Ligustrum, confederate-jasmine , podocarpus and loquat may be used throughout Florida for espalier. Camellia sasanqua, holly, photina, pyracantha , magnolia , dogwood and euonymus make good espaliered plants in north Florida, while allamanda,bougainvillea,poinsettia and lantana are excellent choices for south Florida. Plants not included in the above list can be used if they produce many lateral branches and can be severely pruned. For supporting espaliers against a brick wall, anchoring devices are available at nursery and garden centers. The secret of satisfactory results with espalier is to begin with a young tree or shrub that has several well balanced limbs off the main trunk.
Many nurseries sell young pruned plants on supports already established for certain growth patterns.
There are numerous patterns from which to select. These range from the formal checker-board patterns to the simple informal natural growth spread . Almost any design can be worked out with proper pruning. The simpler the design , the easier the maintenance. To maintain an espalier, remove all stray branches that appear vertical to the flat surface and beyond the boundaries of the desired pattern.