How to Grow a Hedge

A hedge is a living wall of continuous, close planted shrubs or trees. Hedges are used to protect and enclose a garden or as a division to set one part of the garden from another.

Hedge does not necessarily imply rigidly pruned and restrained growth, though it often is. A hedge can be formal and impeccably shaped and pruned or it can be informal, almost wild.

A pruned and shaped hedge belongs wherever a stone or similar wall might be used. An unsheared casual hedge belongs to a more free-and-easy environment—and requires more space.

Hedges are not strictly naturalistic because they are almost always composed of just one kind of plant. A natural hedgerow is commonly composed of more than one kind of plant.

Keep in mind when choosing hedge plants for any location: the untrimmed hedge can easily degenerate from a casual to untidy and wild.

Informal hedge of yellow flowering laburnum and lilac

Table of Contents

Plants for hedges

Hedges are often but not always composed of evergreen plants. Evergreens are plants that keep their foliage through all seasons. Deciduous plants can be used for a hedge, but in winter the absence of leaves will leave the hedge somewhat transparent—less of an enclosure or division.

Proportion is a consideration when selecting hedge plant material. Will the hedge be tall or short, wide or narrow? The growth habit—height and breadth—of a plant should be considered and so the size and color of leaves.

Small-leaved plants in a small or tight garden will offer an unbroken surface when clipped. Shearing or pruning large-leaved plants in a close situation will give a less finished appearance. Large-leaved plants bordering a street or property line may create the right density for that situation.

The first choice for a clipped hedge will almost always be an evergreen; the second choice will be a deciduous shrub or tree with deliberate woody growth. Flowering shrubs are effective for untrimmed hedges; blooms will be sacrificed in a sheared formal hedge.

Planting a hedge

Hedge plants are spaced according to the type of plant and the demands of the location. Deciduous plants should be planted as close as 9 to 12 inches (22-30cm) apart; this will yield a closely branched hedge during winter. Evergreens can be planted as close as 18 to 24 inches (45-60cm) apart. This close planting will yield an uninterrupted hedge in a year or so; in later years, as plants mature alternate plants can be removed.

Taper hedge sides so the bottom is wider than the top. Lower leaves will die and drop if they don’t get adequate light.

Hedge form

The properly shaped hedge is narrower at the top than at the bottom. The sloping downward and outward sides will allow abundant sunlight to reach the lower branches which is important in preventing lower growth from dying back and giving the hedge an open, “leggy” look. A somewhat rounded top—rather than flat—will help the hedge shed snow instead of accumulating a heavy load that can bend or break branches.

Thuja hedge is pruned once or twice a year

Hedge maintenance

To establish a tight, close hedge, clip, or shear along the sides of the plant but not between them.

Annual clipping of evergreen hedges can be done in late spring or early summer after initial seasonal growth is made. For a formal appearance, trim them again in midsummer. Evergreen hedges should never be severely pruned; simply shape them and once they have filled out maintain that shape.

Annual clipping of deciduous hedges should be done just as the first strong growth of the season is slowing down, in late spring or early summer. Clip deciduous hedges again in late summer after secondary growth is made and if the hedge is looking shaggy.

Shrubs for hedges

Common Name	Botanical Name	Zones
Abelia, glossy	Abelia x grandiflora	6-9
Arborvitae, Emerald	Thuja occidentalis ‘Emerald’	3-8
Azaleas, Exbury	Rhododendron Exbury hybrids	4-8
Azalea, Northern Lights	Rhododendron ‘Northern Lights’	4-7
Barberry, Japanese	Berberis thunbergii	4-8
Bayberry, northern	Myrica pensylvanica	2-6
Boxwood, English	Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’	6-8
Boxwood, Green Beauty	Buxus microphylla ‘Green Beauty’	5-9
Boxwood, Korean	Buxus microphylla koreana	5-9
Boxwood, Wintergreen	Buxus microphylla ‘Wintergreen’	4-6
Camellia, sasanqua	Camellia sasanqua	7-9
Cape honeysuckle	Tecomaria capensis	10-11
Coralberry	Symphoricarpos orbiculatus	10-11
Currant, Green Mound alpine	Ribes alpinum ‘Green Mound’	2-7
Dogwood, corneliancherry	Cornus mas	4-8
Dogwood, gray	Cornus racemosa	4-7
Euonymous, Manhattan spreading	Euonymous kiautschovicus “Manhattan’	4-8
Firethorn, scarlet	Pyracantha coccinea	6-8
Firehorn, Yukon Belle	Pyracantha angustifolia ‘Yukon Belle’	5-9
Forsythia, border	Forsythia x intermedia	6-9
Hawthorn, Indian	Rhaphiolepis indica	6-9
Hibiscus, Chinese	Hibiscus rosa-sinensis	9-10
Holly, dwarf Burford	Ilex cornuta ‘Bufordii Nana’	6-9
Holly, dwarf Yaupon	Ilex vomitoria ‘Nana’	7-10
Holly, Green Lustre	Ilex crenata ‘Green Lustre’	4-6
Holly, winterberry	Ilex verticillata	3-9
Honeysuckles	Lonicera spp.	Varies
Ixdora; jungle geranium	Ixora coccinea	10-11
Jasmine, downy	Jasminum multiforum	9-10
Juniper, Parson’s	Juniperus chinensis ‘Parsonii’	3-9
Juniper, tam	Juniperus sabina ‘Tamariscifolia’	3-7
Laurel, cherry	Prunus caroliniana	6-9
Lilac, common	Syringa vulgaris	3-7
Lilac, cutleaf	Syringa x laciniata	4-8
Lilac, Miss Kim	Syringa patula ‘Miss Kim’	3-7
Lilac, Persian	Syringa x persica	3-7
Oleander	Nerium oleander	8-10
Photinia, redtip	Photinia x fraseri	6-9
Pieris, Japanese	Pieris japonica	5-8
Pieris, mountain	Pieris floribunda	4-8
Pittosporum, Japanese	Pittosporum tobira	8-10
Potentilla, shrubby	Potentilla fruticosa	2-7
Privet, Amur	Ligustrum amurense	3-7
Privet, Chinese variegated	Ligustrum sinense	7-10
Privet, golden vicary	Ligustrum x vicaryi	5-8
Privet, wax-leaf	Ligustrum lucidum	7-10
Rock rose, white	Cistus x hybrids	8-10
Rose, Betty Prior	Rosa ‘Betty Prior’	5-9
Rose, Graham Thomas	Rosa ‘Graham Thomas’	5-9
Rose, Iceberg	Rosa ‘Iceberg’	4-9
Rose, Peace	Rosa ‘Peace’	5-9
Rose, Pink Meidiland	Rosa Pink Meidiland	5-9
Serviceberry	Amelanchier alnifolia	4-5
Silverberry	Elaeagnus, pungens	7-9
Spirea, baby’s breath	Spirea thunbergii	2-8
Spirea, Vanhoutte	Spirea x vanhouttei	3-8
Spruce, dwarf Alberta	Picea glauca ‘Conica’	3-8
Spruce, dwarf Norway	Picea abies ‘Pumila’	3-8
Texas ranger	Leucophyllum frutescens	8-10
Viburnum, arrowwood	Viburnum dentatun	3-8
Viburnum, compact American	Viburnum trilobum ‘Alfredo’	2-7
Viburnum, sweet	Viburnum odoratissimum	2-7
Yew, Hick’s upright	Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’	4-7
Yew, Anglo-Japanese	Taxus x media ‘Densiformis’	4-7