Brief Description of Griselinia Hedging plants
Griselinia Littoralis hedges, also known as New Zealand Privet, are evergreen plants with medium-sized rounded leaves that are apple green in colour and almost leathery in texture. The branches of Griselinia Littoralis are quite upright, making it a very suitable choice for a hedge. They are quick-growing plants that are well suited to coastal locations and tolerant of the salt-laden winds from the sea. They are hardy down to about minus 10 to minus 15 degrees, so not suitable for very cold locations.
Why Plant a Griselinia Hedge?
Being native plants to New Zealand, Griselinia hedges do have an interesting aesthetic to them, and although they are becoming increasingly popular in the UK, there are still fewer of them than the more commonly seen Green Privet or Common Laurel hedges. However, if you live by the coast, then Griselinia Littoralis is one of the best options for a hedge we could recommend. The word Littoralis, which derives from Latin, actually means ‘growing by the sea’. They will also grow well away from the coast, but they are not well suited to very cold locations inland or in the far north of the UK.
How Quick will a Griselinia Littoralis Hedge grow?
Griselinia Littoralis makes a relatively fast-growing hedge. They tend to average about 40–60cm per year, though this will vary depending on things such as how well the ground is prepared prior to planting, whether the planting site has been sufficiently decompacted, whether the plants have been planted correctly and the subsequent aftercare of the plants (e.g., feeding and watering). On the nursery, we can grow (from a cutting) a 6-foot-tall Griselinia hedge in about 4 years. This will also include trimming the plants on a regular basis in order to achieve a bushier hedge. Outside of nursery conditions, we would expect this timeframe to increase by about 1–2 years.
How Tall will a Griselinia Littoralis hedge Grow?
Griselinia hedges can ultimately grow up to 8 metres high if left unchecked. However, typically, they will grow up to around 3 or 4 metres high when maintained as a hedge. A Griselinia hedge can be maintained anywhere from 1 to 4 metres high.
How far apart should Griselinia hedging plants be spaced to form a hedge?
We generally recommend planting Griselinia at three plants per metre if using our 10-litre potted plants. This is the same planting density that we use for our instant Griselinia hedges, which are grown in 90-litre troughs. This way, the plants are just about touching when planted, so you are giving them space to grow into but not too much that you are left with big gaps in the hedge. We give recommendations for planting density for each plant shown on the website. Our recommendations are based on planting at a density that the plants will touch after one full growing season. This is only a guideline, so please use more plants to reduce this timescale or fewer plants per metre if you have time to wait.
How do I plant Griselinia hedging?
Most of the hedging plants that we sell will require the same planting procedures. We offer more guidance on how to plant a Griselinia hedge on our website.
How often do I need to trim my Griselinia hedge?
We recommend trimming a Griselinia hedge at least once a year. For a more formal-looking Griselinia hedge, then we would say twice per year should be sufficient. Griselinia will tolerate hard pruning, but if this is required it would be best to wait until all the frosts have finished towards the end of spring.
When should I trim my Griselinia hedge?
For annual trimming of a Griselinia hedge, the best time would be in mid-to-late spring before the plants start growing again. They can also be trimmed in the summer.
How do I trim a Griselinia Hedge?
Griselinia hedges are fine for trimming with hedge trimmers. If you are cutting back harder then the hedge trimmers may struggle to get through some of the thicker branches and loppers may be required for thicker cuts. On the nursery, we use hedge trimmers at first to get the majority of the trimming done, and then we follow up with secateurs to tidy up and remove any shredded/damaged leaves caused by the hedge trimmers. This reduces the chances of the plants getting any problems through the damaged leaves but also looks better and much tidier.
Do I need to feed my Griselinia Hedge?
We would recommend feeding your Griselinia hedging at least once a year. We generally wait until we have trimmed them in the spring, and as the new growth begins to emerge in early summer, we give them a feed. We use slow-releasing feeds such as ‘Growmore’, as they provide a steady release of nutrients over a longer period of time. On the nursery, we usually give the plants a second feed in late spring and at least one feed in the summer.
What type of soil and conditions will a Griselinia hedge tolerate?
Griselinia hedges will be happy in most reasonably fertile soils, provided they are well drained. They won’t like waterlogged or very wet soils. Griselinia hedges prefer full sun but will grow in partial shade, although they will grow quicker the more sun they receive.
Are Griselinia Hedges easy to maintain?
Griselinia hedging plants grow at a moderate speed and therefore require less maintenance than faster-growing species of hedging plants. They have few problems, making them one of the most popular forms of hedging we grow.
What Griselinia hedging plants do you have for sale?
We grow and sell a range of sizes of Griselinia hedges here on the nursery. We start with our 10-litre potted plants, and these come in a range of heights from 80cm up to 140cm. For more immediate impact, we also grow our instant Griselinia hedges in 90-litre troughs. These instant hedges come in 1-metre lengths but do require two strong people to lift them.
Do you grow your own Griselinia hedging Plants?
All the Griselinia hedging plants that we sell are grown outside here on our nursery in Holmeswood, Lancashire, where we produce robust plants that are quick to establish.
Are Griselinia poisonous?
We grow and sell thousands of Griselinia plants every year and are not aware of any problems arising from any of our customers after planting a Griselinia hedge in close proximity to animals, pets, livestock or people.
