Key takeaways
- Griselinia and karo are tough choices for windy, coastal sections.
- Lilly pilly is very common, but it's highly susceptible to myrtle rust, so it's worth choosing something else for new hedges.
- Match the plant to the height you want, and plan for how often it will need trimming.
Before you choose
- Height. A low border, a 1.8 m fence-height screen and a 3 m privacy hedge need very different plants.
- Exposure. Sections in St Heliers, Kohimarama, Mission Bay and Glendowie can take a lot of wind and salt. Not every hedge copes.
- Trimming. Fast growers fill in quickly but need trimming more often.
- Drainage. Some popular hedges don't like wet feet, so check your soil.
Tough coastal and native hedges
Griselinia (kapuka)
A native with glossy, apple-green leaves that makes a neat formal hedge or informal shelter. Auckland Botanic Gardens says it tolerates frost, rough winds and salt spray, which makes it a great coastal choice. It prefers well-drained soil and doesn't like prolonged wet feet.
Karo (Pittosporum crassifolium)
A fast-growing native that Auckland Botanic Gardens describes as very resilient to wind and salt spray. It suits shelter planting or a clipped hedge on exposed sections. Birds spread its seeds, so it can pop up elsewhere.
Other pittosporums
There are lots of pittosporum varieties for hedging, with different leaf colours and heights. They grow steadily and do best in full sun.
Corokia
A native that works well as a lower hedge, from about 30 cm to 2 m, with green, silver or chocolate foliage options.
Formal and flowering hedges
Camellia sasanqua
Dense, glossy and flowering in autumn and winter. Several sasanqua varieties are on Auckland Botanic Gardens' list of hedge alternatives to lilly pilly.
Port wine magnolia (Michelia figo)
Dense evergreen foliage up to about 2 m, with fragrant flowers in spring and summer.
Ficus 'Tuffi'
Fast-growing with bright green leaves that darken as they age. It clips into almost any shape and suits tall formal screens.
Buxus (box)
The classic choice for low borders, edging and topiary. Box blight can be a problem, so trim it in dry weather and keep air moving through it. Read about hedge pests and diseases.
What about lilly pilly?
Lilly pilly (Syzygium, often sold as eugenia) is one of the most common hedges in Auckland. It's also in the myrtle family and highly susceptible to myrtle rust, a fungal disease that can spread to native myrtles like pōhutukawa. Auckland Botanic Gardens recommends choosing alternatives such as griselinia, karo, corokia, coprosma and camellia sasanqua for new hedges.
If you already have a lilly pilly hedge, there's no need to rip it out. Manaaki Whenua advises trimming it in winter, from June to August, to reduce the risk of myrtle rust.
Planting tips
- Space plants about 75 cm to 1 m apart for most tall hedges, or closer for low borders. A double staggered row gives a denser screen.
- Start trimming lightly from early on. It makes the hedge bushier from the base up.
- Trim so the hedge is slightly wider at the bottom than the top, so the lower leaves get light.
Once it's established, I can keep it in shape for you. See hedge trimming.