Growth Rate

Slow-Growing

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Korean Fir · Abies koreana A compact, slow-growing fir with dark green needles silvered beneath, producing showy violet-blue cones even on young plants. A prized cool-climate specimen for smaller gardens.
Fernleaf Full Moon Maple · Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium' A full-moon maple with large, deeply cut fern-like green leaves that turn spectacular shades of crimson, orange and gold in autumn. A bold-textured feature for sheltered gardens.
Coral Bark Maple · Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku' Prized for its coral-red young bark that glows through winter, paired with soft green summer foliage that turns golden-yellow in autumn. A standout cultivar for cold-season interest.
Crimson Queen Lace-leaf Maple · Acer palmatum 'Crimson Queen' A weeping, cascading lace-leaf maple with finely dissected deep crimson-red foliage that holds its colour exceptionally well through summer before brightening to scarlet in autumn.
Emperor Maple · Acer palmatum 'Emperor 1' A vigorous upright red-leaf maple similar to Bloodgood but leafing out later, helping it avoid late spring frosts. Holds dark purple-red colour well in summer heat before scarlet autumn tones.
Garnet Lace-leaf Maple · Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Garnet' A weeping, mound-forming lace-leaf maple with finely dissected garnet-red foliage that holds colour well through summer and deepens to crimson in autumn. Ideal as a cascading container specimen.
Green Lace-leaf Maple · Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Viridis' A graceful weeping lace-leaf maple with cascading, finely cut bright green foliage that turns gold, orange and crimson in autumn. A classic mounding specimen for dappled positions.
Inaba-shidare Lace-leaf Maple · Acer palmatum 'Inaba-shidare' A vigorous weeping lace-leaf maple with deeply dissected purple-red foliage that holds colour strongly through summer and turns crimson in autumn. One of the best red cascading cultivars.
Japanese Maple · Acer palmatum An elegant, slow-growing deciduous tree with delicate palmate leaves that turn brilliant shades of crimson, orange and gold in autumn. A timeless feature tree for sheltered, dappled positions.
Japanese Maple 'Beni-maiko' · Acer palmatum 'Beni-maiko' A small maple with brilliant scarlet-red new spring foliage that mellows to reddish-green through summer before colouring again in autumn. The name means 'red-haired dancing girl'.
Japanese Maple 'Beni-otake' · Acer palmatum 'Beni-otake' An upright maple with narrow, deeply divided strap-like purple-red leaves giving a fine bamboo-like texture. Holds rich colour through summer before turning crimson in autumn.
Japanese Maple 'Bloodgood' · Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood' A reliable upright Japanese maple holding deep burgundy-purple foliage through summer before flaring to vivid scarlet in autumn. One of the best red-leaved cultivars for feature planting.
Japanese Maple 'Butterfly' · Acer palmatum 'Butterfly' An upright, slender variegated maple with small grey-green leaves edged in creamy-white and pink, tinting rose-magenta in autumn. A refined cultivar for containers and small gardens.
Japanese Maple 'Katsura' · Acer palmatum 'Katsura' A compact maple admired for its pale orange-yellow spring growth edged in red, maturing to green then returning to bright gold and orange in autumn. A reliable early-season performer.
Japanese Maple 'Orange Dream' · Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream' A compact maple with golden-orange new growth flushed pink-red at the margins, maturing to soft yellow-green and finishing bright orange-gold in autumn. Excellent in containers.
Japanese Maple 'Osakazuki' · Acer palmatum 'Osakazuki' An upright green-leaved Japanese maple famed for arguably the most intense fiery crimson-scarlet autumn colour of any cultivar. Large seven-lobed leaves give a bold display.
Japanese Maple 'Seiryu' · Acer palmatum 'Seiryu' An unusual upright lace-leaf maple combining finely dissected bright green foliage with a tree-like habit rather than a weeping mound. Spectacular gold, orange and crimson autumn colour.
Japanese Maple 'Shaina' · Acer palmatum 'Shaina' A dwarf, dense-branching sport of 'Bloodgood' with clustered deep red-maroon foliage on a compact bushy frame. Holds colour well and brightens to crimson in autumn; ideal for pots and bonsai.
Japanese Maple 'Trompenburg' · Acer palmatum 'Trompenburg' A vigorous upright maple with distinctive deeply lobed purple-red leaves whose margins roll under, giving fine texture. Foliage holds colour through summer then turns crimson in autumn.
Purple Japanese Maple · Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum' A seed-raised upright maple with rich purple-red palmate foliage in spring and summer, intensifying to brilliant scarlet in autumn. A long-grown, dependable feature tree.
Golden Full Moon Maple · Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum' A slow, rounded maple with luminous golden-yellow rounded leaves through spring and summer, taking on orange and red tints in autumn. Best with some shade to prevent leaf scorch.
Urn Plant · Aechmea fasciata A striking bromeliad with arching silver-banded grey-green leaves forming a water-holding vase, topped by a long-lasting pink bract studded with blue flowers. A classic indoor and shade-garden feature.
Queensland Kauri · Agathis robusta A tall native kauri with a straight trunk, smooth bark and broad, leathery glossy-green leaves unusual for a conifer. A stately feature and shade tree for subtropical and warm-temperate gardens.
Century Plant · Agave americana A massive architectural rosette of thick blue-grey leaves armed with sharp spines and a vicious terminal spike, crowned after decades by a towering branched flower stalk. A bold drought-proof sculptural plant.
Chinese Evergreen · Aglaonema commutatum A tough, decorative foliage plant with patterned leaves in silver, green and pink. Among the most tolerant of low light and neglect, ideal for offices and dim rooms.
Giant Bromeliad · Alcantarea imperialis A magnificent giant bromeliad forming a broad sculptural rosette over a metre across, often flushed wine-red, eventually throwing a towering branched flower spike. A dramatic architectural feature plant.
Leek 'Welsh' · Allium ampeloprasum 'Welsh' A hardy winter leek with thick, tender white shanks and a mild, sweet onion flavour. Blanch by mounding soil up the stems for a long, pale, edible barrel.
Onion 'Brown' · Allium cepa 'Brown' A long-keeping main-crop onion with firm, brown-skinned bulbs and full, pungent flavour. Day-length sensitive, so sow at the right season for your latitude.
Christmas Carol Aloe · Aloe 'Christmas Carol' A compact hybrid aloe with deep green rosettes marked by raised red bumps and toothed red margins that intensify in sun, sending up coral-red flowers. A festive small collector's pot plant.
Dwarf Apple · Angophora hispida A gnarled small tree or large shrub of Sydney sandstone with bristly new growth and showy creamy-white summer blossom rich in nectar. A characterful bird-attracting feature.
Bunya Pine · Araucaria bidwillii A massive, dome-crowned Australian native conifer with glossy stiff foliage and very large edible-seeded cones, a traditional Aboriginal bush food. A long-lived feature and shade tree for large open spaces.
Cast Iron Plant · Aspidistra elatior Famously indestructible, with broad, upright dark-green leaves that shrug off deep shade and neglect. The go-to choice for difficult, dim corners.
Bird's Nest Fern · Asplenium nidus Broad, glossy, undivided fronds unfurl from a central rosette like a leafy nest. Pet-safe and easy-going, it tolerates lower light than most ferns.
Bishop's Cap Cactus · Astrophytum myriostigma A distinctive spineless cactus shaped like a star of broad ribs, dusted with tiny white woolly scales over a grey-green body, opening yellow flowers from its crown. An elegant, geometric collector's plant.
Old Man Banksia · Banksia serrata A gnarled, characterful small tree with serrated leathery leaves, thick warty bark and large grey-green flower spikes that age to the woody 'big bad banksia men' cones. Tough and long-lived.
Birthday Candles Banksia · Banksia spinulosa 'Birthday Candles' A compact dwarf banksia with fine green foliage and gold and burgundy candle flowers through autumn and winter. A neat, bird-attracting feature for small gardens.
Cherry Candles Banksia · Banksia spinulosa 'Cherry Candles' A compact banksia with deep cherry-red and gold candle flowers through autumn and winter. A colourful, hardy and bird-attracting low feature shrub.
Honeypots Banksia · Banksia spinulosa 'Honeypots' A low compact banksia with fine foliage and gold honey-scented candle flowers in autumn and winter. A reliable, drought-hardy and bird-attracting dwarf shrub.
Stumpy Gold Banksia · Banksia spinulosa 'Stumpy Gold' A very compact dwarf banksia with golden candle flowers through autumn and winter on a low rounded bush. Excellent for containers and small bird-attracting gardens.
Dwarf Japanese Barberry · Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea Nana' A compact thorny deciduous shrub with rich burgundy-purple foliage that intensifies to fiery red in autumn. Its dense prickly growth makes a low barrier hedge or colour accent.
Kurrajong · Brachychiton populneus A hardy, drought-tolerant Australian native with a swollen trunk, glossy poplar-like leaves and cream bell flowers. An iconic, long-lived shade and shelter tree for tough conditions.
Faulkner Box · Buxus microphylla 'Faulkner' A Japanese box selection with rounded, deep-green leaves that hold colour well in winter and resist bronzing. Dense and slow, making it a top choice for clipped low hedges and topiary.
Japanese Box · Buxus microphylla var. japonica The classic clipped formal-hedge and topiary plant, with small glossy rounded leaves on dense slow growth. More heat-tolerant than English box and the standard low border edge in Australian gardens.
English Box · Buxus sempervirens The definitive formal hedge and topiary plant — dense, fine-leaved and endlessly clippable. Slow-growing but unmatched for crisp evergreen structure and parterres.
Green Gem Box · Buxus sempervirens 'Green Gem' A very hardy, naturally globe-shaped box forming a tight green ball with minimal clipping. Excellent for cold-climate low hedges, knot gardens and formal balls.
Little John Bottlebrush · Callistemon 'Little John' A dense dwarf bottlebrush with blue-green foliage and deep blood-red brushes through spring and intermittently year round. Ideal for low hedging and containers.
Baby Bear Camellia · Camellia 'Baby Bear' A miniature, very slow-growing hybrid with tiny leaves and small single pale-pink blooms. Naturally compact and bun-shaped, it is perfect for small pots, rockeries and bonsai.
Quintessence Camellia · Camellia 'Quintessence' A low, prostrate fragrant hybrid bearing small single white blooms flushed pink, with a delightful sweet scent. Its trailing habit makes it ideal for hanging baskets and spilling over edges.
Bob Hope Camellia · Camellia japonica 'Bob Hope' A celebrated japonica with very large, deep blackish-red semi-double blooms accented by a striking boss of golden stamens. Slow and upright, it makes a dramatic shaded feature or cut flower.
Camellia · Camellia japonica Glossy evergreen leaves and sumptuous winter blooms make this the classic shade shrub for cool, sheltered, acidic gardens. Slow but long-lived and beautiful in flower.
C.M. Wilson Camellia · Camellia japonica 'C.M. Wilson' A spreading japonica with large, anemone-form blush-pink blooms whose centre is filled with frilly petaloids. Its low, wide habit suits espalier and informal screening.
Desire Camellia · Camellia japonica 'Desire' An exquisite formal-double japonica whose pale blush petals deepen to clear rose-pink at the edges, opening with perfect symmetry. Slow and refined, it is prized as a feature plant and cut flower.
Roger Hall Camellia · Camellia japonica 'Roger Hall' A compact japonica with glossy foliage and perfectly formal-double bright red blooms of even, rounded form. Its dense, slow habit makes it ideal for pots and small shaded gardens.
Bonsai Baby Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Bonsai Baby' A dwarf, dense sasanqua with small leaves and miniature formal-double red blooms, naturally compact and slow. Excellent for small pots, low edging and bonsai.
Marge Miller Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Marge Miller' The first truly weeping sasanqua, with semi-double soft-pink blooms cascading from long trailing branches. Ideal for hanging baskets, raised pots and spilling over retaining walls.
Paradise Little Liane Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Paradise Little Liane' A naturally compact, upright sasanqua from the Australian Paradise series, with small glossy leaves and dainty white rose-form blooms. Its slim, dense habit makes it ideal for narrow hedges and formal pots.
Yuletide Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide' A compact, upright sasanqua bearing single fiery red flowers with a bright cluster of golden stamens, peaking around mid-winter. Its dense habit and festive timing make it a sought-after Christmas-flowering camellia.
Feelin' Blue Deodar Cedar · Cedrus deodara 'Feelin' Blue' A low, spreading dwarf deodar with soft blue-green weeping foliage, often grown as a cascading mound or trained over rocks and walls. A compact blue feature for pots and small gardens.
Albany Pitcher Plant · Cephalotus follicularis A rare carnivorous plant from south-west Western Australia, forming a low rosette of intricate ribbed, lidded pitchers that flush deep red in good light. A prized, slow-growing collector's species.
Weeping Redbud 'Ruby Falls' · Cercis canadensis 'Ruby Falls' A compact weeping redbud with cascading branches and heart-shaped deep purple foliage, with rosy-pink pea flowers along the stems in spring. A sculptural small feature for pots and courtyards.
Ellwood's Cypress · Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Ellwoodii' A neat, upright columnar conifer with soft feathery blue-grey foliage that deepens in winter. A compact, easy feature for pots, small screens and formal accents.
Dwarf Hinoki Cypress · Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Gracilis' A slow, sculptural dwarf cypress with glossy dark-green fans of foliage arranged in cupped, shell-like sprays. A premium feature for pots, courtyards and bonsai.
Boulevard Cypress · Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Boulevard' A soft, conical conifer with fluffy silvery-blue foliage that gives a plush, woolly texture. A popular feature and container plant for cool gardens, taking light shaping well.
Parlour Palm · Chamaedorea elegans A compact, dainty feather palm that thrives in low light and tight spaces. Pet-safe and undemanding, a long-standing favourite for tabletops and shelves.
Finger Lime · Citrus australasica 'Australian Finger Lime' An Australian rainforest native bush-food prized for its finger-shaped fruit packed with tangy caviar-like vesicles. A thorny, slow understorey shrub that fruits in autumn and suits dappled light or a sheltered pot.
Nagami Cumquat · Citrus japonica 'Nagami' A compact ornamental citrus bearing masses of small oval orange fruit with sweet edible skin and tart flesh, ideal for marmalade and pots. The hardiest of the common citrus, it tolerates light frost and clips well as a tub specimen.
Silver Torch Cactus · Cleistocactus strausii A slender columnar cactus densely clothed in fine white spines giving a silvery silken sheen, sending out horizontal deep-red tubular flowers from mature stems. A graceful upright accent for hot dry spots.
Bush Lily · Clivia miniata Glossy strap leaves and trusses of vivid orange trumpets light up dry shade where almost nothing else flowers. A long-lived clump-former; bulb and sap are toxic if eaten.
Buddha's Temple · Crassula 'Buddha's Temple' A curious hybrid forming tight stacked columns of grey-green folded leaves resembling a tiered pagoda, topped with dense heads of tiny white to pink flowers. A prized collector's oddity.
Jade Plant · Crassula ovata A robust shrubby succulent with thick woody stems and glossy oval jade-green leaves often edged in red, bearing clusters of starry white-pink flowers in winter. An enduring easy-care container classic.
Dwarf Japanese Cedar · Cryptomeria japonica 'Globosa Nana' A neat, rounded dwarf conifer with soft, feathery blue-green foliage that often takes on bronze tints in winter. A low-care feature for pots, rockeries and small formal gardens.
Swane's Golden Pencil Pine · Cupressus sempervirens 'Swane's Golden' An Australian-bred narrow cypress with luminous golden-yellow foliage and a slim columnar habit. A long-favoured formal feature for driveways and courtyards where a slow, tidy gold pillar is wanted.
Australian Nut Palm · Cycas media An Australian native cycad forming a palm-like trunk topped with arching glossy fronds, found through Queensland's tropical woodlands. A hardy architectural feature; seeds and foliage are toxic to pets.
Sago Palm · Cycas revoluta A slow, sculptural cycad forming a stout trunk crowned with a symmetrical whorl of stiff, glossy dark green fronds. A timeless feature plant in pots and gardens; all parts are highly toxic to pets and people.
Winter Daphne · Daphne odora 'Leucanthe' A compact rounded shrub prized for clusters of waxy pink-and-white flowers that pour out an exquisite perfume in the depths of winter. Demands perfect drainage; all parts are highly toxic.
Soft Tree Fern · Dicksonia antarctica A stately Australian native tree fern with a fibrous brown trunk crowned by a broad canopy of soft, arching green fronds. A lush, cool-tolerant feature for shaded ferneries and woodland gardens.
Venus Flytrap · Dionaea muscipula The famous carnivorous plant whose hinged, spine-fringed traps snap shut on insects that brush their trigger hairs. A fascinating bog plant for a sunny windowsill, grown in pure peat with rainwater.
Chestnut Dioon · Dioon edule A slow, blue-grey cycad from Mexico forming a stout trunk topped with stiff, gently arching fronds of crowded leaflets. A handsome, drought-tolerant feature for pots and dry gardens; toxic to pets.
Gymea Lily · Doryanthes excelsa A massive rosette-forming lily of the Sydney region throwing up flower stems to 4m topped with a head of large red blooms. A bold architectural feature and bird magnet.
Corn Plant · Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana' Thick woody canes crowned with arching, corn-like leaves striped yellow-green. A tough, low-light floor plant that brings tropical height indoors.
Madagascar Dragon Tree · Dracaena marginata An architectural plant with slender canes topped by spiky rosettes of red-edged leaves. Drought-tolerant and sculptural, it adds height to any bright room.
Snake Plant · Dracaena trifasciata Upright, sculptural sword-leaves that tolerate anything from a dim hallway to a bright window, and weeks without water. As tough as houseplants get.
Mexican Snowball · Echeveria elegans A neat clumping rosette of powdery pale blue-green leaves edged in translucent pink, sending up arching stems of bell-shaped pink-and-yellow flowers in spring. A classic windowsill and dish-garden succulent.
Perle von Nurnberg · Echeveria 'Perle von Nurnberg' A sought-after hybrid rosette flushed in dusky lavender-pink and grey with a fine powdery bloom, intensifying to deeper purple tones in bright light. A signature feature plant for containers and arrangements.
Golden Barrel Cactus · Echinocactus grusonii A magnificent globular cactus forming a ribbed ball clad in fierce golden-yellow spines, slowly broadening with age into a glowing sphere. A prized sculptural specimen, now rare in the wild.
Tiger Jaws · Faucaria tigrina A small clumping succulent whose paired triangular leaves bear soft white teeth along their edges, snapping shut like tiny jaws, and opening golden-yellow daisy flowers in autumn. A fun, easy collector's plant.
Blue Barrel Cactus · Ferocactus glaucescens A handsome barrel cactus with a powdery blue-green ribbed body armed with golden-yellow spines, opening a ring of pale yellow flowers at its crown in summer. A striking, slow sculptural specimen.
Creeping Gardenia · Gardenia jasminoides 'Radicans' A low, spreading dwarf gardenia with small glossy leaves and miniature fragrant white double flowers. Ideal as a perfumed groundcover, border or trailing pot plant.
Ox Tongue · Gasteria bicolor A shade-tolerant succulent with thick tongue-shaped dark green leaves speckled in white, bearing arching sprays of curved stomach-shaped red-and-green flowers. An easy, forgiving, pet-safe collector's plant.
Ginkgo · Ginkgo biloba An ancient, virtually pest-free deciduous conifer relative with distinctive fan-shaped leaves that turn pure butter-yellow in autumn. Long-lived, tough and pollution-tolerant.
Scarlet Star · Guzmania lingulata A glossy green rosette crowned with a long-lasting star of brilliant scarlet, orange or yellow bracts. One of the most popular flowering bromeliads for indoors and shaded tropical displays.
Chin Cactus · Gymnocalycium mihanovichii A small ribbed globular cactus, famous in its chlorophyll-free red, pink or yellow grafted 'moon cactus' form, producing delicate pink flowers. A colourful, compact novelty for bright windowsills.
Cooper's Haworthia · Haworthia cooperi A jewel-like rosette of plump translucent blue-green leaves with glassy 'windowed' tips that glow when backlit, allowing light into the buried plant body. A coveted collector's miniature.
Zebra Plant · Haworthiopsis fasciata A small slow-growing rosette of stiff dark green pointed leaves banded with raised white tubercle stripes like zebra markings. A tough, pet-safe windowsill gem that tolerates lower light than most succulents.
Winter Rose Hellebore · Helleborus 'Winter Rose' An Australian-bred hellebore series with large outward-facing flowers in white, pink and ruby that hold their colour for weeks through winter. Shade-loving and evergreen; all parts are toxic if eaten.
Lenten Rose · Helleborus orientalis Nodding, long-lasting blooms in winter and early spring brighten the shadiest corners under deciduous trees. All parts are toxic if eaten, so site away from grazing pets.
Kentia Palm · Howea forsteriana The elegant, arching feather palm beloved since Victorian parlours, tolerant of low light and neglect. Pet-safe and graceful, the classic indoor palm.
Drumsticks · Isopogon anemonifolius A compact eastern shrub with finely divided leaves and yellow flower clusters that mature into woody, drumstick-like seed cones. A tough, tidy feature for sandstone gardens.
Blue Star Juniper · Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' A compact, slow-growing dwarf juniper forming a neat mound of dense, silvery steel-blue needles. An outstanding small feature for rockeries, pots and the front of borders.
Panda Plant · Kalanchoe tomentosa A charming succulent clothed in dense silvery felt, its plump leaves tipped with chocolate-brown notches like furry ears. A soft, tactile, easy-care novelty for bright windowsills.
Pineapple Zamia · Lepidozamia peroffskyana A tall, fast-by-cycad-standards Australian native forming a slender trunk crowned with long, glossy, gracefully arching fronds. A lush rainforest feature for shaded subtropical gardens; seeds toxic to pets.
Ruffled Fan Palm · Licuala grandis Striking, undivided circular fronds pleated like ruffled fans of glossy green. Pet-safe and exotic, a showy tropical palm for warm, humid, bright rooms.
Living Stones · Lithops spp. Extraordinary mimicry succulents of paired fused leaves patterned and coloured to imitate the pebbles around them, splitting to reveal a daisy-like white or yellow flower in autumn. A prized collector's curiosity.
Purple Pixie Loropetalum · Loropetalum chinense 'Purple Pixie' A low, weeping fringe flower that spills and cascades, making it ideal as a purple groundcover or trailing over pots and walls. Pink spidery flowers stud the burgundy foliage in spring and autumn.
Moore's Cycad · Macrozamia moorei A massive Australian native cycad developing a thick trunk to several metres, crowned with a huge symmetrical rosette of stiff arching fronds. A dramatic long-lived feature; seeds are toxic to pets.
Dwarf Magnolia 'Teddy Bear' · Magnolia grandiflora 'Teddy Bear' A compact, densely upright evergreen magnolia with glossy dark green leaves backed in rich rust-brown felt, and large fragrant white summer flowers. Excellent as a screen or small feature.
Magnolia 'Genie' · Magnolia 'Genie' A compact, columnar deciduous magnolia with deep maroon-burgundy cup-shaped flowers in spring and often a second autumn flush. Ideal for pots and small gardens.
Saucer Magnolia · Magnolia ×soulangeana A deciduous magnolia smothered in large, goblet-shaped pink-and-white blooms on bare branches in early spring before the foliage appears. A breathtaking cool-climate feature tree.
Lily Magnolia 'Nigra' · Magnolia liliiflora 'Nigra' A compact deciduous magnolia with deep wine-purple, lily-shaped flowers borne over a long period from mid-spring into summer. Flowers appear with the foliage on a bushy frame.
Star Magnolia · Magnolia stellata A dainty deciduous magnolia that opens masses of fragrant, star-shaped white flowers on bare twigs in late winter and early spring. Perfect for smaller gardens and courtyards.
Star Magnolia 'Royal Star' · Magnolia stellata 'Royal Star' A compact, slow-growing star magnolia smothered in fragrant, many-petalled white star-shaped flowers on bare branches in early spring. A choice deciduous shrub for small gardens.
Mahonia · Mahonia x media 'Charity' An architectural evergreen with bold ruffs of spiny holly-like leaflets and upright sprays of fragrant yellow flowers in winter, followed by blue berries. Superb for shady feature planting.
Ballerina Apple · Malus domestica 'Ballerina' A narrow columnar apple that fruits on short spurs along a single upright trunk, needing almost no pruning and ideal for pots and small courtyards. Plant two different varieties or a crab apple nearby for cross-pollination.
Dwarf Ballerina Apple · Malus domestica 'Dwarf Ballerina' A compact columnar apple on dwarfing rootstock, staying under two metres and cropping on a single slim trunk perfect for balconies and large pots. Grow with a second variety nearby to ensure pollination.
Pincushion Cactus · Mammillaria spp. A popular clustering globular cactus covered in spiralled spined tubercles, ringed in spring with a crown of small pink, white or yellow flowers. One of the easiest and most rewarding cacti for beginners.
Rose Grape · Medinilla magnifica A spectacular tropical shrub-like perennial with large leathery leaves and huge pendent panicles of pink flowers shrouded in showy pink bracts. A luxurious feature for warm, humid, shaded positions.
Green Globe Honey Myrtle · Melaleuca 'Green Globe' A naturally rounded dwarf melaleuca with dense bright green foliage forming a tidy ball without pruning. Ideal for low formal hedges, balls and container feature plantings.
Siberian Carpet Cypress · Microbiota decussata A low, spreading conifer with lacy, arching sprays of green foliage that turn bronze-purple in winter. An extremely hardy, shade-tolerant groundcover for banks and under trees.
Blush Pink Nandina · Nandina domestica 'Blush Pink' A dwarf nandina prized for soft pink to coral new growth in the warmer months, deepening to red in winter. A colourful, low-care choice for pots and edging.
Dwarf Sacred Bamboo · Nandina domestica 'Nana' A compact mounding shrub grown for fine ferny foliage that turns brilliant red and burgundy in cold weather. Tough and low, it makes a colourful mass planting or low border. Berries are toxic to pets.
Flirt Nandina · Nandina domestica 'Flirt' A very dwarf, dense nandina with deep red new growth that holds rich burgundy and crimson tones year-round. Sterile and tidy, perfect for edging and pots.
Bird's Nest Bromeliad · Nidularium innocentii A shade-loving rosette of dark, often maroon-backed leaves whose centre forms a nest of bright red bracts cradling white flowers. Excellent groundcover bromeliad for deep shade under trees.
Kalamata Olive · Olea europaea 'Kalamata' A classic black table olive with large, almond-shaped fruit prized for brining, on a vigorous silver-leafed evergreen tree. Hardy, drought- and salt-tolerant, it is an ornamental and productive choice for dry gardens.
Manzanillo Olive · Olea europaea 'Manzanillo' A leading dual-purpose olive valued for plump green table fruit and good oil, on a spreading silver-leafed evergreen tree. Drought- and salt-tolerant once established, it suits Mediterranean and warm-temperate gardens.
Mondo Grass · Ophiopogon japonicus A tough evergreen strappy-leaf groundcover forming a dense carpet of fine dark-green grassy foliage. A hard-wearing, low-care lawn alternative for shade and a favourite for pathways and edges.
Black Mondo Grass · Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' A striking strappy-leaf groundcover forming spreading tufts of near-black arching foliage, with small mauve flowers and black berries. A dramatic contrast plant for edging, pots and pebble gardens.
Moonstones · Pachyphytum oviferum A captivating succulent with plump egg-shaped leaves coated in a frosted lilac-pink bloom resembling sugared almonds, on short stems. A slow, jewel-like collector's plant for bright pots.
Slipper Orchid · Paphiopedilum hybrid A terrestrial orchid with mottled leaves and a single waxy bloom bearing a distinctive pouched lip in green, mahogany and spotted tones. A long-lasting, shade-loving collector's orchid.
Watermelon Peperomia · Peperomia argyreia Named for its rounded leaves striped silver and green like watermelon rind, on red stems. A pet-safe, compact charmer for bright indirect light.
Emerald Ripple Peperomia · Peperomia caperata A tidy little plant with deeply corrugated, heart-shaped leaves in rich green or burgundy. Pet-safe and compact, topped with slender rat-tail flower spikes.
Baby Rubber Plant · Peperomia obtusifolia A compact, easy-care plant with thick, glossy rounded leaves that store water. Pet-safe and forgiving, it suits small spaces and tabletops.
Moth Orchid · Phalaenopsis hybrid The classic moth orchid, with broad fleshy leaves and arching sprays of rounded long-lasting blooms in white, pink and many patterns. The most popular indoor orchid, flowering for months on a warm windowsill.
Dwarf Alberta Spruce · Picea glauca 'Conica' A slow, densely conical dwarf spruce forming a perfect soft green cone with fine needles. A favourite feature for cool-climate pots and formal beds, needing little or no pruning.
Colorado Blue Spruce · Picea pungens 'Glauca' A striking pyramidal spruce with stiff, sharply pointed steel-blue needles. A premium cool-climate feature tree valued for its intense silvery-blue colour and formal symmetry.
Mexican Butterwort · Pinguicula moranensis A carnivorous rosette of soft, greasy-feeling leaves that catch fungus gnats on their sticky surface, topped by pretty pink-purple flowers. An easy, ornamental carnivore for a bright windowsill.
Dwarf Mountain Pine · Pinus mugo 'Mops' A very compact, rounded dwarf pine forming a dense bun of dark green needles. Tough and slow-growing, it is ideal for rockeries, pots and low-care feature plantings in cool climates.
Miss Muffet Pittosporum · Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Miss Muffet' A compact dwarf pittosporum forming a tight, low mound of small dark-green leaves on near-black stems. Ideal for tidy low borders, edging and small clipped balls.
Mojo Pittosporum · Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Mojo' A compact, naturally rounded pittosporum with green leaves neatly margined in cream. Dense and ball-shaped with little pruning, ideal for low hedging and containers.
Elkhorn Fern · Platycerium bifurcatum An epiphytic fern with antler-shaped fronds, usually mounted on a board to hang on a wall. Pet-safe and sculptural, it forms living green art.
Buddhist Pine · Podocarpus macrophyllus A dense, upright conifer with long, soft, dark-green leaves that clips beautifully into formal hedges, columns and topiary. A versatile and shade-tolerant evergreen for screens and containers.
Pixzee Dwarf Peach · Prunus persica 'Pixzee' A genetic dwarf peach reaching only about 1.5 metres yet bearing full-sized, sweet, yellow-fleshed fruit, perfect for pots and small gardens. Self-fertile and compact, it carries a pretty show of pink spring blossom.
Lady Palm · Rhapis excelsa A clumping fan palm with glossy, finger-like fronds on slender bamboo-like canes. Pet-safe, shade-tolerant and refined, excellent for low-light interiors.
Blue Diamond Rhododendron · Rhododendron 'Blue Diamond' A dwarf, small-leafed rhododendron smothered in clusters of violet-blue flowers in spring on a compact, twiggy bush. Ideal for rockeries and pots. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
Gumpo Pink Azalea · Rhododendron 'Gumpo Pink' A dwarf, spreading Satsuki azalea bearing large, frilled soft-pink blooms late in the azalea season on a low mounding bush. Ideal for borders, pots and bonsai. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
Gumpo Red Azalea · Rhododendron 'Gumpo Red' A dwarf, spreading Satsuki azalea bearing large frilled blooms of bright rosy red late in the season on a low mounding bush. Ideal for borders and pots. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
Gumpo White Azalea · Rhododendron 'Gumpo White' A dwarf, low-spreading Satsuki azalea with large, ruffled pure-white blooms appearing late in the season. Perfect for low borders, pots and bonsai. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
Littlest Angel Vireya · Rhododendron 'Vireya Littlest Angel' A dwarf, frost-tender Vireya rhododendron with small leaves and pendulous, tubular bright-red flowers carried much of the year. Perfect for hanging baskets and small pots. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
President Roosevelt Rhododendron · Rhododendron 'President Roosevelt' A distinctive rhododendron grown for both its gold-and-green variegated leaves and its red-and-white bicoloured bell flowers in spring. A standout feature shrub. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
Rhododendron Cynthia · Rhododendron 'Cynthia' A vigorous old hardy-hybrid rhododendron carrying domed trusses of rosy-crimson flowers in spring above bold leathery leaves. Needs cool moist acid soil and dappled shade to thrive.
Unique Rhododendron · Rhododendron 'Unique' A compact, neatly domed rhododendron whose pink buds open to rounded trusses of creamy primrose-yellow bells in spring. A refined choice for smaller gardens. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
Hino Crimson Azalea · Rhododendron kurume 'Hino Crimson' A compact kurume azalea smothered in small, single brilliant crimson-red flowers in spring on a dense, low bush. Superb for low hedges and pots. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
Kirin Azalea · Rhododendron kurume 'Kirin' A dainty kurume azalea with masses of small, hose-in-hose deep rose-pink blooms with paler centres on a neat, twiggy bush. Lovely in pots and low edging. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
Kurume Christmas Cheer Azalea · Rhododendron kurume 'Christmas Cheer' A compact kurume azalea smothered in small, double hose-in-hose blooms of bright rose-red on a dense, low bush. Excellent for pots and low hedges. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
Twisty Baby Robinia · Robinia pseudoacacia 'Lace Lady' A novelty dwarf black locust with curiously twisted and contorted branches and curled blue-green foliage that turns gold in autumn. A sculptural feature tree, striking in winter silhouette.
Ravine Orchid · Sarcochilus hartmannii A compact Australian native orchid forming neat clumps that throw arching sprays of rounded white flowers with crimson-spotted centres in spring. A choice cool-growing native for shaded, airy positions.
Burro's Tail · Sedum morganianum A trailing succulent forming long ropes densely packed with plump blue-green teardrop leaves coated in a chalky bloom, tipped with red-pink flowers in summer. Perfect tumbling from a hanging basket.
Hens and Chicks · Sempervivum tectorum An extremely hardy alpine succulent forming tight rosettes that cluster into colonies of offsets, the leaves often blushed red at the tips. Famously frost-proof and ideal for rockeries and troughs.
Firewheel Tree · Stenocarpus sinuatus A handsome rainforest tree with glossy lobed leaves and extraordinary spoke-like wheels of scarlet-and-gold flowers in autumn. A spectacular bird-attracting feature tree.
English Yew · Taxus baccata A dense, dark-green conifer that tolerates hard clipping, making it the classic choice for formal hedges and topiary. All parts except the red aril are highly toxic to people and pets if eaten.
Irish Yew · Taxus baccata 'Fastigiata' A strongly upright, columnar yew with dark green foliage forming a dense vertical pillar. A formal accent and clipping plant, though all parts except the aril are toxic if ingested.
Rheingold Arborvitae · Thuja occidentalis 'Rheingold' A compact, rounded to conical conifer with soft golden-amber foliage that turns rich copper-bronze in winter. A glowing low feature for pots, rockeries and mixed conifer beds.
Hiba Arborvitae · Thujopsis dolabrata A handsome conifer with broad, glossy scale-leaves boldly marked silver-white beneath, borne in flattened sprays. A distinctive feature tree for cool, moist temperate gardens.
Fringe Lily · Thysanotus tuberosus A delicate native perennial bearing exquisite purple flowers with finely fringed petals on wiry stems over grassy foliage in late spring. A dainty bush-tucker tuber and collector's wildflower.
Pink Quill · Tillandsia cyanea An air plant with a fountain of grassy leaves and a flat pink quill of bracts that opens a succession of vivid violet-blue flowers. Easily grown in a pot of bark or mounted as a feature.
Sky Plant · Tillandsia ionantha A tiny rootless air plant that absorbs moisture through silvery scaled leaves, blushing red and producing violet flowers at bloom time. Mounts on bark, shells or driftwood needing no soil at all.
Spanish Moss · Tillandsia usneoides A rootless air plant forming long, draping silver-grey festoons of thread-like stems that hang from branches and need no soil. Spectacular trailing from baskets, pergolas and tree limbs.
King Fern · Todea barbara A massive, long-lived Australian native fern building a broad fibrous crown of leathery dark green fronds from a thick mounding base. A bold, statuesque feature for moist, sheltered gardens.
Flaming Sword · Vriesea splendens A neat rosette of dark green leaves cross-banded in purple-brown, sending up a flattened sword of vivid red bracts with yellow flowers. A bold foliage-and-flower feature for warm, shaded positions.
Grass Tree · Xanthorrhoea glauca An iconic slow-growing Australian grass tree forming a stout dark trunk topped with a fountain of blue-green foliage and a tall flower spear after fire. A sculptural living feature.
Cardboard Palm · Zamia furfuracea A compact cycad with low spreading fronds of thick, fuzzy, cardboard-textured leaflets radiating from a short trunk. A tough, drought-hardy feature for pots and coastal gardens; toxic to pets if eaten.
ZZ Plant · Zamioculcas zamiifolia Glossy, architectural and nearly unkillable — the ZZ stores water in fat rhizomes and shrugs off dark corners and missed waterings. The ultimate low-care statement plant.