Japanese-themed gardens are known for their tranquility and minimalist design, with a harmonious blend of natural elements like water and stone. Picking the right small Japanese garden plants is essential to create an authentic zen landscape. Factors such as size, growth habits, shape, as well as colors are worth considering. Without further ado, let’s get to know these gorgeous plants.
Table of Contents
Small Trees for Japanese Garden
Fullmoon Maple (Acer japonicum)
Zones: 5 to 7
Light: Full sun, partial shade
Watering: Keep the soil moist
Being low maintenance and a magnet for pollinators, the fullmoon maples are the ultimate perennial small Japanese garden plants. They have long-season blooms, during fall, spring, and summer, and produce breathtaking maple-like foliage in colors of golden, orange, and burgundy.
Kiyohime Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Kiyohime’)
Zones: 6 to 9
Light: Full sun, partial shade
Watering: Keep the soil moist, water only when the topsoil is dry
Another small tree from the Acer Family is the kiyohime maple. Although relatively more challenging to grow than fullmoon maple, kiyohime maple is such a beautiful foliage plant that is also resistant to heat with eye-catching foliage colors.
Japanese Laceleaf Maple (Acer palmatum var. dissectum)
Zones: 5 to 9
Light: Partial shade, full shade, full sun
Watering: Keep the soil moist
The dark burgundy foliage of the Japanese laceleaf maple is very interesting to look at. With their ability to thrive under full shady areas, this native to East Asia foliage plant would not complain when grown in landscape areas that receive the least sunlight.
Small Shrubs for Zen Garden
Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa)
Zones: 5 to 8
Light: Partial shade, full sun
Watering: Keep the soil moist, best for weekly deep watering
If you’re a fan of flowering plants with showy blooms, these delicate shrubs are then made for you. Kousa dogwood, also known as Chinese dogwood, is a low-maintenance flowering shrub with yellow and pure white blossoms.
Burning Bush (Euonymus)
Zones: 6 to 9
Light: Full sun, partial shade
Watering: Keep regular watering, this plant is tolerant to drought and dry soil
These small Japanese garden plants are notable for their ultra-bright red or burgundy flowers, making it as if they’re burning in fire. They can grow up to 50 centimeters but can be pruned to make them shorter.
Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea)
Zones: 9 to 10
Light: Full sun
Watering: Keep infrequent deep watering, flowers won’t bloom if the soil is not somewhat dry
If you need the touch of some bright, tropical flowering plants, try bougainvilleas or the paper flower. These small Japanese garden plants thrive the best in warm areas but also can be grown in colder areas as houseplants or container plants.
Aquatic and Semi-aquatic Plants for Japanese Garden
Horsetails (Equisetum)
Zones: 4 to 9
Light: Full shade, partial shade, full sun
Watering: Moderately wet soil, need frequent watering
Not only are these perennial, small Japanese garden plants blessed with a distinctive look, but they also make a great addition to rain gardens. Not only will horsetails help you create some texture in the zen garden, but they also contain a beneficial chemical compound called silica, which helps strengthen your bone!
Kakitsubata (Iris laevigata)
Zones: 5 to 9
Light: Full sun, partial shade
Watering: Keep moist soil, this plant will thrive well at the edge of ponds or streams
Also known as the Japanese iris, these delicate and small Japanese garden plants will surprise you with their showy blooms during fall, spring, and summer. They’re among the most elegant and sophisticated irises and are believed by Japanese culture to ward off evil spirits.
Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)
Zones: 4 to 10
Light: Full sun
Watering: Need to be in constant water
These aquatic flowering plants are popular ornamental plants in Japan, having thrived the most near Buddhist temples. The sacred lotus in their lush state during early morning, thus making them the flowers that symbolize a new birth.
Japanese Ground Cover Plants
Irish Moss (Sagina subulata)
Zones: 4 to 8
Light: Full sun, partial shade
Watering: Keep regular watering and moist soil
To add more greenery to the zen garden, take advantage of planting some Irish moss. Not only are these small Japanese garden plants easy to take care of, but they will also grant you clusters of tiny, white, and fragrant flowers that bloom during spring.
Dwarf Purple Rhododendron (Rhododendron impeditum)
Zones: 4 to 8
Light: Full sun, partial shade
Watering: Keep regular watering with a pH between 4.5 to 6.0
This cultivated species of rhododendron is well-suited for the zen garden as it helps to add more color. Although being a naturally colder climate flowering plant, the dwarf purple rhododendron will do well in warmer areas and tolerates full sun, as long as the soil is being kept moist and acidic.
Hakone Grass (Hakonechloa macra)
Zones: 5 to 9
Light: Full shade, partial shade
Watering: Keep regular watering about once to twice a week, this plant loves high organic matter soil that is slightly acidic
It’s difficult to not include hakone grass in your beautiful Japanese garden, as they add more texture and could be a great ground cover alternative besides moss. This native to Mount Hakone plant loves summer and blooms during spring. To grow lush hakone grass, they don’t need much fertilizer.
Japanese Plants for Pots
Juniper Bonsai (Juniperus)
Zones: 3 to 11
Light: Partial shade, full sun
Watering: Need frequent watering, this plant hates dry soil
Hardy in almost every growing zone, it’s easy why this spectacular bonsai has been favored by many Japanese-style lover gardeners. The needle-like foliage of these small Japanese garden plants ranges in shades of dark green to yellowish green. Similar to Kakitsubata, it’s also believed that the juniper bonsai could repel evil spirits from entering your home.
Ficus Bonsai (Ficus retusa)
Zones: 9 to 11
Light: Full sun, partial shade
Watering: Best to keep frequent and regular watering, but this plant can tolerate a poor watering schedule
If you’re a beginner to bonsai, growing the stunning ficus bonsai tree is a great start to learning. They’re very low maintenance and could successfully thrive indoors. The downside is, ficus bonsai takes a longer period to grow, some could even reach 15 years for maturity, and 5 years for dwarf cultivars. But worry not as the wait will be worth it!
Chinese Elm Bonsai (Ulmus)
Zones: 5 to 9
Light: Full sun, partial shade
Watering: Keep regular watering and decrease the amount of watering during winter, this plant can’t tolerate over-watering
Another attractive bonsai tree for the zen garden, like the ficus bonsai, the Chinese elm bonsai is also very easy to grow and thrives both indoors and outdoors. They have a faster growth rate than the ficus bonsai and are very eye-catching with their curved, thick trunks.
Time To Grow These Small Japanese Garden Plants
To wrap things up, don’t hesitate to pick some of these small Japanese garden plants that match your zone and personal taste. Incorporating these plants can greatly enhance the beauty and authenticity that reflects the essence of Japanese culture in your garden.
New author in the hood. Loves gardening and flowers are my spirit animals (yes I know they are not animals but I insist). I will be covering most of the flowers’ topics here and occasionally random though as well.
