Selection Guide: The Top 25 Best Trees for Pleaching
Selecting the right trees for pleaching is a crucial step in creating a stunning living screen. Explore our top tree choices for pleaching and discover their unique characteristics that can elevate your garden or landscape.
1. Red Robin [Photinia × fraseri]
Red Robin, a photinia variety, is cherished for its vibrant red foliage that persists year-round. Pleached, it creates a striking contrast against other greenery, with glossy leaves providing a rich backdrop.
2. Portuguese Laurel [Prunus lusitanica 'Angustifolia']
Portuguese Laurel is an evergreen tree with dark green, glossy leaves. When pleached, it forms a dense and lush screen, perfect for creating privacy and adding a touch of elegance to your garden.
3. Silverberry Oleaster [Elaeagnus × ebbingei]
Silverberry Oleaster, also called silverberry, is an evergreen tree with silver-grey foliage that glistens in the sunlight. When pleached, it adds texture and brightness to the landscape, creating a unique aesthetic.
4. Hornbeam [Carpinus betulus]
Hornbeam, a deciduous tree, is a prime candidate for pleaching. Its dense, interwoven branches create a visually appealing canopy. With smooth, grey bark and golden-yellow autumn foliage, it offers both structure and seasonal beauty.
5. Japanese Privet [Ligustrum japonicum]
Japanese Privet is known for its dense foliage and rapid growth. Pleached, it forms a thick and uniform screen, ideal for privacy and noise reduction in urban gardens.
6. Crab Apple [Malus 'Evereste']
Crab Apple trees offer enchanting displays as a pleached tree. They produce delicate blossoms in spring and colourful fruits in autumn, attracting wildlife and adding charm.
7. Pink Marble [Photinia × fraseri 'Cassini']
Pink Marble is a variation of photinia with unique pink-tinted foliage. When pleached, it provides a visually stunning and colourful addition to any landscape.
8. Novita Laurel [Prunus laurocerasus 'Novita']
Novita Laurel is prized for its large, glossy leaves and fast growth. Pleached, it creates a robust and attractive screen that offers year-round privacy.
9. Magnolia [Magnolia grandiflora]
Magnolia is known for its large, fragrant flowers and glossy green leaves. Pleached, it adds a touch of sophistication and beauty to gardens, especially during the flowering season.
10. Eucalyptus [Eucalyptus gunnii]
Eucalyptus, with its distinctive blue-green leaves and aromatic fragrance, makes an excellent pleached tree. It adds an exotic touch and is particularly effective in Mediterranean-style gardens.
11. Beech [Fagus sylvatica]
Beech trees, known for their smooth grey bark and serrated leaves, are popular for pleaching. They retain their leaves throughout winter, providing evergreen privacy and structure even in chilly seasons.
12. Holm Oak [Quercus ilex]
Holm Oak is an evergreen oak with dark, leathery leaves. When pleached, it forms a dense and hardy screen that is perfect for year-round privacy and wind protection.
13. Mimosa [Acacia dealbata]
Mimosa is renowned for its feathery foliage and bright yellow flowers. Pleached, it creates a striking and fragrant screen, ideal for adding a touch of the Mediterranean to your garden.
14. Camellia 'Snow Ball' [Camellia japonica 'Snow Ball']
Camellia 'Snow Ball' offers beautiful white flowers and glossy green leaves. Pleached, it provides an elegant and flowering screen that is perfect for shaded areas.
15. Callery Pear [Pyrus calleryana 'Chanticleer']
Callery Pear is a deciduous tree known for its glossy dark green ovate leaves, which undergo a beautiful transformation in autumn. Abundant white flowers are followed by small brown fruits.
16. Leyland Cypress [× Cuprocyparis leylandii]
Leyland Cypress is a fast-growing evergreen tree. Pleached, it forms a tall and dense screen, ideal for creating privacy quickly.
17. London Plane [Platanus × hispanica]
London Plane is known for its large, lobed leaves and mottled bark. When pleached, it provides a majestic and architectural presence in the landscape.
18. Cherry Plum [Prunus cerasifera 'Pissardii']
Cherry Plum is valued for its dark purple foliage and pink spring blossoms. Pleached, it creates a colourful and striking screen.
19. Camellia 'Te Deum' [Camellia japonica 'Te Deum']
Camellia 'Te Deum' is another camellia variety with beautiful blooms. Pleached, it offers a decorative and evergreen screen, perfect for adding floral interest.
20. Field Maple [Acer campestre]
Field Maple is a hardy deciduous tree with attractive lobed leaves that turn yellow in autumn. When pleached, it forms a durable and attractive screen.
21. Bay [Laurus nobilis]
Bay is an evergreen tree with aromatic leaves. Pleached, it provides a fragrant and lush screen that is both functional and decorative.
22. Small-Leaved Lime [Tilia cordata 'Greenspire']
Small-Leaved Lime, also called linden tree, is esteemed for its heart-shaped leaves and fragrant flowers. Pleached, it creates a graceful and visually pleasing screen.
23. Holly [Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens']
Holly is known for its spiky, glossy leaves and bright red berries. Pleached, it offers a festive and evergreen screen, perfect for winter interest.
24. Copper Beech [Fagus sylvatica 'Atropurpurea']
Copper Beech is a variety of beech with striking purple foliage. Pleached, it adds a unique and colourful element to any garden.
25. Sweetgum [Liquidambar styraciflua]
Sweetgum, a deciduous tree, is known for its star-shaped leaves and vibrant fall foliage. Pleached, it presents a captivating autumnal display with leaves turning shades of yellow, orange, and burgundy.
With these tree options, you can craft a pleached paradise that suits your garden's aesthetic and purpose.
