Plant Type: Hedge or Screen

Leptospermum rupestre ‘Squiggly’, namadgiensis and ground cover is ‘Martha Ewan’ Arctostaphylos x media.

Screens and hedges are two different things but many of the same plants are applicable. A screen can be blocking one particular view or angle. At its best it is informal and grows quickly to its intended height. A hedge is inherently more formal. Often clipped or sheared it professes a uniformity that imbues structure and form into gardens. Hedges can delineate space in a natural way and they don’t have to be formal. Shrubs with a similar habit in a row can be just as pleasing.

Morella californica Pacific wax myrtle is a great evergreen native hedge or screen.

It pays dividends to treat these plants well from the beginning. Dig a large hole and develop a moat around each plant for irrigation. And absolutely mulch them. Treating a hedge well and uniformly affords you the best form and color and saves you the headache of having to replace a fallen soldier. We list screens and hedge plants varying in size. That gives the gardener as many applications as possible. One tip: When buying a row of hedge plants plant 1 or 2 more than you need in other parts of the garden, that way if one of them dies you’ll have a replacement of just the same size and you’ll save considerably too.

 

 

 

Climate adapted plants for gardeners in the PNW

Osmanthus armatus ‘Jim Porter’

Fantastic large evergreen shrub that always looks its glossy best. Finely serrated glossy, deep green leaves become less spiny as the shrub matures. In November and December tiny slightly fragrant white flowers crowd along the stems. Moderately fast growing to 12′ tall and 6′ wide in 7 years. Full sun to almost full shade in rich to average well drained soil. Handles clay soils with aplomb. Light summer water to none when established. A first rate large hedge or screen. A nice specimen as well. Very tough, cold hardy and easy. Grows 2′-3′ a year

 

My Favorites

Plant type: ,  |  Sun exposure: , ,
Biome: , ,  |  USDA Hardiness zone: Zn7a 5º to 0ºF
Foliage color:  |  Foliage season:

Osmanthus decorum ‘Baki Kasapligil’

Osmanthus are incredibly handsome and useful shrubs/trees and turkish Osmanthus fits that trend  Renowned for fragrance this tough species excels at its tidy and uniform look year round. Long pointed deep green leaves are exceedingly handsome and immediately one thinks of this 8′ x 8′ shrub as an ideal  hedge subject and it is. In mid spring small tubular flowers crowd the leaf axils and emit a vanilla aroma that is detectable many meters away. Moderately fast growing evergreen for full sun to quite a bit of shade it is adapted to most well drained soils, including heavy clay. Exceptionally tolerant of drought when established  and very long lived. In time, sans pruning, it will achieve small tree status. Cold hardy to 0ºF and not terribly sensitive to subfreezing wind. Not often bothered by deer- protect young plants with age and familiarity they will leave it alone.  Very good replacement hedge for voracious and invasive cherry laurel or disease riddled Photinia.  Somewhat formal appearance.  Lovely no water/low water shrub when established.  Prune after flowering- blooms on old wood This is one of the parents of Osmanthus x burkwoodii. .This form was selected from the wild in  Turkey/Anatolia.

My Favorites

Plant type: ,  |  Sun exposure: , ,
Biome: , , , ,  |  USDA Hardiness zone: Zn7a 5º to 0ºF
Foliage color:  |  Foliage season:

Osmanthus delavayi

Regal, tough, evergreen shrub that loves our climate and performs beautifully in a host of situations. Small holly like deep blue green leaves are completely obscured by masses of small, white, sweetly fragrant, tubular flowers that crowd the stems in April. Beautiful. To 4′ x 6′ in 6 years. Full sun to quite a bit of shade which doesn’t diminish bloom. Rich, to average soil including dry clay soils but never anywhere there is standing water. Extraordinarily drought tolerant when established and will still thrive and bloom with none. Elegant clipped hedge which will become dense and still bloom heavily. The leaves are small enough that shearing does not mangle them. Long lived and cold hardy to 0ºF. Easy, elegant broad leaved evergreen. AKA Delavay Tea Olive.

My Favorites

Plant type: ,  |  Sun exposure: ,
Biome: , , ,  |  USDA Hardiness zone: Zn7a 5º to 0ºF
Foliage color:  |  Foliage season:

Osmanthus fragrans ‘Phil Thornburg’

A local form of Fragrant Tea Olive that was discovered as a seedling in Phil Thornburgs wonderful SE Portland garden. He has a large estabished collection of the genus Osmanthus and this seedling has turned out to have several exemplary attributes- So we named it for the gardener. A moderately fast growing evergreen small tree to 16′ in 10 years. Large glossy foliage emerges tinted a very striking russet red before settling to deep green. This new growth follows the flowers which in our climate appear from late fall to early spring – on wood that is more than one year old. Parchment colored tiny flowers ring the stems and emit one of the most penetrating  perfumes in the floral kingdom- sweet apricot and freesia  These flowers are dried and used to flavor tea in China. The trunk/stems are a soft taupe color that contrasts nicely with the dark green foliage. We have observed excellent cold hardiness but  it should still be protected from subfreezing east wind during arctic events. The west side of a building is ideal- and you can appreciate the sweet perfume in winter just by opening a window.  Somewhat formal looking small tree that has a conical habit in youth and then a spreading crown with age. Water to establish, then light water during summer drought. Full sun to light shade. Gains hardiness with age/ establishment. Protect young plants from temperatures below 15F- cover with a cardboard box. Excellent tree for courtyards, the slim areas between modern architecture. Wonderful tried and tested local selection of an infamous tree native to large parts of Asia. Durable, almost formal, verdant look year round.

Xera Plants Introduction

My Favorites

Plant type: , ,  |  Sun exposure: ,
Biome: ,  |  USDA Hardiness zone: Zn7b 10º to 5ºF
Foliage color: ,  |  Foliage season:

Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Kaori Hime’

What a sweet little version of Holly Tea Olive. Leaves are tiny compared to the species and the whole plant is a diminuitive version of the that plant. To just 4′ x 4′ in 10 years it eventually gets progressively larger. An extremely floriferous form that condenses hundreds of small white fragrant flowers along the stems in October to December. Slow to finish in a container because of its size- be patient.  Grows about 4″ per year. Foundations, rock gardens, hedges, specimen. Great cold hardiness for a broad leaved evergreen. Drought adapted when established otherwise it tolerates regular irrigation which will eventually speed growth. Cute. Really, freaking cute ancient cultivar from Japan. Rare plant that is slow to increase. Limited quantities.

My Favorites

Plant type: ,  |  Sun exposure: ,
Biome: , , ,  |  USDA Hardiness zone: Zn6b 0º to -5ºF
Foliage color:  |  Foliage season:

Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Akebono’

An exceptional Tea Olive that we love. New growth emerges pink before changing to lacquer white and finally deep green. This period of transition lasts for months and is far showier than the small white flowers that cluster at the leaf axils in autumn. They do, however, emit a sweet perfume that is detectable for many yards. Great cold hardiness for a broad leaved evergreen enduring temps below 0ºF with no harm. Tolerates subfreezing wind and would be a fantastic and showy hedge to block the east wind. To 7′ tall in 7′ years eventually reaching small tree size. Full sun to part shade in average to enriched soil where there is never standing water in summer. Tolerates clay soils on slopes and it is best with about 3 deep soaks per summer once well established. Mulch when planting. Avoid reflected heat. Moderately deer resistant. Blooms on old wood. Prune if needed AFTER blooming has ended. Naturally dense habit. As the shrub matures the leaves which are  mildly prickly in youth change to smooth edged entire leaves. Pretty, tough, dynamic shrub. Japan.

My Favorites

Plant type: ,  |  Sun exposure: , ,
Biome: , , ,  |  USDA Hardiness zone: Zn6a -5º to -10ºF
Foliage color: ,  |  Foliage season:

Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Fastigiata’

Fastigiata is very much a misnomer in the case of this excellent hardy Tea Olive. After growing it for 15 years we can tell you that it in fact forms a perfectly round dense ball. After all that time it is just 4′ x 4′ and perfectly round. In October-November tiny fragrant white flowers crowd the stems. Full sun to part shade in any well drained soil that does not harbor standing water in winter. Very drought tolerant when established. So useful as a NO PRUNE hedge. Perfect size for small gardens. Hardy below 0ºF. The leaves change from prickly to smooth and entire with age. Excellent hedge and very tolerant of subfreezing wind.

My Favorites

Plant type: ,  |  Sun exposure: ,
Biome: , ,  |  USDA Hardiness zone: Zn6b 0º to -5ºF
Foliage color:  |  Foliage season:

Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Purpureus’

Remarkable form of the holly leaf tea olive with new growth that emerges a deep purple black. It settles to dark green in summer on a large growing shrub to 8′ x 8′ in 7 years. Full sun to very light shade in all soils that drain well. Very drought adapted when established. Mature shrubs bear masses of tiny white flowers in the leaf axils in October-November that cast a sweet perfume. Excellent cold hardiness. This is one of the few broad leaf evergreens that is perfectly hardy to the subfreezing wind of the gorge. Troutdale, this shrubs for you. Great hedge as well as specimen. Flowers occur on wood from the previous year- prune in winter after flowering.

My Favorites

Plant type: ,  |  Sun exposure: ,
Biome: ,  |  USDA Hardiness zone: Zn6a -5º to -10ºF
Foliage color: ,  |  Foliage season:

Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Rotundifolius’

A really cool looking broadleaved evergreen shrub with thick glossy leaves that are essentially square with undulate (wavy) margins. Dense growing shrub that can get quite large without pruning intervention. In October to November masses of tiny white flowers cast a hyacinth fragrance in the autumn air. Full sun to part shade in well drained soil of average fertility. No summer water necessary when established. Excellently adapted to our climate. Makes a novel hedge or a pretty specimen. Extraordinarily cold hardy – below 0ºF. 8′ x 8′ in 10 years. Grows 1′-2′ per year when well cultivated.

My Favorites

Plant type: ,  |  Sun exposure: ,
Biome: , ,  |  USDA Hardiness zone: Zn6a -5º to -10ºF
Foliage color:  |  Foliage season:

Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Sasaba’

We adore this wickedly armed evergreen shrub. Its a piece of pure architecture. The sharply pointed leaves jut out like blades and are deep glossy green year round. Excellent, interesting evergreen for screen or specimen. Totally cold hardy- excellent performance in blasting subfreezing winds from the Gorge. Rounded, upright shrub to 9′ tall and 6′ wide in 8 years. In autumn the stems of older wood are crowded with tiny white flowers that emit a sweet perfume. Bloom Sept.-Nov. and sometimes later. The fragrance carries quite a distance on mild days. Light water to establish then completely drought tolerant in average, well drained soil. Also accepts the regular irrigation of borders. Good bet where deer are a menace. Full sun to quite a bit of shade. Great barrier hedge.

My Favorites

Plant type: ,  |  Sun exposure: , ,
Biome: , , ,  |  USDA Hardiness zone: Zn6a -5º to -10ºF
Foliage color:  |  Foliage season:

View all »