Ornamental Spiral Trees

• Bay laurels make good ornamental spiral trees. Paul Edmondson/Stockbyte/Getty Images

  Ornamental spiral trees are usually coniferous evergreens that have been pruned and trained to grow in a spiral shape. Sometimes, although they might look like trees, they are not trees at all, but vines, such as ivy, or broadleaf evergreen plants. Plants that lend themselves well to ornamental spiral pruning include those that have upright, dense growth and small, dainty leaves or needles.

Chinese Juniper (Juniperus chinensis)

• Junipers are known for their hardy nature and tolerance of pruning. The Chinese juniper species grows in an upright, slender, columnar form, although cultivars range from round shrubs to sprawling groundcovers, according to the University of Connecticut. For that reason, it is important to ensure that you purchase the true species if you are going to shape it into an ornamental spiral tree, or at least choose a cultivar that has growth similar to the true species, such as Hetzii Columnaris. Chinese junipers are slow-growing, which means that you won't have to prune your tree very often to maintain the spiral shape, and they are cold-hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) growing zone 4.

English Yew (Taxas baccata)

• The English yew is a tree commonly used for making topiaries, according to the University of Connecticut. The evergreen leaves are very dark green and so slender that they almost appear to be needle-like. This tree grows to an average height of between 30 and 50 feet and is taller than it is wide. The English yew is also slow-growing and able to tolerate pruning. It is cold-hardy to USDA zone 6 and sometimes zone 5 if the tree is protected from strong, cold winds.

Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis)

• This tree is an excellent choice for a spiral topiary in part due to its small size (it has a maximum average height of 10 feet when cultivated) and also for its pleasant fragrance. Ornamental spiral trees are often placed on either side of an entryway, which means that guests will get to enjoy the bay's delightful scent when they enter the property. Bay laurels are also a favorite topiary plant because they tolerate severe pruning very well, according to Floridata. These warm-climate trees grow best in USDA zones 8 through 10 and should be sheltered from cold winds.