right?  I regularly do this when planting something new... so far never has been a known problem, and hopefully I have been helping the plant by doing it.

Thank you also for the info on Sabara, Ulfr.  And the growth rate really helps me see the timeline!  Much appreciated.

[pvaldes]

Normally you will need to choose topiary or edible. Shaped by pruning means removing the fruits normally. There is an exception with Camelia sinensis when you drink directly what you prune so you can have the best of both worlds. In a similar way, Rosmarinus and Laurus will provide leaves for the kitchen also. Laurus berries are poisonous but one or two dry leaves are fine. Do not use green leaves, and Do NOT confuse Laurus nobilis with the similar Prunus laurocerasus (that has poisonous leaves with cyanide and poisonous fruits)

If you choose species that grown compact and refrain to touch it, there are some evergreen candidates bearing fruits. Acca, Myrtus, Eleagnus and Carissa will work with minimum pruning. Juniperus also, but can be lazy to bear fruit in a pot. Again, Juniperus is more a spice than an edible fruit but stands very well containers and is available in uncommon blues and dark green tones.

Hippophae could work also, but is big, dislikes heavy pruning and is not so easy to keep happy in container and you will need two plants of different sex. Arbutus could be another possibility for a while

[SeaWalnut]

Hippophae ( the seaberry) has the nastyest thorns in the world and altough its probably the strongest survival plant that live in Sahara sand but its also the last plant to grow in the arctic zone,its quite difficult to grow because it needs full sun like no otther plant.There are somme thornless cultivars  but ive never seen those.The fruit i think its the healthyest in the world but its verry expensive because those thorns make it hard to collect.

[prillo]

That seaberry looks amazing!  But it's not a great match to our house facade, and the thorns do dissuade me. 

I looked up the Latin names of the ones you listed, pvaldes.  Some I had considered and do seem attractive, others I already have in the ground, but natal plum (carissa) could be good.  Or cocoplum too!

I appreciate the variety of options.  Thanks again!

April

[roblack]

Thank you both!  Roblack, what is root pruning? 

Root pruning is the trimming of roots, usually done when a plant is being repotted. Any circling roots, especially large ones, are trimmed, in favor of smaller fibrous roots.