The Soil Adaptability and Coastal Resilience of Griselinia Hedging

These plants will grow and thrive in all soil types, including clay and chalk, although they do prefer to have well-drained soil, which allows them to flourish to their full potential . In terms of sun exposure, Griselinia hedges are impressively versatile. Whether they’re bathed in full sun or nestled in partial shade, they maintain their vibrancy and lush appearance. Due to this robust nature, coastal gardeners find Griselinia hedging to be a steadfast option for their gardens.

Being resilient to the coastal elements, such as buffeting winds and salt spray, has made it a popular choice in coastal regions. It adds an evergreen charm to coastal landscapes and offers a natural defence against the challenges posed by the sea.  It is one of many hedging species we recommend for coastal planting. Yet, the adaptability of Griselinia extends far beyond the coast.

Griselinia littoralis hedging plants will also thrive on inland sites, even those characterised by  strong winds and exposed conditions. It is worth noting, however, that they aren’t suitable where it gets very cold further North – we would suggest choosing a species from our Windy and exposed sites page instead.

Growth Rate and Hedge Height of Griselinia Hedges

Griselinia littoralis hedging plants will fill out quickly when you start to trim them and are suitable for hedges from 1-5 metres in height. The plants have a moderate growth rate of around 30 cm per year in reasonable soil – so a Griselinia hedge sits in a sweet spot where it will cover within a reasonable timescale while still being easy to maintain when full size is reached. This is a good species to choose if you need eye level privacy at low maintenance.

Resilience to Pests and Diseases

Hedges of this species are generally pest and disease-free . Occasionally, a late spring frost may temporarily blacken the emerging new shoots – but they will re-grow within a few weeks and no long-term damage is done. In very cold winters, some browning of the foliage can occur, but no more than most other hedging evergreens and new growth will emerge in the Spring.

How to Trim and Maintain Your Griselinia Hedging

Trimming and maintaining your Griselinia hedge is essential for its health and appearance. The best time to trim a Griselinia hedge is in late spring, just before the new growth starts but after the danger of very hard frosts has passed. 

• Sharp pruning shears or hedge trimmers are necessary for making clean cuts, as dull blades are likely to crush branches instead of making a clean cut, ultimately damaging the hedging.
• You can shape your Griselinia into formal hedges or more natural forms as you cut. 
• Remove any dead or diseased branches during trimming, so as to prevent them from harming any neighbouring growths. 
• Be cautious not to trim more than one-third of the growth at once to avoid shocking the plant. Regular, light pruning keeps the hedge looking neat. 
• Collect and dispose of clippings to prevent hindering new growth, and consider applying balanced fertiliser and mulch after trimming.

One trim per year will keep your Griselinia hedge in good order, if you trim more frequently it is possible to achieve a beautifully formal look. Overgrown Griselinia hedges and shrubs can be cut back hard at the same time of year and should regenerate quickly from the old wood, especially if a feed and mulch is applied at the same time to hasten the new growth.

The Plant Quality and Availability of Our Griselinia Littoralis

All of our Griselinia littoralis hedging plants are pot-grown,  ensuring they are available year-round and can be relied on to give excellent results whenever you choose to plant them. We grow all our Griselinia here on our own nursery in Kent.  They are always dispatched fresh from our growing beds direct to your door, assuring top quality and predictable future growth in your garden. (It is possible to buy Griselinia hedging plants as root ball plants, and even bare root hedging plants – if you do decide to go down this route we would suggest seeking a guarantee from the supplier you buy them from as they can give mixed results in our experience.)

We also grow Griselinia instant hedges.  These have been grown in large troughs for a number of years under the watchful eye of our horticulturalist team here at the nursery with a disciplined regime of trimming to produce an instant hedging product that will give excellent landscape impact from the moment they are planted. All our instant hedges are grown in convenient 1 metre sections and, like the potted hedging plants, are available all year round.

Planting Tips and Guidance for Griselinia Hedges

When planting your Griselinia littoralis hedging plants, we recommend using bone meal thoroughly mixed into well prepared soil. Adding rootgrow at planting time will speed up the establishment of your new hedge. If you need any help with planting guidelines you may like to consult our How To Plant A Hedge page, where you can download a comprehensive and easy-to-follow PDF guide. We will also email you  a copy when you order and include a printed copy with your order, so you have it handy when you come to plant.

The number of Griselinia plants needed for a new hedge depends on how patient you are, your budget, and also the size of plant you choose to begin with. As a guide, the smaller plants in 1 litre pots will need 4-5 per metre, 2 litre pots 3-5 per metre and the larger plants 2-3 per metre. You can see our recommended planting density next to each size. You can, of course, plant further apart using fewer plants and a smaller budget and still get excellent results over time, it just takes longer.

Griselinia hedges are usually planted in a single row although you could use a staggered double row planting for a particularly dense hedge that is a little wider.

Need More Help?

If you have any questions about Griselinia littoralis hedging plants or any of our other hedge species please give our experienced sales team a call on 01580 765600, they will be pleased to help and can also offer special tailored quotes for larger quantities of plants.