• Nipa Hut Gardens and Gifts Plant and Inventory Database.

Black thumbs Guide to Training Flowering Shrubs into Beautiful Ornamental Trees

By Dr. Peter T. Dixon

What makes a tree and a shrub different?  When talking about flowering Shrubs, the difference is Price.  Flowering Trees, which are normally shrubs not only look better but generate massive income for the nursery selling the plant.  How can you cash in on this savings by making your own Flowering trees?  When you see these trees bloom all the time and you will know the effort is worth it, and that it was you that created this plant.  Not only are they beautiful, most are also fragrant and will draw respect and awe from your neighbors. 

Black thumb Gardens can enjoy these steps as well as the avid Green thumb Gardener.  Do not be afraid to try, with time and patience you can have an exotic tree to call your own. 

We will break the actual process down to become quite simple. 

The best thing is to start with a small plant.  These tend to be easier to work with and train, however older and larger plants can be used as well; we will go into this area a little later in this article.   

What type of small plant do you use?   

There are a few factors to consider.  First your zone.  A Garden Zone is defined as: Geographic zones having similar patterns of weather.  The area you live has a distinct Zone.  Choose plants that are good for your zone in order for the best productivity of them.  Example:  Don't choose a Tropical plant in a Freezing area.  Most of the plants you will be able to consider will be acceptable to most zones in the USA, however check with a specialist to make sure your prized plant will survive your zone.  Next item to consider is the size of your yard and placement of your plant.  Some plants require full sun, some require partial sun and some require shade, and some just don't care.   Do a search on the type of plant you are considering and find all its requirements.  Also what size will the fill plant become?  This is an important question to ask yourself. 

Most plants can be trimmed to stay a certain size but is this an effort you want to undertake?

Choose a plant that is your style; make it a statement of yourself. 

Potted Plants also can make good trees.  Even if you live in a cold area, you can still have that plant of your dreams.  You can Grow Tropical Plants in Non Tropical Regions.  See our other guides for information on this area. 

Training plants takes time and effort and is not an overnight process.  Make sure you are willing to put in the time required to fulfill your dream plant.  Here are the steps that are required.  It's not really hard and if you follow these step by step you are very likely to have that perfect tree you always wanted. 

            1.  Let your plant grow the first season, without a lot of care.  This does not mean neglect; it just means let the natural growth occur.  Water your plant as needed and nurture it with love and fertilizer, taking care not to over fertilize.  Even though you want to begin your project immediately, it is best to be a little patient at this point.  Remember you are growing a lifetime, not just a minute.  Some people sing to their plants, however I have found with my voice it tends to kill them : ) 

            2.  After the first season is complete, examine your plant or plants.  Look at each branch and picture in your mind a beautiful tree.  Pick out the straightest branch and clip all the other branches close to the main stem except this branch.  Be picky with your choice since you can not change your mind at a later date. 

            3.  Place a stake next to this single branch; do not tie it up yet.  This will be for the training of your tree; however there is still work to do before we can tie it and let it grow. 

            4.  Clip off the tip of the branch.  What! you are now thinking.  This is a process that will help your plant to achieve its maximum potential.  Just below the cut of the tip, all the lateral buds will start to grow.  This will force the plant to put out branches in this area to make the round tree area of your plant.  Usually it is good to clip the top, just above a group of lateral buds.  Look at your branch carefully and make a cut, again remember you can not change your mind once it’s cut, at least with that part you cut off. 

            5.  Now we can tie it to the stake.  There are many things we can use to tie it, duct tape, electrical tape, string, wire, etc.  Remember the branch will grow in thickness and height, so whatever we tie it with must have flexibility to grow or to be removed easily to replace with another tie. 

            6.  If we are using an older plant, pick out the straightest stem to use for this process, unless of course we are looking for that crooked statement of our lives, and that can often be very interesting. 

            7.  There are many good types of shrubs we can use for this process.  We often sell a Rose of Sharon plant that works beautifully for this process and is easy to grow.  Other types of plants include, but are not limited to:   

• Mock Orange

• Red Twig Dogwoods

• Yellow Twig Dogwoods

• Viburnums

• Burning Bush

• Winged Burning Bush

• Weigelia

• Flowering Almond

            8.  Last but not least keep trimming all lower branches of your tree to promote the top growth.  Pinch them off as they grow, sit back and enjoy your creation and start planning your next one, remember this is YOUR creation, no one else can make one just like you.  You are now an artist.  

See the items we are now selling on Ebay. Visit our store Today and find that unique bush you can turn into the tree of your lifetime.

Here is another Garden Report I recommend.