Griselinia littoralis
New Zealand broadleaf
Overview
Griselinia littoralis is an evergreen shrub or small tree reaching 10-25 feet (3-7.6 m) tall and 8-15 feet (2.4-4.5 m) wide under cultivation, and 40-50 feet (12-15 m) as a forest tree in New Zealand. Growth runs 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) per year. Leaves are alternate, thick and leathery, glossy yellow-green, ovate to oblong, 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) long and 1.5-2.5 inches (4-6 cm) wide, with entire margins and a base in which one side of the blade sits lower on the stalk than the other. Plants are dioecious: minute yellow-green flowers 0.1 inch (3 mm) across open in panicles 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) long during May and June, and female plants carry purple-black berries 0.3 inch (7 mm) across in autumn. Foliage withstands salt spray and sustained wind without scorching, and plants hold their outline on exposed coastal sites. Leaves are damaged at 15F (-9C) and stems are killed near 5F (-15C), which confines the plant to zones 8-10 and to maritime rather than continental climates. Plants on heavy wet clay decline within 3-5 years.
Native Range
Griselinia littoralis grows through lowland and montane forest across both main islands of New Zealand, from coastal scrub to 3,300 feet (1,000 m) elevation. It commonly begins life as an epiphyte on other trees in wet forest and later roots into the ground, and it also grows on rock faces and exposed coastal headlands. Plantings in Britain, Ireland, and coastal western Europe have naturalised locally in mild maritime districts.Suggested Uses
Planted as a coastal hedge or windbreak in zones 8-10 at 18-30 inch (45-75 cm) spacing, closing the line in 4-6 years at 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) of growth per year. Grown as a single evergreen shrub or small tree in maritime gardens, and in containers of 15 gallons (57 L) or larger where plants hold at 5-8 feet (1.5-2.4 m). Cold dry inland winds brown the foliage in continental climates, which confines use to maritime districts.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height10' - 25'
Width/Spread8' - 15'
Reaches mature size in approximately 10 years
Bloom Information
Flowers open across May and June in the northern hemisphere, and in November and December in New Zealand. Bloom on a plant lasts 2-3 weeks. Flowers are 0.1 inch (3 mm) across in panicles 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) long, yellow-green, and without petals. Male and female flowers occur on separate plants, and hedges clipped in spring carry no flowers at all.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
glossy yellow-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Plants take 1 inch (25 mm) of water weekly through the first two seasons and go 3-4 weeks without rain once established. Ground that holds water after rain causes root decline within 3-5 years, and plants on clay are set on mounds 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) above grade. Foliage withstands salt spray and sustained coastal wind, while cold dry wind below 20F (-7C) browns the leaf margins within days in continental climates. A single spring application of a balanced fertiliser at 2 ounces per square yard (70 g per square metre) covers the season. Root rot caused by Phytophthora spp. species and honey fungus Armillaria spp. kill plants on wet ground, and there is no treatment once the root system is affected. Hedges are clipped two or three times between May and August to hold shape.Pruning
Clipping is carried out between May and August, with two or three cuts in that window for a formal hedge. Cuts made after early September leave soft regrowth that browns in the first frosts. Plants tolerate renewal cuts into bare wood and regrow from dormant buds on stems up to 3 inches (8 cm) thick over 2-3 seasons. Hand shears and secateurs cut the leaves cleanly, while powered hedge trimmers slice the large blades and leave browned edges for several weeks.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
late springsummer
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 15 gallons