Flowering tall stems are all the rage. In the garden they offer many advantages. They take up little space, are easy to plant under and their flowers are at eye level.

In a nutshell

  • High stems are usually grafted onto stems
  • Height of growth depends on the crown, the trunk does not continue to grow
  • Large selection of shrubs and roses available in stores
  • need little space in the bed

standard

High stems are characterized by two characteristic features:

  • the trunk and
  • the crown

Since this is not a natural growth, it requires the hand of the gardener. There are two ways to achieve the growth form "high stem", also known as "stem":

  • Upbringing to the standard
  • Finishing on trunk

Flowering tall stems that are commercially available are usually plants that have been grafted onto the stem. This means that the trunk height is determined by the height of the grafting base (= the trunk) and only the crown continues to grow.

Flowering tall stems from A - F

Bladder Spire (Physocarpus opulifolius)

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • simple, small flower umbels, different colors
  • Flowering period: June to July
  • Foliage: deciduous, burgundy, yellow-green (depending on variety), autumn color
  • Soil: normal garden soil, permeable, undemanding
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 34.5 degrees Celsius
  • Varieties (selection): Dart's Gold (white-pink flowers), Proven Winners "Tiny Wine" (white flowers)

Chinese Judas Tree 'Avondale' (Cercis chinensis 'Avondale')

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • purplish-pink flowers
  • Flowering time: April to May
  • Foliage: green, deciduous
  • Soil: sandy-loamy, well drained, likes lime
  • Hardiness: down to minus 24 degrees Celsius

Hawthorn "Paul's Scarlet" (Crataegus laevigata "Paul's Scarlet")

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Flower: filled, dark red
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • Foliage: dark green, deciduous
  • Soil: rich in nutrients, moderately dry to moist
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 29 degrees Celsius

Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia)

  • other German names: garden forsythia, gold lilac, gold bells
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • small, bright yellow, bell-shaped flowers
  • Flowering time: March to April
  • Foliage: green, deciduous, yellow-orange autumn colour
  • Soil: normal garden soil, well drained
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 29 degrees Celsius

Fuji cherry (Prunus incisa)

Source: Bruce Marlin, Prunus incisa, edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • other German names: Slotted cherry
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • small, pink-white, bell-shaped flowers
  • Flowering time: March to April
  • Foliage: lanceolate, slotted, yellow-green or dark green (depending on variety), autumn color
  • Soil: normal garden soil, well-drained, humic
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 23 degrees Celsius
  • Varieties (selection): "Lotte", "Kojou-no-mai", Yamadei"

Types of G - J

Garden marshmallow Big Hibiskis (Hibiscus syriacus)

  • Location: sun
  • Blossom: particularly large, plate-shaped, pink with a wine-red centre
  • Flowering period: July to late September
  • Foliage: green, deciduous,
  • Soil: normal garden soil
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 23 degrees Celsius

Notice: There are also other flowering varieties of the garden marshmallow as standard, but these are much more sensitive to cold and better suited for the bucket.

Common / Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)

  • other German names: garden forsythia, gold lilac, gold bells
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • single or double flowers, small, in panicles, crimson to violet (depending on the variety)
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • Foliage: green, deciduous
  • Soil: dry to fresh, sandy-humic or normal garden soil (depending on the variety)
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 34.5 degrees Celsius
  • Varieties (selection): Charles Joly (purple and light red), Michael Buchner (purple), Sensation (purple to violet)

Notice: In the garden trade, the common lilac is often called noble lilac.

Common snowball (Viburnum opulus)

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Flowers: simple, medium-sized, in panicles, creamy white
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • shiny, small, red fruits (bird food tree)
  • Foliage: light green, deciduous. autumn coloring
  • Soil: slightly acidic to calcareous, fresh to moist
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 34.5 degrees Celsius

Hanging pea bush (Caragana arborescens "Pendula")

  • Growth (crown): hanging
  • Crown width: 50 to 100 centimeters
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • pale yellow butterfly flowers (singly or in clusters)
  • Flowering period: May to July
  • brown pea-like legumes from summer
  • Foliage: light green, deciduous
  • Soil: dry to fresh, well drained
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 40 degrees Celsius

Autumn lilac "Superba" (Syringa microphylla "Superba")

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Flowers: in panicles, lilac-pink
  • Flowering time: mid-May to October
  • Foliage: deciduous, green
  • Soil: normal garden soil
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 23 degrees Celsius

Japanese cherry (Prunus serrulata)

Source: Björn S… , Japanese Cherry - Prunus serrulata (41663811531), edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 2.0
  • other German names: Japanese carnation cherry
  • Growth (crown): upright or hanging (depending on the variety)
  • Location: sun or partial shade (depending on the variety)
  • Flowers: double, umbellate pink to dark pink (depending on the variety
  • Flowering time: late April to May
  • shiny, small, red fruits (bird food tree)
  • Foliage: rich green, deciduous, autumn colour
  • Soil: normal, loose garden soil, tolerates lime
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 23 degrees Celsius
  • Varieties (selection): Kanzan (pink), Kiku-shidare-Zakura (dark pink, hanging), Royal Burgundi (dark pink)

Japanese Snowball (Viburnum plicatum)

  • Location: Sun or semi-shade
  • Flower: white
  • Flowering time: depending on the variety
  • Foliage: fresh green, deciduous, autumn colour
  • Soil: well drained, normal garden soil
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 29 degrees Celsius
  • Varieties (selection): Mariesii (May to June), Watanabe (July to August)

standard from K - Q

Cherry Plum (Prunus cerasifera)

  • other German names: blood plum
  • Location: Sun or semi-shade
  • Flower: small, bowl-shaped
  • Flowering time: April to May
  • Foliage: deciduous, variegated
  • Soil: well drained, normal garden soil
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 29 degrees Celsius
  • Varieties (selection): Nigra, Hessel

Cotoneaster microphyllus "Streibs Findling"

Source: 阿橋 HQ, 栒子屬 Cotoneaster microphyllus v melanotrichus -巴黎植物園 Jardin des Plantes, Paris- (9229777702), edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • single, white, plate-shaped flowers
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • light red berries from August (inedible)
  • Foliage: evergreen, fresh green leaves
  • Soil: undemanding, prefers moist and nutrient-rich soil
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 29 degrees Celsius

Almond tree (Prunus triloba)

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Flowers: small, soft pink, filled
  • Flowering time: April to May
  • light red berries from August (inedible)
  • Foliage: deciduous, dark green, autumn color
  • Soil: normal garden soil
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 29 degrees Celsius

Meyer's lilac (Syringa meyeri)

Syringa meyeri 'Palibin'
  • other German names: dwarf scented lilac
  • Location: sun or partial shade (depending on the variety)
  • single, panicle-shaped flowers in pink to purple (depending on the variety)
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • light red berries from August (inedible)
  • Foliage: deciduous, dark green
  • Soil: loose, permeable
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 29 degrees Celsius
  • Varieties (selection): Palbin (light purple), Pink Perfume (pink)

Easter Snowball (Viburnum x burkwoodii)

  • other German names: Evergreen fragrance snowball
  • Location: sun or partial shade (depending on the variety)
  • single, panicle-shaped flowers in pink to purple (depending on the variety)
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • light red berries from August (inedible)
  • Foliage: deciduous, dark green
  • Soil: loose, permeable
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 29 degrees Celsius
  • Varieties (selection): Palbin (light purple), Pink Perfume (pink)

Pontic Azalea (Rhododendron luteum)

  • other German names: yellow azalea, deciduous azalea
  • Location: Sun or semi-shade
  • large, single flowers of various colors
  • Flowering time: May to June (flowering days depending on the variety)
  • Foliage: green to medium green, deciduous, autumn color
  • Soil: fresh to moist, well-drained, slightly acidic to acidic
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 29 degrees Celsius
  • Varieties (selection): Gibraltar (orange), gold topaz (yellow), homebush (carmine pink), seagull (white with pink tint and yellow spot)

Types of R - V

Panicle Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata)

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • panicle-shaped flowers in white to red (depending on the variety)
  • Flowering period: July to September
  • Foliage: deciduous, dark green to green (depending on variety)
  • Soil: well drained, moist, rich in nutrients
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 29 degrees Celsius
  • Varieties (selection): Candlelight (cream white with a hint of pink), Grandiflora (creamy white), Ilvobo (white, later soft pink), Limelight (greenish, later white), (Magical Candle (greenish white), vanilla fraise (white, later pink and red), Wims Red (white, later red)

Wild Cherry (Prunus fruticosa)

  • other German names: dwarf cherry, dwarf sour cherry, ball cherry
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • small, simple, white flowers
  • Flowering time: April to May
  • edible, pea-sized, dark red cherries
  • Foliage: deciduous, green, autumn color
  • Soil: rich in nutrients, fresh, calcareous
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 23 degrees Celsius

Carpet cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri)

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • single white cupped flowers
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • red berries from August (inedible)
  • Foliage: Evergreen, green to dark green, with a white to pink border (depending on variety)
  • Soil: normal garden soil, undemanding
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 29 degrees Celsius
  • Varieties (selection): Juliette, Queen of Carpets, Coral Beauty

Types of W - Z

Willow-leaved Pear (Pyrus salicifolia)

Source: Averater, Pyrus salicifolia 'Pendula' 03, edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Growth (crown): Mostly hanging (pendula) varieties on the market
  • Location: sun
  • single, small, white, panicle-shaped flowers
  • Flowering time: April to May
  • olive-sized pears (inedible)
  • Foliage: deciduous, silver-green, autumn color
  • Soil: fresh, dry, well-drained, normal
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 29 degrees Celsius

Weigela 'Bristol Ruby' (Weigela 'Bristol Ruby')

  • Growth (crown): loosely overhanging
  • Location: sun
  • ruby funnel flowers
  • Flowering period: May to July
  • olive-sized pears (inedible)
  • Foliage: deciduous, strong green, autumn color
  • Soil: normal garden soil
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 23 degrees Celsius

ornamental apple (penalty)

  • Growth (crown): upright or hanging (depending on the variety)
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • many small, simple flowers from white to violet (depending on the variety)
  • Flowering time: between April and June (depending on the variety)
  • Ornamental apples as fruit decoration
  • Foliage: deciduous, green to dark green (depending on variety)
  • Soil: normal garden soil
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 29 degrees Celsius
  • Varieties (selection): Coralcole, Evereste, Fontana (hanging growth), White Angel (semi-double flowers)

Notice: Among the ornamental apples, there are also varieties as flowering tall stems, such as "Golden Hornet", which tolerate temperatures down to minus 34.5 degrees Celsius. "Red Sentinel" tolerates temperatures down to minus 40 degrees Celsius.

Ornamental cherry 'Comet' (Prunus 'Comet')

  • Location: partial shade
  • single, medium-sized, cupped flowers (light pink to white)
  • Flowering time: March to April
  • Ornamental cherries as fruit decoration
  • Foliage: deciduous, green, orange autumn colour
  • Soil: normal garden soil, well drained, calcareous
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 23 degrees Celsius

Dwarf blood plum (Prunus x cistena)

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Flowers: small, radial, simple, pink-white
  • Flowering time: April to May
  • edible fruits
  • Foliage: deciduous, dark red
  • Soil: humus
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 29 degrees Celsius

Dwarf cherry (Prunus kurilensis)

  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Flower: small, umbel-shaped
  • Flowering time: March to April
  • ornamental cherry
  • Foliage: deciduous, green, autumn color
  • Soil: loose, permeable
  • Winter hardiness: down to minus 29 degrees Celsius
  • Varieties (selection): Brilliant (pink, later pure white), Ruby (purple pink)

high rose stem

Standard roses are created by grafting a rose variety on a wild rose stem. The height of the trunk is between 40 and 140 centimeters. For a high standard rose, the stem height is set at about 90 centimeters. In winter, the crown needs protection. A breathable fleece bag that you stuff with wood shavings, straw or newspaper is ideal. A small selection from the large assortment of flowering standard stems is briefly presented below:

Aspirin rose

  • Crown height: 60 to 80 centimeters
  • Growth (crown): arching, overhanging
  • Flower: filled, white, 5 to 7 centimeters in diameter
  • ADR rose

Notice: ADR roses are excellent new breeds that have been planted in various trial gardens in Germany. For the award, the varieties must remain healthy for three years without the use of pesticides and have a high ornamental value.

blue girl

  • Crown height: 60 to 80 centimeters
  • Growth (crown): upright bushy
  • Flower: double, lavender, 9 to 11 centimeters in diameter

Elbe Florence

  • Crown height: 80 to 120 centimeters
  • Growth (crown): upright bushy
  • Flowers: very double, fuchsia pink, 8 to 10 centimeters in diameter
  • ADR rose

golden celebration

  • Crown height: 120 to 150 centimeters
  • Growth (crown): broad bushy
  • Flowers: very double, golden yellow, 11 to 13 centimeters in diameter

Lady Emma Hamilton

  • Crown height: 80 to 100 centimeters
  • Growth (crown): broad bushy
  • Flower: double, apricot-orange-yellow, 8 to 10 centimeters in diameter

Leonardo da Vinci

  • Crown height: 40 to 60 centimeters
  • Growth (crown): bushy
  • Flower: Very double, red currant or pink, 7 to 9 centimeters in diameter
  • ADR rose

Matador

  • Crown height: 50 to 60 centimeters
  • Growth (crown): arching, overhanging
  • Flower: semi-double, light red, 3 centimeters in diameter
  • ADR rose

nostalgia

  • Crown height: 80 to 120 centimeters
  • Growth (crown): upright, long-stemmed
  • Flower: double, cherry red with white, 8 to 10 centimeters in diameter

Rosy Country Drostei

  • Crown height: 40 to 70 centimeters
  • Growth (crown): broad bushy
  • Flower: double, red-white, 3 to 5 centimeters in diameter

frequently asked Questions

How long does it take for a high stem to finish?

If the plant is raised as a tall stem, you should calculate about three years until the stem has reached the appropriate height. Rose stems are usually four years old.

What is the best way to show off flowering tall stems?

They are usually planted as solitaires. High standard roses are often planted in rows. In any case, you should leave enough space between the plants so that the crown comes into its own.

Do standard trees need a cut?

That depends on whether the plant needs pruning. If the crown is to grow spherically, it needs a shape cut. In addition, a pruning is possible for reasons of space.

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Garden plants