If you drive down any country lane in Britain you will normally be bounded on both sides by glorious native hedges. To the untrained eye these hedges can all look very similar but in actual fact a wide variety of plants are found in these hedges all offering something different. When planting a native hedge it is common for about 60% of the hedge to be  Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) the remainder can be made up from a wide selection of native plants, I hope to give you some insight into these hedging plants in this blog.

Hawthorn – Crataegus monogyna

By far the most common hedging plant in Britain hawthorn or quickthorn  can make up anywhere from 50-100% of a native hedge. The main reasons for its use are due to the fact it is  fast growing, hardy and will grow almost anywhere.  It is stock-proof and reacts very well to heavy handed pruning such as that done by a tractor and flail. Distinctive white May blossom clothes the branches and shiny red, haws provide a wonderful feature in autumn.

Blackthorn – Prunus spinosa

A woody native shrub with blackish bark and dense thorny branches that make it such a good hedging plant. It is the earliest hedging species to flower producing small white flowers in March/April and it is also famous for producing “sloes” in the autumn that can be used for flavouring gin.  A very hardy plant that will grow on any type of soil.

Hazel – Corylus Avellana

A small multi stemmed tree/shrub well known for producing edible nuts in the autumn. It’s multi stem form along with its ability to shoot from the base make it ideal in hedges. It also has long yellow catkins draped from the branches in spring. Very hardy and suitable for all soil types.

Dogwood – Cornus sanguinea

With green and red stems in the winter this native shrub offers some late year excitement in a time when many plants have little to offer. Small clusters of white flowers appear in the spring followed black berries known as dogberries in early autumn. It’s green leaves turn a nice shade of red in the autumn. This versatile plant will grow in most places and is even happy on wet ground.

Guelder Rose – Viburnum opulus

This native plant, found in damp woodlands as well as hedgerows has lots to offer. White flowers in spring with berries forming in late spring and turning a luscious bright red in the autumn. Its 3 to 5 lobed maple like leaves also turn vibrant colours in autumn. Often found thriving on damp ground.

Wayfarer – Viburnum lantana

With large, thick grey-green leaves turning red and orange in autumn, and large heads of white flowers in late spring this native shrub has a lot to offer. Producing fruit that is green at first, turning red, then finally black at full maturity. Very versatile and does particularly well on chalky soil.

Ligustrum vulgare – Wild Privet

This semi-evergreen shrub offers some leaf cover in all but the harshest winters. The small glossy black berries are poisonous to humans but readily eaten by thrushes. A hardy plant that also grows well on chalky soil.

Dog Rose – Rosa Canina

A shrub with strong thorn covered branches that is commonly found in hedgerows. It has pink or white scented flowers that are 4-5cm in diameter, later producing big bright red rose hips. As with most of the native hedging plants it will grow on most soil types. Its vibrant green branches are covered with sharp thorns and work well as a barrier.

Elder – Sambucus nigra

A fast growing native hedging shrub that produces both white flowers and attractive black berries that are used in the making of elderberry wine.  As well as looking good these berries are also an important source of food for birds. It is a very good plant for extremely chalky sites.

Purging Buckthorn – Rhamnus cathartica

A very thorny native hedging plant with glossy green leaves that turn yellow in autumn. It produces green/yellow flowers in the spring that produce glossy black berries later in the year. Likes dry limestone soils and is also a source of food for brimstone butterfly larvae.

Alder Buckthorn – Rhamnus frangula

Preferring damp ground this good hedging plant has small glossy green leaves that will also turn yellow in autumn. It also produces fruits that turn from red to black and are equally attractive whilst in either state.

Spindle – Euonymus  Europaeus

One of my favorite hedging plants Spindle has square green stems providing some interest in the winter. It is in the autumn that this plant really excels, producing pronounced pink seed casings that open up to reveal orange seeds. Its leaves also change from green to fiery red and purple. Prefers dry sites does well on chalk soils.

Field Maple –  Acer campestre

Britains only native maple tree, it is  very versatile, as happy in a hedge as it is standing on its own in a field. It has small leaves of a classic maple shape that turn buttery yellow in the autumn. Field maple is almost as common in hedges around the country as hawthorn, though it doesn’t like wet ground.

Goat Willow – Salix caprea

A native tree or shrub that works well in hedges due to its rapid growth rate. Its main feature is large silver (female) and gold (male) catkins that are produced in late winter/early spring. It will grow almost anywhere especially on wet ground making it a very versatile plant.

Holly – Ilex aquifolium

Needing little introduction this wonderful evergreen plant is used less and less in hedges due to its increased cost as it must come container grown instead of bare root. Glossy green spiked leaves give it a wonderful year round colour. Female plants become covered in berries from late autumn through the winter. It doesn’t enjoy wet ground.

Crab Apple – Malus Sylvestris

A thorny native tree or shrub is often found in old hedgerows and thickets. White flowers in spring give way to small ornamental 2-4cm yellowish green fruits in the late summer which ripen to an orangey red in September/October. Though sour to eat they are often used to make conserves.

I hope this article has given you some insight into the plants that make up native hedges in Britain, I will talk about other aspects of native hedging in other blogs.

As always comments and questions are always welcome.

Simon