Trees For Roof Decks

7 to 9 find your zone water requirement.

Trees for roof decks. Maturing to a height of about 20 to 30 feet it can be grown as either a small tree or large shrub. Evergreen conifers such as pine juniper fir and cypress trees make good container plants offering year round interest and structure on patios terraces and balconies. In less sunny spot grow camellias and rhododendrons japanese maples and honeysuckles sweet autumn clematis. Deciduous trees lose their leaves in winter but in summer they provide much needed shade to cool the rooftop.

It is possible to plant small trees on a roof with carrying power from around 1000 kg m2 says bertus van den dikkenberg. They are highly visible from the roof and even the ground and they are almost always used on green roofs that will be accessible amenities such as plaza decks roof gardens and healing gardens providing a dynamic and unique space on a rooftop. In large containers consider growing evergreen mugo pine pinus mugo or evergreen japanese black pine pinus thunbergiana. And when trees are included on a green roof they are typically a central piece of the design.

Several species are suitable for patios or decks including lacebark pine pinus bungeana evergreen swiss stone pine pinus cembra and evergreen japanese red pine pinus densiflora. Shrubs dwarf trees and vines if the size of your terrace garden allows make the choice of small trees evergreen shrubs and vines. Fall color is usually brilliant red red orange or orange yellow depending on the cultivar. All conifer require well draining soil in a container and most thrive in a spot with full sun.

Small maples such as amur maple for example provide bold fall colors while crabapples offer springtime blooms. One deciduous tree for rooftop containers is the japanese maple acer palmatum which. Add drama and interest by selecting different types of trees. Different kinds of rooftop greenery there are different types of green roofing which can be split into the categories of extensive sedum roofs semi intensive and intensive.

With its dense foliage of medium green deeply lobed leaves fullmoon maple acer japonicum adds a lot of texture to the landscape. Hardy to zone 5 kousa dogwood cornus kousa stays small for a tree with some varieties maxing out at just about 30 feet making it an excellent foundation planting for a rooftop garden. Leafless trees in winter reveal brown and pink bark that is sometimes so smooth it gleams. For a patio tree depending on your space you can choose a plant with a single trunk or multiple trunks.