Griselinia hedge is it dying

xmumsthewordx · May 2023

Good afternoon,

Please can you help me with my Griselinia hedge it’s been planter since Dec 2020 all was fine until this spring it looks like it’s dying. I’ve seen other hedges some newly laid this winter others more established for years. A lot seem to be going the same way. We are based in Hambleton Lancashire the hedge faces north. Could it be the warm February and cold march which could have killed off my hedge or something else? or is there anything I can do to save it as it wasn’t a cheap hedge to plant?

If this is dying what do you suggest that is evergreen will go tall quickly for privacy and is ideal for coastal exposed sites?
Many thanks
Claire

xmumsthewordx · May 2023

Another picture of the Griselinia hedge

Fairygirl · May 2023

I don't grow it @xmumsthewordx, but many people on the forum do, so they may be able to advise. It could be a combination of the drought conditions last year [if you had them] then that cycle of mild/wet/freeze in December, and again in March, which affected lots of plants. It isn't fully hardy everywhere, so it's possibly been too much for it this year.
However, I'm not sure they're ideal for a coastal setting if it's very exposed, as they don't like strong winds. Are they in the ground? I can't tell from the photo.

If you want a good windbreak, Eleagnus might be fine as it's bone hardy - lots of types. Gorse is also ideal, but possibly not what you'd want due to the thorns.

xmumsthewordx · May 2023

Ahhh I was advised that griselina would be ideal for this area from someone who’s works in gardening. I’ve tried cutting a couple to see if I can get down to any green but it’s all brown at the moment which makes me think is it dying / dead or will it come back from a miracle 🙈. There’s different ones of Eleagnus are they woody as a tall thick hedge?as in gaps where you can see through also Which varieties do you recommend? Thanks your comments. We use a drip irrigation for the grizzy so we did make sure we watered during that very hot spell as well as through the dry periods thanks

Fairygirl · May 2023

I have Eleagnus Limelight just now, which is reliably evergreen and tough. I've had others i n the past but I can't remember which ones - sorry!
They all drop foliage, which is normal for any evergreen now and again, but they're tough as old boots. Some are deciduous, but the majority are e'green.
It may well be that griselinia is normally fine in your area, but it might just have been that cycle of wet/freeze that I mentioned. It's not always suitable up here as winters are often too harsh for it. Very disappointing for you though.
Even privet would work, although not technically evergreen, but it'll stand up to most weather year on year. Laurel is also ideal for that.

Here's a link to one of the good hedging suppliers so that might help a bit, and you can look at other ideas too
https://www.hopesgrovenurseries.co.uk/shop/hedging/elaeagnus-hedging/

I'd be slightly wary of using irrigation though. When establishing hedging, it's better to water each plant thoroughly every few days, depending on time of year of course, rather than dripping water as it won't always penetrate deep enough, which then doesn't encourage roots to get down well. It's also the reason for doing hedging, or anything shrubby/woody, in autumn or through winter, because there's less stress for plants due to the moister conditions.
Really good mulching when ground's moist is also beneficial. It comes down to the basic prep too, which is why I asked if they were in the ground.

Plantminded · May 2023

I've been growing Griselinia for over 20 years both as hedges and specimen shrubs. Although they are often sold as suitable for coastal areas (littoralis means of the seashore), it isn’t hardy in exposed or northerly sites and grows best in sheltered locations. As @Fairygirl says, last winter and the summer before will have contributed to your hedge's condition. If you cannot find any green wood when you cut the stems, unfortunately it looks like your plants will not recover.

The only Griselinia in my garden which suffered this winter was in an exposed corner position in poor soil. It shed all its internal leaves but has now made a full recovery. We probably have a milder climate here than where you. Griselinia is hardy down to minus 15, but soil and wind exposure will also influence their hardiness.

Here's a list of plants recommended for exposed coastal sites from another hedging supplier (Griselinia is on it!):

A Guide to The Best Hedging for Exposed Sites | Hedges Direct

Red Escallonia grows well here, there's an impressive hedge of it in a very windy site along the coast here but I've only grown it in a sheltered garden. @Fairygirl may know if it will be suitable. Mulching will also definitely help any new hedge cope in your conditions. Good luck with your search!

Fairygirl · May 2023

Coastal is very different from my site, but Escallonia is often suggested as being a good coastal plant @Plantminded. It may be fine in Lancashire but I don't know as I've only ever grown it as a standard garden shrub, and the white ones don't survive winter here unfortunately

What matters more is - what else is there @xmumsthewordx ? It's why I asked if the hedging was in the ground too - that makes a huge difference. It looks exposed.The gardener may well have suggested the griselinia, but did he/she know what the site was like? What works in a sheltered town garden, won't be so suitable in an exposed one with nothing else around it, as @Plantminded says.

What do you want the hedge to do? I meant to ask that as well. Is it to filter wind, or is just as an ornamental? That's also quite important. Things like Berberis/Pyracantha will often work as they're also tough, but they're also sharp, so that may not be so attractive to you.
In very exposed sites, it's often necessary to have a sacrificial hedge to protect whatever is inside of that, or what you may want to grow. That's normal in our northern, exposed areas up here, especially on the islands.

Griselinia hedge is it dying

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