Standard

A plant which does not normally grow as a tree but is trained into a tree-like form, upright single-stemmed (i.e. grafted tree roses, hibiscus, butterfly bush), having a clear (three to six feet) length of stem or trunk below the branches. This is done strictly for esthetics. Climbers can also be grown as standards. (Half-standards have approx 1 m. of clear stem, full standards 1.5-2.0m.) Creating a standard is fairly simple. Choose a plant that will lend itself to being pruned in this manner by purchasing one that has a strong central stem. Then prune all other stems and lower foliage away, thus allowing the plant to fill out and bloom only at the top, like a small tree.