Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
specialmn1

Care of Tree Standards from Shrubs?

Mary4b
9 years ago

I'm on the hunt for a tree for a certain spot...went to the nursery, and they had a ton of different standards made from common shrubs. They looked very nice and tall at least 5-6 feet in the pot. I could choose something as large as a Redbud, or smaller like one of these tree standards.

I once had a forsythia standard and all it did was sucker, as it wanted to turn into the shrub that it really was.

So, what kind of care can one expect in order to keep a "standard" looking nice? I'd prefer something sort of low maintenance...meaning usually just one pruning a year. Are some of these just a sales tactic that will end up being a big pain all through the growing season? (ie...constant sucker removal)

Here is a list of some of the standards I saw...some are what we usually see...Hydrangea Paniculatas and Korean/Japanese Lilacs...but I've never seen so many others from common shrubs...it did get me thinking about possibilities.

Ninebarks..Diablo/Coppertina
Burning Bush
Paniculatas...many kinds: PeeGee, Quickfire, Tardiva,
Lilacs...Korean/Japanese

I think there were more, but I can't remember them all.
The reason I'm listing them all is this...would some of these be easier care than others?

Thanks! Mary

Comments (4)