Columnar apple trees have very determined growth habit, short internodes, nearly absent branching and can be planted densely in the orchards to obtain higher yields. Such tree architecture provides a possibility for automation and mechanization in agriculture and hence lowering the labour cost which is one of the major concerns in the western world especially in the Scandinavian countries.

Although columnar trees fulfill many of the desired traits for mechanization, limited knowledge is available on the physiology and production abilities of such trees. In this study a detailed understanding on the physiological and phenotypic characteristics of the columnar apple trees were made by comparing them with the standard traditionally grown non-columnar apple trees. Data from the leaves morphological and anatomical studies and from various physiological investigations have been assembled to compare the variations between columnar and standard apple trees. This knowledge provides a better insight on the production abilities of the columnar apple trees which may be useful for future crop improvement strategies.