The Summary of Specification Criteria indicates the natural or most typical forms in which trees can be bought. However there are other shapes of trees and the following gives some examples of the more common types:

T10.4.1 Pleached
These trees, typically genera Tilia and Platanus, are trained to provide an instant pleached effect. Although mature pleached trees may be trained to form a three dimensional 'hedge on sticks', (typical for Carpinus betulus, for example), commercially available pleached trees tend to have a two dimensional effect with the branches spreading sideways in one plane only.

T10.4.2 Pollard
These trees, typically genus Salix, have a minimum clear stem height of 2 metres and a head which has been cut to create a head of the typical pollard regrowth.

T10.4.3 Parasol
Popular in continental Europe for providing shade, these large trees have had their central leaders cut and the main branches trained over a horizontal frame, creating a parasol effect. Tilia and Platanus are typical genera used to create these shapes.

T10.4.4 Espalier and Fan
An espalier is a tree with a central stem with balanced, (i.e. the same number) of horizontal branches in one vertical plane on each side, the bottom tier being 30-40 cm from ground level and additional tiers spaced 30-40 cm apart. The branches as the same level must be about the same length and size.

A fan is a tree with a leg not more than 50 cm in height and a balanced fan-shaped system of branches in one vertical plan, with a minimum of 5 branches at least 30 cm long. Shoots must have about the same length and size

These are typical for top fruit trees (Apples, Pears, Plums). Whilst these trees can be trained from maidens, two tier espaliers are available commercially. Many other shapes (Horizontal cordon with one arm, Horizontal cordon with two arms, Oblique Palmet, Single Stage Oblique Palmet, Two-Stage Oblique Palmet, Single U, Double U, and Two Stage Double U) are also available. Consult specialist growers for more details.

TRAINED PLEACHED TREE		TRAINED PARASOL TREE (Platanus x hispanica, 25-30)

TRAINED ESPALIER TREE (Bramley apple)		TRAINED FAN TREE (Cherry)