Flowering patio bonsai?

[Joshaeus]

Hi everyone! We have a concrete patio on the south side of our apartment, and I was wondering...up here in zone 6a, are there any flowering trees/shrubs that would work well outside year round on that patio? If so, how could I improve their odds of surviving the winter? I was thinking about the rose of sharon, Hibiscus syriacus, but am definitely open to other options. Thanks

 

[PA_Penjing]

try a malus sargentii (sargent's crab apple), they are hardy to zone 5 and grow like crazy. They have profuse flowers in spring and get tiny little apples by fall. I don't remember ever seeing a rose of sharon bonsai before, so that's always a red flag to me. I tried one once but bailed on it right away. All I'd do for a crab apple in winter is move the pot next to your house for ambient warmth IF it is in a pot growing out. Once it's in a shallow bonsai pot you might need to cover the roots with mulch or a thick blanket on the coldest nights.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Are you able to have an outdoor storage container of any size for winter protection? That would greatly change what you could have. Also, how protected are you? The winter wind is a major factor, and if you have buildings blocking west and/or east winds, that's a plus.

 

[Joshaeus]

Are you able to have an outdoor storage container of any size for winter protection? That would greatly change what you could have. Also, how protected are you? The winter wind is a major factor, and if you have buildings blocking west and/or east winds, that's a plus.

I could definitely get one; I was also thinking of using garden cloth for insulation. The neighbor has a large, in ground rose bush that could provide some protection from the west, and there is a portion of the neighbor's apartment jutting out on the east that could provide protection.

 

[Forsoothe!]

That's good! You can have almost anything listed as zone 7 or under. Plan on gluing insulation on the inside sides & top and adding a tray of mouse food, -just in case. Anything that will fit inside works. They make units as pictured and taller units, too, so shop around and custom fit the two parameters, what is permissible and what fits your prospective collection and you're in business. (The low one can serve as a display bench in summer, too.) Stuff needs to be watered every 3 or 4 weeks in winter. Keep track because too dry is deadly. Too wet ain't no good either.