Specialty Trees - A Beginner's Guide

There are two types of specialty trees to begin with but their difference relies not on their plant type but on the meaning behind their classification.
One type of specialty trees are plants that are rare and difficult to find; these specialty trees are also often more difficult to plant and grow. The other type of specialty trees deal with holiday gifts that are specially decorated or accessorized to suit the occasion; these specialty trees can be natural or man-made.
We’ll discuss both types of specialty trees in this article.
RARITY OF NATURAL SPECIALTY TREES

If you’ve had a change of heart when it comes to your garden’s present landscape design, we suggest that this time around, you should take more of a challenge in the form of specialty trees.
Specialty trees are, as mentioned, trees that are difficult to find and also difficult to go because of the special conditions they require; specialty trees tend to have very exact needs when it comes to exposure to sunlight, irrigation, soil type and sometimes even their very location in your garden. So yes, if you’re not exactly born with a green thumb, you’ll be facing a Herculean task when it comes to making sure that your specialty tree would live a long and healthy life.
Tips on Buying Specialty Trees

Unless you’re willing and able to expend majority of your time on your garden, it’s highly inadvisable to fill your garden with specialty trees. Instead, try to use old standby plants as foundations or anchor of your garden’s landscape design then choose the specialty tree that appeals to you the most and make it into your garden’s centerpiece.
It’s also better to purchase specialty trees from the experts – they usually have their own nurseries – rather rely on what’s being sold in the department stores. That way, you’ll also benefit from their much-needed advice on caring for specialty trees.
There are many types of specialty trees so it’s rare that you’ll find your neighbor taking care of the same specialty tree herself; some examples would be pines, maples, assai palm, cacao, june plum and mamoncillo or Spanish lime.
Remember that plants – of the specialty variety or not – are also living creatures so make your choice wisely; select only the type of specialty tree that you’re certain you can truly take care of.
Lastly, if it becomes apparent that you’re not fully capable of taking care of your specialty tree, there are companies that offer specialty care services. They assist you in all ways to improve the health, stability and livability of your special trees. These companies, for instance, can help you in rot pruning, cabling, administering soil and plant tissue tests, bracing, providing protection from lightning for your special trees and making adequate aeration systems.
SPECIALTY TREES FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS

Specialty trees are fast becoming the most popular fad in gift-giving nowadays for all occasions. Although specialty trees are often used as corporate and wedding giveaways, they can also serve just as well as a birthday gift or a get-well-soon-present for someone who had just recently undergone an operation.
Specialty trees are most popular come Christmas time and families are given a wide variety of specialty trees to choose from. Some are simply natural trees that are accessorized with holiday ornaments while some are made of fiber optical materials and even hung upside down from the ceiling!
Most malls – land based and online – sell such products so just remember to choose the specialty tree that’s most able to symbolize your message of care for a loved one or the heart of an occasion.