Espalier is the horticultural technique of training trees through pruning and grafting in order to create formal two-dimensional patterns by the branches of the tree. The technique was popular in the Middle Ages in Europe to decorate solid walls by such trees planted near them.
An espalier collects almost as much sunlight as a regular tree, yet has far less mass. They may also be planted next to a wall, which can reflect more sunlight. These two facts allow an espalier to succede in cooler climates, where a non-espaliered tree of the same variety would fail. They also mature fruit more quickly.
A Belgian fence is a form of espaliering that weaves a string of espaliers into a fence.
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