| There are LOTS of Dwarf Citrus Trees that make good potted plants if you get a container large enough! If you buy a really big pot & are worried about weight then use Foam Packing Peanuts instead of Gravel in the bottom of the pot! I got that off HGTV & tried it with my plant & it works great! + U get the bonus of recycling! Just ask your friends to save theirs up if they get any packages or buy them from the UPS Store! Cactus also makes great potted plants & if you get a kind that flower it will be twice as pretty. San Pedro Cactus has beautiful large night/morning blossoms!! Miniature Prickly Pear are nice too and you can get the kind without needles & in colors from normal green to pink to purple!! Just make sure you use the special Cactus/Succulent soil. If you have a patio with an apartment above it then you can get a trellis from Home Depot & cover 1 of the 3 sides with a vine such as grape or another large, bushy plant that can be trained over it. But again, it all depends on your sun exposure and wind. Oh, & Aloe! Aloe doe GREAT in that climate! I lived in Phoenix for many years & so I am going to tell you right up front: 2/3 of ALL plants you try to grow will probably die before you get used to growing in the climate of Cali! Just be prepared for the disappointment – We ALL went through it! You eventually get used to the climate & will be a better judge of what to do! Ask some neighbors or corner an employee in the garden department of Home Depot & start asking question! Good luck! | 
