...any reason this couldn't be done with figs? (see pic). What the image shows is a couple trees bent over to form an arch, ultimately with a graft at the meeting point to join the plants

If it can be done, would both trees need to be of the same variety?

Is there any chance this would even be remotely attractive (and fruitful) as a sort of entry gateway?

If this could be done, I can imagine crafting a tunnel of alternating varieties, coordinated by similar growth characteristics, which could be seasonally appealing. But back to the basic question, could this be done successfully with figs, say in a hardiness zone such as 9?

I don't have an answer but I love the idea

I should have got started on that 20 or 30 yrs ago .

   ESTEBAN  McFig if your a young man get started so I can enjoy seeing your creation .

please

Austin

We are half way donecwith our arch. this SUMMER it will be close to being a full arch. Will post pics

Wouldn't need to be the same variety as all figs should be graft compatible.  Having said that you might want to choose plants that will be maintained at the same size and have similar vigor.  I think I would probably do the same variety just for a balanced look, but if space is limited I don't see why you couldn't graft together as many varieties as you'd like, with each branch being a different variety if desired....a whole fig collection in one arch!

You could use any varieties and you don't even have to graft them together.  You could pleach (twist) the branches that meet around each other and that would work well.  In your climate, if you water and fertilize a lot you could have it done in a year or 2.  I can easily get figs growing 6' per year, you should be able to get 9' or more if you fertilize to emphasize growth rather than fruit.

I remember pleaching mulberry trees when we were kids, and trying to graft and pleach citrus trees to make something like hedges. The mulberries were really easy. The citrus, not so much as I recall. I'd imagine figs would be very easy to pleach. That would be a big space-saver to get multiple varieties in the ground at once. Have any of the F4F member had successful fig pleaches? I think I'd rather twine a a couple or three figs together and prune for relative compactness than create a Frankentree of multiple grafted limbs of different varieties. And saving space is why I asked about the arch possibility. Good call, rcantor