What is a "feathered" tree?

Generally, young trees use terms such as:

Maiden: an unpruned (baby) tree.
Whip: a single twig with no branches - usually 3-6ft tall.
Maiden whip: as above, but not been pruned.
Feathered: has some short side branches.
Feathered maiden: a baby tree that has formed some short side branches without needing pruning.
Two-year-bush: a young tree pruned down to about 3ft at the end of it's first year, to cause the main branches to form at that level. It will be 3-6ft again by now, but instead of one stem, it will have 3-6 strong side branches.


In other words, a "two year bush" will always have a short trunk of 3ft and a spreading nature, due to not having a central stem to continue upwards.
Being two years old, it should be quite a strong plant and have a decent root system.

A "feathered maiden" will have a trunk however high you want if you cut off the lower branches that aren't needed - and it'll have an upright nature, since it will retain the central stem and continue growing upwards. The "feathers" will grow outwards, but not as much as a bush-tree that has lost the central stem. Of course, you can cut off the central stem, to encourage more bushy growth, insteqad of upright.
Being only a year old, it will be much less bulky than the two-year plants and the root system will be smaller, so may need a little more attention to watering and feeding in the first year.

HTH
FB

Thanks FB. Will go for the feathered one tomorrow if they have one in my local Aldi.

... a Bird Cherry?

(Coat being got as we speak!)