Types of Trees: Cherry Tree, Pear Trees and Pleached Trees

Trees have been in our existence for over three hundred and seventy million years. They are perennial plants that have long thick stems.

Trees are incredibly important and they are vital to us as humans since they provide us with oxygen and store carbon. However, this is not their only important use. They house plenty of wildlife and are a part of natural habitats that are essential for the environment.

They will absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, meaning that they contribute to slowing down the process of global warming. It is thought that there are around 3.04 trillion trees in the world today.

Trees can come in different forms and there are many different types of trees that we will come across in our lifetime. Below, we have outlined some of the most common types of trees. There are two main categories; Deciduous trees and Evergreen trees.

Deciduous Trees

You may most commonly know of these trees as hardwoods. These types of trees will shed their leaves during the autumn. They are typically giant plants that grow all around the world with wide and flat leaves. There are some distinctive features of deciduous trees, such as bark, flowers and autumn fruits. 

Some examples of deciduous trees are:

• Oak trees
• Maple trees
• Birch trees
• Aspen trees
• Walnut trees

There are many more types of deciduous trees that are not included in the list above, but those are some of your more common tree types.

Evergreen Trees

Evergreen trees, unlike deciduous trees, will keep their leaves all year round. They will remain green and vibrant all year, making them a great addition to your garden. There are different evergreen species, such as conifers, holly, live oak and angiosperms.

They are good at providing shade within your own garden and can be used to protect you from the sun, as well as provide a way to block your garden from strong winds. They also provide great habitats for animals as they are not destroyed throughout the year.

Some examples of evergreen trees are:

• Pine (conifer)
• Spruce (conifer)
• Redwood (conifer)
• Holly

Fruit Trees (Deciduous)

Fruit trees are a type of deciduous tree that bears fruit. This fruit will then be used for either human or animal consumption. You are able to plant various fruit trees in your own garden so that you will have a supply of your own fruit.

There are many different types of fruit trees and some are better to grow than others. Below, we have outlined a list of fruit trees and whether we would recommend growing them in your own garden.

Pear Tree

A pear tree is a medium-sized tree and is native to Europe, North Africa and Asia. They grow to be on average 12m, but they can actually grow to be around 20m.

When thinking about how they look, they have grey and brown bark which has almost a square-shaped pattern. Their leaves are oval and have toothed edges and long stalks with a light green colour. They turn to yellow and then black, eventually falling off the tree. They have thorny twigs in the winter.

Pear trees have white flowers on them that will grow in clusters. The fruit grows on long stalks and will ripen, turning a yellow-green colour.

If you have a garden that does not have the best growing conditions, a pear tree is actually a great option. You do not need a huge garden with plenty of space in order to grow a pear tree. You are able to start the growth process in a plant pot and later transfer it to the ground. 

Once you have established the pear tree, they require very little care from that point on. You are able to leave them and let them grow. If you do experience dry spells within the weather, then ensure you water the tree.

You can feed the tree with a high potassium fertiliser that will aid its growing process. Once you have a fully grown pear tree, it will need to be trimmed and well maintained in order to provide the best crop growth.

Cherry Tree

Cherry trees are beautiful trees and even without the added benefit of cherries, you can have a beautiful plant in your garden. The conditions for a cherry tree, however, have to be quite specific. They need to be properly pruned and have well-drained soil since they are very liable to get root rot.

Once you have planted your cherry tree, they do not need a huge amount of attention, unless there is a particularly dry spell in the weather and this would mean you need to water it.

The only downside to growing cherry trees is that they need to be protected from frost. This is because the cherries will flower quite early in the year. If this is happening then you need to cover the cherry tree with horticultural fleece.

Lemon Tree

A lemon tree is a harder fruit tree to grow. This is because they require certain conditions. Lemons will need to be grown in an area that is protected from harsh winds and cold temperatures. They need to be away from frost and have full sunlight.

You are required to water a lemon tree at least once a week. Whilst lemon trees do require more attention, they can also be grown inside. However, you will need to provide it with enough room (around 3 to 5 feet) and use soil that is not too moist, but not too dry.

Apple Tree

An apple tree is most probably the easiest of the fruit trees to grow. If you are wanting to grow an apple tree in your garden, it is recommended that you do so by getting the young tree from an established point where it is ready for planting. If you grow the apple tree from a pip, it is going to take a very long time.

Pick a sunny, but sheltered location for your apple tree and plant it. At this point, there is not much care that is required. You will need to water them if you are experiencing a dry spell. 

What Are Espalier Fruit Trees?

An espalier fruit tree is a trained tree that is used for decorative and functional uses. It is essentially a way to save room by growing fruit on a wall or a fence. Once they are established, they require much less attention.

You can buy already trained espalier fruit trees or you can train your own. The younger the tree, the easier they are to manipulate and shape. You can ensure through this method that each element of the tree is under direct sunlight, ensuring a fair and substance growth pattern for the fruit.

They almost resemble a fan and each branch is fanned out on either side of the trunk. Though, you are able to grow and train them in the way that you wish.

What Are Pleached Trees?

Pleached trees referred to trees that have been trained in such a way that they resemble a screen of branches. They will typically be planted in rows and this will form almost a wall of trees and branches.

It is a great feature to have in your garden if you are looking for a natural way to preserve a sense of privacy within your own home. They will typically have long stems and whilst they are typically seen in very formal gardens, they are slowly becoming much more common across urban gardens due to their ability to add a privacy screen around a garden. 

In terms of growing these trees, you have two options. You can either get a mature tree, between 2 and 5 years and then train that tree using specific measurements of your choosing. Alternatively, You can buy trained preached trees that are ready to plant.

Hardy Palm Trees - UK

Hardy palm trees are harder to grow in the UK due to them needing tropical or subtropical temperatures. With that being said, there are some types that are suitable for planting outside in the UK.

The issue with hardy palms in the UK is the weather conditions. Strong winds can cause damage, so ensure that you plant them in a sheltered location. It is also worth noting that if the roots on the tree and consistently wet, they will become damaged.

A good way to avoid this is the start the growth of the hardy palm tree indoors in a container. Once it is established, you can move it outside and then when the winter months are coming, bring it back into a sheltered and dry environment.

Tree Standards

When trees are grown, they will be grown in various forms that will depend on the stage in which they have been pruned and where they are in their development. They are sorted into the following categories.

• Standard
• Half-Standard
• Quarter-Standard
• Three-Quarter-Standard
• Feathered
• Multi-Stemmed
• Shrub
• Hedging
• Pleached
• Topiary

Standard

A tree that is classed as standard will mean that it has one straight trunk that has no branches on the 1.8m of it. When ensuring that you are getting a tree that is of this standard, you are going to want to know that the tree has at least 6ft of no branches, or you are going to need to prune the tree as it grows.

Half-standard

If you have or are wanting a tree that is half-standard, then you need to ensure that it has a bare trunk of 1.2m to 1.5m.

Quarter-standard

This term refers to a tree that has a trunk clear of branches for 1m.

Three-quarter-standard

When a tree has no branches on its trunk for a total of 1.5m to 1.7m then it is considered to be a tree with a three-quarter standard. This is a common standard and is used quite widely.

Feathered

A feathered tree will have branches that occupy the trunk of the tree from the group up.

Multi-stemmed

This type of tree will have multiple stems that will start close to the ground.

Shrub

A shrub is classified as a plant, that is either deciduous or evergreen and rounded in shape. They have lots of stems that allow them to be distinguished from a tree.

Hedge

A hedge is classed as a line of shrubs or trees that are planted in a row to create a barrier. They are typically trimmed to size and used for privacy between properties. It is worth noting that trees such as conifers and large evergreens are great for this type of standard.

Pleached Tree

A pleached tree is trained to produce a screen by extending the branches on their side of the trunk.

Topiary

A topiary tree is typically a small tree or shrubs that are trimmed into a specific shape. They are quite often round but can be cut to form any desired shape.

What if You Are Wanting Above Fence Screening Trees?

It is becoming increasingly popular for people to ditch the traditional use of a fence and use trees to create a natural barrier between their property and neighbouring properties. Above fence screening trees can be used to provide further privacy above fence height.

They will have a clear trunk and you will want to choose a tree type from the evergreen category so that you are able to have privacy all year round. If you are looking for some trees, perhaps consider the list below.

• Laurel Trees
• Leylandii Trees
• Pleached Trees
• Holm Oak
• Cypress Oak

When deciding which tree to use, consider important factors such as the size of your garden, what type of soil you have or plan to use and how tall you want the screen to be. You can also buy mature trees rather than buying them and growing them from a young tree. This can take a long time to grow, so if you are wanting a quick solution to privacy, then we recommend that you consider buying mature trees. Another alternative is to look for fast-growing trees.