[John J]

I recently discovered that 2012 is the European Year of Active Ageing. I found this out when I was asked to give a short presentation on Active Ageing and Gardening at an Open Day organised by a Cyprus branch of the University of the 3rd Age. (For those who don't know this organisation I won't try to explain it here, I'm afraid you'll have to Google it).
Anyway, afterwards I was approached by someone wanting advice on a tree to use for screening an unsightly view from his patio. His requirements were that it should be able to be grown bare-trunked for about two and a half metres before branching. Ideally it should then take on the shape of a lollipop as seen in typical drawings of trees done by small children. Preferably it should be evergreen and, if possible, colourful.
My first thought for a typical lollipop shape was the Stone pine (Pinus pinea). Admittedly not colourful but to my mind attractive all year whereas many flowering trees are only at their best for a relatively short period. It is evergreen but not 'heavily' so thereby casting unwanted shade.
Whatever he chooses he'll need to be patient as it will take time to grow to the required height, unless he is prepared to spend a large amount on a mature specimen. Anyway, I said I would think about it and maybe see what other members of the Forum had to suggest.

[Fleur Pavlidis]

I'm consulting the book I've just reviewed in TMG. What about a Brachychiton acerifolius? Fairly quick growing and it looks as if, like other brachychitons, it has a straight trunk that you can clear of branches without them shooting back every year. "One of the most spectacular red-flowering trees in the world" is the description.
Jacaranda mimosifolia is another straight up tree. The browning leaves stay on nearly all winter and are beautifully scented.
In Cyprus I imagine you can grow Ceiba speciosa. The book recommends seedlings rather than grafts for a tall straight trunk although the tree will take a bit longer to flower. It says briefly deciduous.

[Alisdair]

I think the jacaranda may be too open in habit to do the screening bit - and it is deciduous.
For something rather more mop-headed (and forgetting Boris johnsonii), perhaps Albizia julibrissin - but deciduous again. The street where our hotel was for the Mallorca AGM last year had some Schinus molle grown as classic lollipop trees. And what about bitter orange?

[John J]

Thanks for the suggestions.
Fleur, I have the Brachychiton on my possibles list. Apparently the guy already has a Jacaranda and wants something different. I planted a Ceiba in my garden last year and it has survived its first summer but it is not yet established enough to tell how it's going to perform for me.
Alisdair, I had discounted Albizzia due to its deciduous habit but Schinus molle is an idea. I had Schinus terebinthifolius on my list already.

[Hilary]

Just to add my bit.
I discovered a Brachychiton here in Corinth this summer.
It was very tall, thin and straggly  with brilliant red flowers.
Not at all a lollipop shape.

[MikeHardman]

Hmmm - bit of a challenge...

How about good old citrus?
Can certainly acheive a lollipop shape, even though they are not the most tractable of prunees (new word?).
Evergreen, and colour by way of white flowers and orange or yellow fruit.

Olive can also be trained to a lollipop shape. No colour....
...But could we cheat and add colour by way of a climber?
Say, blue, red, pink or purple Clematis?

[John J]

Mike,
Citrus is a possibility and with the added benefit of perfume from the blossom. Picking the fruit might cause a problem with him requesting a bare trunk up to around two and a half metres.
The climber idea is a good one and worth suggesting to him. Thanks.

[David Bracey]

Mike, what about  Q.ilex on a leg. or Viburnum tinus, or Lusitanica or Cinnamonum camphora.  Easy to train and to buy? Vannucci in Italy offers a range of trees in different forms and I`m sure he would be happy to deliver to Cyprus.

[Trevor Australis]

Heaps of possibilities - oleander, pomegranate, crepe myrtle, myrtle, espalier figs, duranta even olives trained and carob, tho' these would get too big with much age. Some cotoneasters would go too.

[JTh]

Some years ago I planted a small kumquat behind our house, but it was not a great success. We have a friend who looks after our house when we are not there, he cut away the dead top, trimmed the trunk, and we now have a beautiful little Seville orange tree, which the kumquat had been grafted on. With a little bit of ‘hear cut’ it will make a perfect lollipop tree which is nice all the year round and which is also producing fruit which I use for making tasty marmalade.

I have also seen them used in Thessaloniki, the trunks have been trimmed naked up to around 2 1/2 m, I would guess.