There is a wide range of crown shapes for ornamental and fruit trees for every garden. This guide introduces you to the most popular forms of parenting with tips on their special advantages.

The spherical crown looks very good on some ornamental trees, such as the 'Globosum' spherical maple shown here

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  1. The best crown shapes for ornamental trees
  2. Proven forms of crowns for fruit trees - practical and high-yielding

    3. The best crown shapes for ornamental trees

    So that the new house tree fits harmoniously into the overall picture of the garden, there are important criteria to be decided before the purchase. A majestic standard tree with a spreading crown is oversized for the front garden. More delicate tree shapes with geometric crown shapes that look lost in the large garden fit better here. We have put together the best crown shapes for ornamental trees with tips for the right tree species for you here:

    Natural, loose, open crown

    In the large garden, natural crown shapes are very popular. As a source of shade for a cozy seat or a climbing tree for little explorers, they also offer numerous animals a place to live and food. Pruning is limited to an occasional thinning cut so that the crown is flooded with light and densely leafed. The crown shape is suitable for the following species and varieties:

    • Ash maple 'Flamingo' (Acer negundo)
    • Gold Acacia 'Friesia' (Robinia pseudoacacia)
    • Hawthorn Paul's Scarlet (Crataegus laevigata)

    Cascade crown, hanging crown

    Looking for an imposing crown shape? Then we would like to recommend the Kaskadenkrone to you. This is a crown refinement that comes into its own as a solitaire in the middle of a spacious lawn. The position of the grafting point determines the height of the tree in advance. This offers the gardener special planning security for creative garden design. Popular tree species for hanging crowns are:

    • Weeping birch 'Yougii' (Betula pendula)
    • Hanging willow 'Tristis' (Salix alba)
    • Weeping Ash 'Pendula' (Fraxinus excelsior)

    spherical crowns

    House trees with spherical crowns form the harmonious crown shape without a time-consuming pruning. Gardeners with limited time appreciate that pruning is limited to thinning out the crown every 2 to 3 years. The following varieties are decorative in the small garden and front yard:

    • Ball Trumpet Tree 'Nana' (Catalpa bignonioides)
    • Globe maple 'Globosum' (Acer platanoides)
    • Sweet gum 'Gumball' (Liquidambar styraciflua)

    Proven forms of crowns for fruit trees - practical and high-yielding

    In private fruit growing, home gardeners strive for crown forms that are high-yielding, easy to cut and beautiful to look at. The range of options extends from the stately standard tree with a rounded crown to the graceful spindle tree with a conical crown and slender columnar trees for planting in buckets. You will get to know the most popular crown shapes below:

    round crown

    A fruit tree with a round crown consists of a trunk and a crown, which is made up of the trunk extension and three main branches. It takes between 4 to 15 years to complete the formation of a round crown. Apple, pear and sweet cherry are the classic fruit trees that are suitable for cultivation with this crown shape. Please only choose this option if you have at least 25 square meters of space available.

    Hollow crown, funnel crown

    A special variant of the round crown is the hollow crown. Here, after about 3 years, the stem extension is removed so that more light and warmth can penetrate to the fruit branches. The skeleton consists of four side branches arranged in a circle. If you are thinking of growing fruit that needs light and warmth, such as apricots or peaches, a funnel crown is highly recommended.

    Spindle with cone crown

    Spindle trees have been on the rise since private fruit acreage has been shrinking. Thanks to weak rootstocks, the small trees are content with an area of 4 square meters. The framework consists of a central shoot, from which flat side branches branch off, which carry the valuable fruit wood. Regular pruning measures maintain an advantageous cone shape so that the lower branches are also supplied with light and do not become old. In addition to the small space requirement, the spindle tree with a cone crown scores with an early yield phase, which begins after 2 years.

    pillar crown

    Thanks to the column crown, balcony gardeners no longer have to go without harvesting juicy fruits from their own cultivation. In principle, the entire fruit tree consists of a slender crown with a single central shoot, from which the short fruit tree sprout. With a growth height of 200 to 300 centimeters and a narrow width of 30 to 50 centimetres, columnar trees are perfect for keeping in tubs.

    tips

    Small fruit trees on weak rootstocks are ideal candidates for espalier training. This classic crown shape is very popular with home gardeners to use sunny facades or pergolas for growing fruit. Especially apples and pears will give you a lot of pleasure as espalier fruit. Peach, sour cherry and nectarine are less suitable because of the short-lived fruit wood.

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Trees