Can someone recommend me a small tree to have in a pot?

[slavetothenhs]

I want a little tree in a pot to have outside our south facing front door. I don't want it to die (which it may if it's mine ) so something fairly hardy, but pretty, which will stay small, and maybe have some nice flowers on it at certain times of the year. Does such a tree exist? If anyone can recommend something or has got any other ideas that would be great!

Fig?

Hibiscus

hisbiscus looks dead half of the year.
rose on s stem?
olive?
camelia
rhododendron

Acer? My mum has several in pots.

Camellia

Crab apple on a dwarf rootstock?
Blossom in spring, fruit for the birds and other wildlife, maybe even apple jelly, autumn colour.

Standard rose?
Lilac?

I have an apple tree in a pot - dwarf rootstock. I get beautiful blossom and fruit

rosemary
patio rose/standard rose
camellia
olive
bay
cordyline

Most trees aren't happy in pots, and I would look for one that has dwarf roots. Look for one that is drought tolerant, because in a south facing position it will bake in the summer.

If you can make a hole in the ground for it, it will be happier.

Japanese maple? I have one in a pot, they’re quite often used for bonsai trees so fairly easy to keep in a pot so long as you trim it down. They don’t flower unfortunately but some varieties have lovely red/orange leaves

Thank you for the suggestions everyone! Digging a hole in the ground not really an option sadly as it would be right outside the front door and wouldn't want it to get too big x

Unfortunately a Japanese Maple will prefer a shaded spot.
A bay tree or a holly tree could look good. Both can be trimmed to keep shape and are often sold in pots for just such a purpose.

a trellis pot with wine or wisteria?
both do reasonably well in (large 20l) pots.

Salix flamingo, I have in 1/2 cut barrels outside my door.

If you get a plant with dwarf rooting stock it wouldn't get big.

You are basically going to give it a poor diet, very little hydration and stick it out in too sunny a spot for a lot of the year and then let it get cold and damp and maybe frozen in the winter.

You could get a holly for the winter and swap it for a similar pot with a lemon tree in it for the summer.

A standard bay tree could work - they're evergreen. You'll need to water it regularly and probably re-pot every couple of years.

Standard ceanothus would be lovely.

I would be tempted to try a corkscrew hazel , for a couple of years at least in a good sized pot with a loam based compost. Interesting shape, catkins in spring , under plant with small red tulips , narcissi and grape hyacinths and I would get a string of those really thin wire solar lights to twist round the branches to welcome you home. As it's south facing you will have to be vigilant with watering especially in the summer. Trim it back annually though it will eventually outgrow the pot and you will have to plant it out. Another idea would be a winter flowering honeysuckle, the ones with yellow tufty flowers.

an olive tree?
I have a nice acer in a pot but they do not like wind so has to be sheltered spot , not too sunny
I also have a cornus kousa "miss santomi" that looks nice too - spring blossom and autumn colour
Bay tree good suggestion