20 Plants for Espalier Growth
Many plants can be trained to grow as an espalier, which is a plant that has been trained so it grows flat against a wall instead of having a bushy shape. Espalier plants are not only decorative, but they also save space in balcony container gardens.
If you have a wall or space for a large enough trellis, try growing a woody plant as an espalier to save space. You will also be able to maximize your sun with this type of growth habit, as espalier will be able to absorb more sunlight than the container plants
would if grown regularly. Fruit trees grown in espalier form will also be able to produce more fruit per tree (this horticultural practice actually began in order to increase fruit production).
The following plants are just some of the trees, shrubs and woody vines that will thrive if trained to grow as espalier.
1. Japanese maple
2. Dwarf lemon tree
3. Dwarf orange tree
4. Tangerine tree
5. Fig tree
6. Holly species
7. Star magnolia
8. Apple trees
9. Crabapple trees
10. Olive tree
11. Peach tree
12. Nectarine tree
13. Pear tree
14. Quince
15. Plum
16. Juniper
17. Privet
18. Gardenia
19. Viburnum
20. Jasmine
To learn more about forming the espalier shape, see “5 Steps to Forming Espalier Plant Growth.”
