Growing Shrub Plants as Standards

There are several guidelines for gardeners to keep in mind when training ornamental shrubs and trees to an upright, standard form.

Begin Training Young Plants

Young plants are more flexible and still growing at a rapid pace which allows them to be trained to a standard form more easily with less risk of damaging, stunting or killing the plant. A gardener will be better able to train the shrub or flowering tree to a pleasing shape when not fighting against years of old growth.

Select Plants With Strong Central Leader Stems

A central leader is the strong center stem – what makes up the trunk of a tree. Even bushy shrubs can be trained to standard forms when you select a plant that has a larger central branch. The gardener will select that central leader to be the main support for the standard and will carefully prune away all the other branches.

Prune Your Shrub or Tree to Create The Standard

Plants that are grown as standards have to be trained to that form so the gardener will need to prune all of the lower branches and stems except the main, central leader. This heavy first pruning can be very stressful to an older shrub or plant so be sure to start with a young plant. Leave plenty of branches and leaves at the top of the central leader so the plant will be able to produce enough energy to support itself and grow in a healthy way.

Stake and Tie the Plant

In order to create the straight central trunk of the formal, standard form a gardener will need to now stake and tie the central leader to a firm support stick. This will encourage the central leader stem to grow straight and tall. If the standard plant is growing in the ground, rather than a container, a gardener may need to have two stakes. Once the standard has matured and the central stem is strong and woody the stake may no longer be needed.

Continuing With Pruning to Maintain Standard Shape

Check your standard shrub or tree often to make sure there are no shoots coming from the central leader stem below the bushy top growth. Prune any shoots or suckers off the single stem as soon as possible to encourage full, bushy growth at the rounded top of your standard. Don’t be afraid to clip the top growth periodically to encourage full growth from the top of the central leader.

Protect Your Standard Plant From the Elements

As a result of growing on a single stem, standard form plants are often much less winter hardy than they would be if grown in full, bushy shrub form. Standards grown in large containers can be easily brought indoors, while standards grown in the ground should be insulated (burlap wrap around the stem can be helpful) and carefully selected.

When considering a shrub or tree for growing as a standard in a formal landscape area choose a plant that is hardy two gardening zones colder than your own. In other words, if you are growing a shrub as a standard form plant in zone 7, and won’t be able to bring it indoors or to a sheltered area during the winter, select a shrub or tree that is hardy to zone 5.