A lollipop tree is a fun and tasty piece of decor that’s great for parties, the holidays, or just adding a little sweetness to any room. With just a few simple tools, it’s easy to make a candy-filled treat that comes in a lot of fun shapes, sizes, and styles. Customize your lollipop tree to match any theme or occasion!.
Supplies Needed
To make a basic lollipop tree you’ll need
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A base container – This forms the foundation for your tree Look for sturdy pots, vases, tin buckets, or any vessel with a wide flat bottom
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Styrofoam shape – Balls, cubes, and cones work great. The styrofoam supports the lollipops.
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Lollipops – These are your “ornaments.” Go with thin sticks for easy insertion into styrofoam.
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Hot glue gun – Secures styrofoam shape to base container. Low-temp glue is best.
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Acrylic paint, ribbons, etc. – Optional for decorating the base and adding flair.
Steps to Make a Lollipop Tree
Follow these simple steps:
1. Paint and Decorate the Base
If desired, paint or embellish the base container for your tree. Acrylic craft paints work well on most surfaces. Add ribbons, fabric, glitter, faux flowers – anything to customize!
2. Attach the Styrofoam Shape
Put a thick line of hot glue around the base container’s top edge. Put your Styrofoam ball, cube, or other shape right away on the glue. Press down firmly for a few seconds as it sets.
3. Start Inserting Lollipop Sticks
Start putting lollipops in at the desired intervals around the styrofoam base. The foam needs to be poked so the sticks go in straight. Snip any sharp stick ends first for easier insertion.
4. Continue Adding Lollipops
Put more lollipops in and turn the Styrofoam over as you work to cover all sides. Place them close together, covering any exposed foam.
5. Embellish and Display
Add any final decorative touches like ribbons or ornaments. Then find the perfect spot to show off your sweet creation!
Design Ideas and Variations
The possibilities are endless when making lollipop trees! Consider these creative options:
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Use all one color or a rainbow mix of lollipop colors and flavors
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Incorporate holiday themes with appropriately colored or shaped lollipops
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Glue smaller candies, cookies, or acrylic gemstones into any foam holes
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Top with a big bow, flower bouquet, or light string for added pizzazz
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Substitute wood cubes, boxes, or abstract shapes for unique tree forms
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Surround the base with Easter grass, crinkle paper, glitter, pinecones, etc.
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Display it on a cake stand or platter for better visibility
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Make mini versions for table favors or place cards
Tips for Success
Follow these handy tips to ensure your candy tree turns out looking sweet:
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Use a low-temp glue gun to avoid melting lollipop sticks.
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Choose thinner sticks that can pierce styrofoam easily.
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Start from the bottom and work upward to cover the foam shape.
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Apply even pressure when inserting sticks for stability.
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Add extra glue around the base if needed for a stronger hold.
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Turn the styrofoam as you work to access all sides.
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Estimate 1-2 lollipops per square inch for good coverage.
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Let kids help decorate – it’s a fun project for parties or craft time!
Ideal for Any Occasion
A lollipop tree makes a fabulous decoration for holidays like Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween, and Christmas. But you can also create them for birthdays, baby showers, weddings, or everyday whimsical flair.
Match your tree’s colors and theme to the occasion. Swap out styrofoam shapes and base containers to infinity. The candy ornaments add pops of color and sweetness wherever displayed.
Making a lollipop tree is an inexpensive DIY that brings smiles to all ages. Follow the simple steps to whip up this playful decor project. Then let your creativity run wild designing a candy-coated creation perfect for any celebration!
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If you want to add something dramatic to your garden, a lollipop plant will do it right away. Lollipop plants refer to plants that have been shaped to form a trunk and rounded head so that they look a bit like the proverbial ‘apple on a stick’. It’s easy to make them; all you need is the right plant, the patience to prune and shape it regularly, and of course, time.
Which plants to choose?
Ideally, select a plant with small leaves and a flexible single stem that can be trained to form the trunk. All is not lost, however, if there are multiple stems emerging from the base because some of the most stunning mop tops are produced when two or more stems are twisted into a spiral or plaited.
Gardenias (pictured below) are popular choices, as are box plants and ornamental figs. Some climbing plants – such as the easy-to-grow and attractive star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) – can be trained into a lollipop shape with the main supporting stem(s) twined around a stake. Westringia, the native rosemary, brings an attractive grey-green note to the garden and gives it a Mediterranean feel. A similar effect can be achieved by using more traditional plants such as olives and some of the taller-growing lavender varieties.
Duranta, the pigeon berry, is a favourite mop top choice in warmer climates. The Mop Top Robinia is widely planted but watch out for its tendency to produce unwanted suckers from the roots.
After selecting the plant, choose the main support and remove other unwanted branches and shoots. Tie the stem to a stake but remember to watch that the tie itself doesn’t become a cincture as the stem thickens. Replace when needed or use a tie that allows for expansion.
Pinch out the growing tip at the top of the plant. This will encourage the development of the lateral (sideways) growth that will form the lollipop. Then trim all over to begin shaping the head.
Watch out for new shoots emerging from the stem – the most effective way of removing these is to rub them off with your fingers while they are as small as possible.
Because of its shape, a lollipop is naturally top-heavy, so potted specimens should be kept in a wind-protected spot.
Feed regularly during the growing season with a long-term fertiliser such as Yates Dynamic Lifter Organic Plant Food.
Keep the head clipped into a perfect ball shape by using a plastic hula hoop as a guiding template.
How to make a Lollipop Tree
FAQ
How to create a lollipop tree?
InstructionsPaint your pots however you’d like. Apply a thick line of hot glue to the rim of the pot. Add your styrofoam ball/dome and press firmly. Begin poking your lollipops into the styrofoam, placing them close together. Find a great spot to display your cute lollipop tree!.
What size styrofoam ball for lollipop tree?
You just need to paint a ceramic pot any color you want and stick a bunch of lollipops into a Styrofoam ball. I added some tulle for a bow and it was done! As a reference, I used a 5-inch Styrofoam ball and about 100 lollipops. The girls could go right away and grab one.
How to make a lollipop tree game?
DirectionsMark the ends of a few lollipop sticks with a colored marker. These will be your winners. Hot glue the Styrofoam ball to the candlestick. Push the stick of each JOLLY RANCHER Lollipop unto the styrofoam ball. Repeat until the entire ball is filled with lollipops.