Training Flowering Shrubs into Single-Stem Ornamental Trees

Turn a Shrub into a Tree—Without Grafting

Training a shrub to a single stem creates a unique, fragrant specimen (imagine a Viburnum tree by your patio). It’s easier than grafting and yields fascinating forms.

Method: Start Young, Select One Leader

1. Year 1: Let rooted cuttings grow as multi-stem shrubs.
2. Early Year 2: Choose the straightest stem; remove all others flush.
3. Stake the leader; tip it to force lateral buds (future canopy).
4. Remove any buds below the canopy zone as they appear.
5. Tie to stake with cloth or single-wrap duct tape (falls off in ~12 months).

Shrubs That Make Stunning Trees

Viburnums, Burning Bush, Red/Yellow Twig Dogwood, Weigela, Mockorange, Rose of Sharon, Flowering Almond, and the extraordinary Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick (contorted branches = living sculpture).

Older Shrubs Work Too

If one stem can be staked vertically, train it. Scars from removed branches add character. The result is a one-of-a-kind garden focal point.

Visit a nursery for Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick—try this technique and create something truly unique.