Hedges solve many landscape problems around the home. But when homeowners plant a hedge, they begin to wonder which kind to choose. Soon the hedge idea seems to arouse as many new problems as it solves.
Each possible hedge plant raises questions about its:
- Potential height
- Hardiness
- Preference for sun or shade
- Moisture requirements
- Suitability in the situation and so on
Plant materials used for hedges often differ radically between regions.
Below you will find hedge plants for different regions. Each region lists at least eight possible plant selections using judgment in choosing various types and sizes. Interestingly there are only a few duplications among the plants mentioned.
Each region seems to have its own abundance of materials from which to choose. It was difficult to narrow the choices to the limits of only eight potential varieties.
Hedges seems to impress many homeowners in a more friendly way than fences to accomplish the same purpose.
One may use hedges as:
- boundary markers for the property
- a way to screen off vegetable gardens or other areas to be removed from the public eye
- a background for flower borders
- a way to block unwanted views and muffle street noises
- as a windbreak against prevailing winds
- an aesthetic addition to emphasizing some areas in the landscaping scheme
- Good Hedges For The North
- Good Hedges For The East
- Good Hedges For The Mid-South
- Good Hedges For The Heartland
- Crataegus Phaenopyrum “Washington Hawthorn”
- Berberis Mentorensis “Mentor Barberry”
- Ligustrum Amurense “Amur Privet”
- Euonymus Alatus “Winged Eunymus”
- Ribes Alpinum “Alpine Currant”
- Euonymus Kiautschovicus Or Patens “Spreading Euonymus”
- Juniperus Virginiana Keteleeri “Keteleer Juniper”
- Juniperus Chinensis Pfitzeriana “Pfitzer Juniper”
- Good Hedges For The Southwest
- Good Hedges For The West
Good Hedges For The North
Froebel Spiraea
FROEBEL SPIRAEA (Spiraea froebeli)—Deciduous, stays low (about 3’ feet).
It features bright crimson flowers in flat clusters in summer; foliage is fine textured, with average green turning plum color in fall.
This plant needs no clipping—it makes a good low hedge or foundation planting in the sun or shade. Moreover, it tolerates drought.
Clavey’s Dwarf Honeysuckle
CLAVEY’S DWARF HONEYSUCKLE—Deciduous, stays low (about 4’ feet).
It makes dense, compact plants with blue-green foliage; it should be kept clipped for the best effect as a formal hedge.
This plant is very drought tolerant and takes sun or shade. When grown in the sun, it should be sprayed with malathion or another miticide for red spiders in June, July, and August.
Ribes Alpinum “Alpine Currant”
ALPINE CURRANT (Ribes alpinum)—Deciduous, low (about 4’ feet).
This is perhaps the most widely used low hedge in the North. It makes a dense shrub with fine-textured, dark green foliage; extremely hardy.
This plant takes sun or shade and does well under only average moisture conditions. It’s best as a formal hedge, in which case it requires clipping.
Physocarpus Opulifolius ‘Nanus “Dwarf Ninebark”
DWARF NINEBARK (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘nanus)—Deciduous, reaches about 5-foot height.
It makes a compact plant that should be more widely used for hedge and foundation planting; it has dense, fine-textured foliage, light green turning yellow in fall, and dense brown twigs that are attractive in winter.
This plant can be treated as a formal or informal hedge. It requires shearing two or three times in early summer if used formally.
Best to plant in the sun or part shade; give average moisture.
Cotoneaster Acutifolius “Peking Cotoneaster”
PEKING COTONEASTER (Cotoneaster acutifolia)—Deciduous, reaches 6-foot heights.
It may be clipped or not, but it is widely planted here as a clipped hedge. For informal use, it requires only light pruning.
Best planted in the sun or shade. This plant has rich glossy dark green foliage in summer, turning red in fall. Blueblack berries persist in winter, serving as food for winter birds.
It requires average moisture; spray with malathion at a lilac time to control the oyster shell scale.
Syringa Persica “Persian Lilac”
PERSIAN LILAC (Syringa persica)—Deciduous, makes a large hardy informal hedge 6′ to 8′ feet high.
It is smaller than the common or hybrid lilacs and has smaller leaves of medium fine texture and dense twigging.
Bears are purple and pale lilac flowers. This plant prefers full sun with average moisture. No clipping.
Lonicera Zabeli “Zabel’s Blue Leaf Honeysuckle”
ZABEL’S BLUE LEAF HONEYSUCKLE (Lonicera zabeli)— Deciduous, makes a wide 8-foot informal hedge or, if kept clipped, will make a formal hedge of medium to large size.
So fast-growing and inexpensive, it is a quick way to get privacy where needed.
It provides dark pink flowers in spring followed by red berries liked by birds; thick bushes are favorite nesting places for birds.
This plant is hardy and dependable and prefers the sun, part shade, and average moisture needs.
Common And Hybrid Lilacs
LILAC (common and hybrid kinds)—Deciduous, make a 10′ to 15-foot informal hedge; should not be clipped.
At the lilac time, it provides well-known flowers and fragrances.
The hardy plants prefer full sun; they will bloom better if watered through drouth periods.
Foliage may be subject to mildew in fall when grown in the shade of nearby trees.
44659 by Robert A. Phillips
Good Hedges For The East
Ligustrum “Privet”
PRIVET (Ligustrum species)—Avoid the California privet except in mild parts of the region or protected locations. Regels, Ibotta, and Amur River are all hardy kinds here.
Deciduous, reaching 5’ to 7’ feet in height, or if kept clipped for legal effect (the usual treatment), will stay much lower. Good foliage through the growing season; blue-black berries stay on all winter. It will take sun or shade and average moisture.
Acer Ginnala “Amur Maple”
ACER GINNALA – Deciduous, will grow up to 10’ feet in an informal hedge but is best clipped. It has good foliage with orange-red fall color; red seeds in July.
Fast growing, hardy, decorative. This plant takes sun or partial shade; average moisture conditions.
Pyracantha “Lalandi”
PYRACANTHA (Lalandi) – An evergreen that reaches 4’ to 5’ feet. It can be clipped or left informal. Thorny stems make this a tight hedge that prevents traffic through it.
This plant has white flowers followed by orange-red berries in fall and early winter. It takes sun or shade but produces no berries in the shade. Fire blight sometimes attacks pyracantha.
Keteleeri Juniper
KETELEERI JUNIPER – An evergreen that grows 8’ to 10’ feet if permitted. It may be formal or informal, clipped or unclipped.
Gray-green needle foliage is not subject to cedar-apple rust galls and is more compact than Canaert juniper. Give full sun, and avoid poor drainage.
Box (Buxus)
BOX (Buxus) – An evergreen with a height of 12” inches to 4’ feet, depending on the variety. For our region, we use hardy strains available from northern nurseries.
It makes a neat formal hedge, whether clipped or not, of bright, attractive green the year around. This plant takes sun or shade and average moisture conditions.
Mentor Barberry
MENTOR BARBERRY – Deciduous but holds its leaves into early winter. It makes a 3’ foot hedge; it may be clipped to a formal shape or left natural. Good dark green foliage that sometimes shows fall color. This plant takes sun or shade and average moisture conditions. It should be used more.
Cotoneaster Divaricatus “Spreading Cotoneaster”
COTONEASTER DIVARICATUS – Deciduous, eventual size 4’ to 5’ feet. It may be used in the formal or informal hedge, clipped or unclipped; it is inclined to be a little leggy at the bottom and should be cut to the ground and kept cut low for two years to get plenty of branching from the base.
It has blush-pink flowers in spring, red berries, and red fall color. This plant takes sun or shade and average moisture conditions.
Taxus Cuspidata “Yew”
JAPANESE VARIETIES (Taxus cuspidata) are slightly hardier than hybrids such as Hicks, Hatfield, Brown, or Anderson.
(This is noticeable only after very severe winters.) Upright forms, such as Hicks and Hatfield, require less pruning than the spreading types, such as Brown and Anderson. Potential size depends on the variety.
All are evergreen with rich, dark needle foliage the year around. They may be clipped to a formal shape or left natural. It takes sun or shade but requires good drainage; yews will die in poorly drained soil.
44659 by Victor H. Ries
Good Hedges For The Mid-South
Ligustrum Japonicum “Wax Leaf Ligustrum”
WAX LEAF LIGUSTRUM (Ligustrum japonicum)—Evergreen, potential size 10’ to 12’ feet high, 6’ feet wide if permitted, but gives the best effect if kept clipped. It makes a thick hedge and will give privacy.
It has white flowers but glossy foliage as its most attractive feature. This plant will survive drouth but does better if watered occasionally in dry summer weather. Prefers full sun.
Hedera Helix Baltica “English Ivy”
ENGLISH IVY or Baltic ivy (Hedera Helix Baltica)—Evergreen will grow eventually to almost boundless size. Still, if trained on a 4-foot chicken wire fence, it will fountain down and give complete privacy.
This plant makes a graceful area divider; suited to sun or shade. It may need extra watering to get it started. It requires some clipping to keep it under control.
Camellia Sasanqua
CAMELLIA SASANQUA—Evergreen, may reach ten to 15 feet high if left untrimmed, but if desired, can be clipped to a formal style. Gives flowers in the fall from white to deep rose.
Should be shaded from the hot afternoon sun and needs extra watering in dry seasons; requires acid soil—if the soil is alkaline, add peat and feed with cottonseed meal.
Primus Caroliniana “Cherry Laurel”
CHERRY LAUREL (Primus caroliniana)— An evergreen, informal type that may reach 20’ feet. Leaves are shiny, adorned with tiny white blossoms in spring, followed by blue-black berries. It does best in full sun and needs well-drained soil but makes no other special demands.
This plant makes a good tall screen or maybe pruned to medium size without harm. For a tall screen, plant at 3-foot intervals and cut back tops at planting time to induce side branching.
Ilex Cornuta Burfordii “Holla Hedge”
HOLLA HEDGE (Ilex cornuta burfordi)—An evergreen that grows here to 15′ feet high by five feet wide if permitted. It has beautiful dark green waxy foliage and bright red berries.
It may be clipped or left informal. It will make a thick enough hedge to keep animals from coming through. Needs full sun, like acid soil.
Pyracantha
PYRACANTHA—Several evergreen varieties grow 12’ to 15’ feet high and nearly as wide if permitted.
An attractive feature is the crop of orange or red berries in fall and winter. It can be kept formal by trimming but is beautiful if left untrimmed.
Requires full sun; normal rainfall satisfies its moisture needs. Thorny: so do not plant near walks or paths.
Cydonia “ Japanese Quince”
CYDONIA — Commonly called flowering quince or Japanese quince. Deciduous. It will reach about 8’ feet tall and 6’ feet wide if permitted. Beautiful in early spring with flowers before leaves; young leaves are reddish, and later are dark green.
Use in informal settings; needs no pruning or attention. It blooms best in the sun but tolerates light shade.
A hedge intermixed with a bridal wreath (Spiraea Vanhouttei) will make a graceful border with two blooming seasons.
Nandina
NANDINA—Commonly called heavenly bamboo. An evergreen that grows 3’ to 5’ feet high and two or three feet wide. It may be clipped or left natural.
Some varieties have reddish foliage that intensifies in the fall; red or white berries attract birds. This plant requires sun most of the day, with some watering in unusually dry summers.
44659 by Minnie Hall Brown
Good Hedges For The Heartland
Crataegus Phaenopyrum “Washington Hawthorn”
WASHINGTON HAWTHORN (Crataegus phaenopyrum)— Deciduous, will reach 10 feet if desired but can be kept down to 5′ feet high, 2′ to 4′ feet wide.
Keeping in formal shape takes clipping three times a season.
White flowers in spring are followed by bright green foliage that turns scarlet to purplish in fall.
Red fruits are conspicuous in fall. Upright, thorny, finely branched, well suited to locations requiring tall narrow hedges.
It is best in the sun and tolerates some shade.
Berberis Mentorensis “Mentor Barberry”
MENTOR BARBERRY (Berberis mentorensis)—Deciduous but holds leaves late.
It may reach 5′ feet here but can be kept at 2′ feet and about 30” inches wide. Best if clipped to a formal shape. ‘
This plant needs three or four clippings a season—Hardy here, and so far, no insects or diseases.
Thick and thorny enough to keep out dogs. It does best in the sun but tolerates light shade.
Ligustrum Amurense “Amur Privet”
AMUR PRIVET (Ligustrum amurense)—Deciduous but holds foliage late in fall.
It has a potential size of 5′ feet but can be maintained at 30” inches high and 2′ feet wide.
A long a favorite here; hardy, quick, inexpensive, easily obtained, handled bare-root, fairly free of insect or disease pests.
Leaves out early, grow rapidly, and compact to the ground.
Euonymus Alatus “Winged Eunymus”
WINGED EUONYMUS (Euonymus alatus)—Deciduous. It makes a formal hedge 4′ feet high and 3′ feet across if clipped twice a season.
This plant has medium texture foliage, bright green in summer, turning to spectacular pink or rose in fall.
It gets thick enough to be impenetrable. This plant likes the sun but tolerates shade; it needs water in dry summers and rich, well-drained soil.
Ribes Alpinum “Alpine Currant”
ALPINE CURRANT (Ribes alpinum)—Deciduous. It comes 3′ to 4′ feet high and 24″ to 30″ inches wide but can be maintained at 2′ feet if desired.
It is best as a formal hedge and must be clipped three times a season. One of our best hedges for shade. Leaves appear early; fine textured dark green with a dense habit.
Use plants propagated from staminate plants only, as these are immune to white pine blister rust.
Euonymus Kiautschovicus Or Patens “Spreading Euonymus”
SPREADING EUONYMUS (Euonymus kiautschovicus or patens)—Classed as broadleaf evergreen but may drop most leaves by spring if winter is severe.
A formal clipped hedge that often reaches 3′ feet high by 2′ feet wide; can be kept to one-by-one foot size if clipped frequently.
It prefers sun and rich, well-drained soil but tolerates considerable shade. Water in fall and winter if the season is dry.
Juniperus Virginiana Keteleeri “Keteleer Juniper”
KETELEER JUNIPER (Juniperus virginiana keteleeri)— Needle evergreen.
Potentially 8′ feet, but it may be kept at 5′ feet and about 30” inches wide by clipping. Formal or informal.
It is a hardy, good green color in winter, not subject to cedar apple rust, juniper midge, or blight.
This plant prefers sun but tolerates shade; stands drouth well; should be sprayed seasonally to control bagworms and spider mites.
Juniperus Chinensis Pfitzeriana “Pfitzer Juniper”
PFITZER JUNIPER (Juniperus chinensis pfitzeriana) — Needle evergreen.
It often reaches 5′ feet high and 4′ feet wide but can be kept to 30” by 30” inches.
It is best as a formal hedge, needing to be clipped twice yearly. Hardy, good winter color, not subject to cedar-apple rust or juniper midge.
44659 by Stanley Mclane
Good Hedges For The Southwest
Ilex Cornuta Burford “Burford Holly”
BURFORD HOLLY (Ilex cornuta Burford)—Broadleaf evergreen makes a formal appearing hedge without clipping. It may reach a size above 5’ feet: glossy foliage, beautiful texture, and bright red berries.
The best in the partial shade can take full sun if adequate moisture is adequate. However, it needs plenty of humidity—irrigation should be available. It also needs acid soil—in our region, add peat moss to planting soil.
Ilex Vomitoria “Evergreen Yaupon”
ILEX VOMITORIA (Evergreen Yaupon) – A broadleaf evergreen that grows to about 6’ feet. It has small leaves, translucent red berries on female plants, and white bark. Best if treated formally and kept clipped.
A variety nana is a dwarf form, best for low hedges. Give half sun to full shade and average to heavy moisture. This plant prefers acid soil—in our region, add peat.
Euonymus Japonicus “Glossy Euonymus”
EUONYMUS JAPONICUS (Glossy Euonymus) – Broadleaf evergreen, best if kept clipped to a formal shape. The potential size is about 4’ feet. It has bright shiny foliage year around
It takes sun or shade and averages to heavy moisture. Suitable for sites requiring low (18” to 24” inch) hedges as it can easily be kept to that size.
Ligustrum Sinense “Chinese Privet”
LIGUSTRUM SINENSE (Chinese Privet) – A broadleaf evergreen, best clipped to a formal shape but may be allowed to grow naturally. Potential size 6’ feet. It has fragrant white flowers on short racemes in spring; blue berries in fall.
This plant requires full to half sun; tolerant of drought conditions. Our most used hedge plant is suitable for any size from 18” inches to 6’ feet.
Thuja Orientalis “Chinese Arbor-Vitae”
CHINESE ARBOR-VITAE (Thuja Orientalis) – A needled evergreen. A quickly grown hedge for clipped formal effect, to reach as high as 6’ feet.
It has soft textured foliage and a light green color; it need not be cut as often as the privet. However, we will need spraying for bagworms. This plant needs full sun and average moisture.
Juniperus Virginiana “Common Red Cedar”
COMMON RED CEDAR (Juniperus Virginiana) – A needled evergreen that can be used in hedges up to 12’ feet high, depending on the spacing of plants. The usual size is 5’ or 6’ feet. Sturdy, tolerant, and dense, probably our best plant for large hedges.
It has blueberries in winter. Best if kept clipped. It needs full sun and tolerates drought. Available in several suitable varieties.
Citrus Trifoliata “Trifoliate Orange”
TRIFOLIATE ORANGE (Citrus Trifoliata) – A deciduous that reaches a height of 7’ or 8’ feet if permitted. It is usually clipped to a formal shape but can be left unclipped if desired.
This plant has orange blossoms with fragrance in spring; ornamental (not edible) oranges in fall. It takes full sun but tolerates half shade; it has average moisture requirements. The thorny nature of the plant makes it suitable for a barrier.
Pyracantha (Lalandi and Others)
PYRACANTA – A broadleaf evergreen that reaches a height of 5’ or 6’ feet. It can be grown unsheared or can be sheared for a formal effect. It has whitish flowers in spring and brilliant orange berries in fall and winter.
A little touchy about transplanting but easy to grow when once established. I prefer container stock, not bare root or ball and burlap. This plant takes full sun, tolerates half shade, and needs average to heavy moisture. It may need spraying for lacewing bugs.
44659 by Robert H. Rucker
Good Hedges For The West
Pea Shrub
PEA SHRUB (Caragana)—Deciduous. Variety ‘Pygmy’ is dwarf, other species range from dwarf to tall, and some have rich golden flowers. It may be used in formal or informal situations but should be clipped.
It Requires full sun. Extremely resistant to drought. Do not overwater, and ensure good drainage. This plant may defoliate in summer in extremely hot, dry conditions; supplemental watering will reduce this.
Japanese Barberry
JAPANESE BARBERRY (Berberis thunbergii)—Deciduous. Best as a low, informal, undipped hedge. A red leaf form (atropurpurea and several named varieties) has dark red leaves.
Usually, about 3′ feet high produces small yellow blossoms followed by red berries and red autumn foliage. It is best in full sun but tolerates some shade. This plant needs plenty of water.
Glossy And Dahurian Buckthorn
GLOSSY AND DAHURIAN BUCKTHORN (Rhamnus species)—Deciduous. It makes a tall hedge that looks best if treated formally and clipped. Thorny plants make an impenetrable barrier; the glossy buckthorn has shiny leaves and dark red fruits.
This plant requires full sun but is highly drouth resistant. Fruits are attractive to birds; both species are hardy. Do not plant common buckthorn; it is an alternate host for crown rust of oats.
Cotoneaster
COTONEASTER—Peking cotoneaster (C. acutifolia) is extremely hardy and widely popular. However, other species will also do well in the southern part of our region. Sizes range from dwarf to medium.
Peking cotoneaster is deciduous and has attractive glossy foliage, which colors bright orange and red in fall.
It may be treated as a formal or informal hedge, clipped or not. Most benefit from some clipping. Take full sun or light shade, moderate moisture.
Spiraeas
SPIRAEAS—The Vanhoutte species, the most popular for hedging here, is not hardy in our region’s north. Spiraeas are deciduous, used for formal or informal effects, and usually left untrimmed to save flowers.
They make hedges of medium size; they have white flowers in spring and occasionally orange or red coloration in fall. These plants take the full sun and prefer moderate moisture.
Alpine Currant
ALPINE CURRANT (Ribes alpinum)—Deciduous, a tiny hedge is made when clipped, or a 3-foot hedge is undipped. It may be used formally or informally, although formal treatment takes the best advantage of its dense, compact growth and ability to tolerate shearing.
Give full sun or part shade, moderate moisture. Certain areas may be subject to white pine blister rust, but staminate (male) bushes are believed resistant.
HoneySuckle
HONEYSUCKLE—Especially Tatarian honeysuckle. It makes a tall hedge and is deciduous. Produces attractive pink flowers in spring, followed by colorful berries.
This plant may be treated as a formal or informal hedge, but the best results are obtained from some trimming of bushes.
It takes full sun or light shade and light to moderate moisture. Tatarian honeysuckle is hardy and drought resistant.
Colorado Blue Spruce
COLORADO BLUE SPRUCE or Black Hills Spruce—Needle evergreen for a tall hedge. It gives green or blue-green color all year for formal or informal uses.
The spruce hedge should be clipped in using Blue Spruce, select plants for uniformity of color.
This prefers full sun and moderate moisture, and watch for red spiders during hot, dry seasons.
44659 by Leonard A. Yager