Maybe you just do not have the room to allow an ornamental vine/hedge to grow to its proper potential, or maybe you’re just looking for a fresh idea to showcase nature’s beautiful flora…whatever the case may be a unique way of highlighting nature’s already beautiful plants is by training shrubs to grow in a standard tree form. Many ornamental shrubs would standout significantly when used in standard tree form to display the beauty of the plants bloom, the bougainvillea vine, for example, maintains a tidy appearance as a standard. Another great plant for this is the hibiscus…
-
- Bougainvilla in standard form
-
- Bougainvillea in natural form
-
- Hibiscus in standard form
-
- Hibiscus in natural form
Some tips to get you started:
- Choose a plant that has a strong center support.
- Begin training the plants young. Younger plants grow faster and are more flexible allowing them to be trained to a standard form with less risk of damaging the plant. The first pruning tends to be on the heavier side and can add a lot of stress to the plant. A younger plant can bounce back quicker from this stress.
- Prune the lower branches leaving enough at the top so that the plant is still able to produce enough energy to support itself.
- Stake and tie the center stem to a firmly staked support. This will assist the center stem in growing straight and tall. When the standard plant has matured enough the center stake will not be needed.
- Continue with the pruning. Make sure to keep the center stem clean. Clip the top growth occasionally to encourage growth from the top.
- Keep in mind is that being that the plant is growing from a single stem the standard form is less winter hardy. If plant is grown in a container then you can bring it in inside in the wintertime if you planted in the ground then you should try to insulate the ground in the winter.
Get creative in your garden…you are not limited to the plants that are listed here. Any flowering shrub would work..butterfly bush, lilac, hydrangea..you just need to be patient with the result…good luck and happy gardening!
Best Regards,
Distinctive Landscapes for the Finest Homes
438 Main Street, Suite #210 | Huntington Beach, CA 92648
PH: 714-960-8955 | FAX: 714-960-8951
info@solenalandscape.com
