common bonsai species good for espalier

[nuttiest]

I am going to be puttiing in a hedge in the front lawn and want to do some espalier crisscross with an olive arch in the middle. What types of bonsai you have trained that you think would be good for
this, I would want something slow growing that could be kept pruned in a twice a year pruning, like they do with the fruit. Peach and plum grow too fast, but I saw camellia is used and that sounds promising. (and slow enough)
Any other ideas?

 

[cbroad]

What kind of light?

I've seen camellias, loropetalums, magnolias, pyracanthas, climbing roses, etc. Even saw an espaliered ginkgo at the national arboretum. Probably most plants could be espaliered that don't have a tight and narrow growth habit, or are super dwarfs.

Do they have to be bonsai(able) also?

 

[cbroad]

Here's the ginkgo:

 

[nuttiest]

Wow that looks nice. I like the look on all right after winter pruning. One half will be bright light with deciduous shade both sides of street, the other half full sun till 5pm when tree across the street shades.
Pyracantha would be top choice but I can't ever find at nurseries here. I had a customer with a lattice made with just 2 plants. It was overgrown and took me 2 years of trimming back enough to 'find' it but after cleaning up it was so beautiful because of the stem color. New owners bought the property and ripped them out before I had a chance!

 

[cbroad]

I've seen nice bougainvilleas trained before over an archway. Not sure if you're in an area of Florida where they'd be completely hardy, or have enough light, but they would probably be stunning in flower.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Grapes, wisteria, hardy kiwi.

 

[Shibui]

Grapes, wisteria, hardy kiwi.

Wisteria and kiwi need a bit more than twice a year trimming to keep in control down here.

Apples and crab apples are traditionally grown as espalier and are great bonsai trees. Pears are also espalier but a bit more difficult as bonsai IMHO
Hawthorn is another that's traditionally used to pleach into hedges in UK so almost certainly able to espalier. Quite slow as bonsai.
Lonicera nitida makes good, dense hedges. May need a little more than twice a year trimming in some places. Not sure about ability to espalier but it is great for small bonsai.

 

[nuttiest]

I've seen nice bougainvilleas trained before over an archway. Not sure if you're in an area of Florida where they'd be completely hardy, or have enough light, but they would probably be stunning in flower.

these become a pruning nightmare in year 3 but maybe in big pots?

 

[nuttiest]

Grapes, wisteria, hardy kiwi.

Great plan i already have a couple grapes and wisteria that need to be moved from backyard. Kiwi I am not familiar with growing, will look into it

 

[nuttiest]

Wisteria and kiwi need a bit more than twice a year trimming to keep in control down here.

Apples and crab apples are traditionally grown as espalier and are great bonsai trees. Pears are also espalier but a bit more difficult as bonsai IMHO
Hawthorn is another that's traditionally used to pleach into hedges in UK so almost certainly able to espalier. Quite slow as bonsai.
Lonicera nitida makes good, dense hedges. May need a little more than twice a year trimming in some places. Not sure about ability to espalier but it is great for small bonsai.

Lonicera nitida is another I never see around here, maybe because the stores already carry dwarf holly and boxwood. Apples - It is the apples and pears on some show I watch that got me interested in this, the 'Monty Don' channel. Monty is ruining my bonsai fire and I just want flowers and espaliered fruit!
Pleach is a great word I never heard, thank you. I will be pleaching quite a bit in the upcoming months.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Great plan i already have a couple grapes and wisteria that need to be moved from backyard. Kiwi I am not familiar with growing, will look into it

I'm not experienced with kiwi either, but I've seen them being sold in nurseries here and lately they're selling varieties that are both hermafrodites (because you need both sexes for fruit) as well as winter hardy. They are deciduous in cold climates though.

 

[Shibui]

Kiwi is definitely deciduous here. Not sure about warm climates. Kiwi grows VERY fast and strong. 3-4 M extensions each season here. Puts wisteria to shame and would probably give Bougies a run for their money.
I'm just working out what to do with our first serious kiwi fruit harvest - around 20 kg of fruit but mostly undersize as the plants are seedlings. Next will be to prune the excess growth which is a big job each year.