Benefits: plant perfectly tolerates pruning, sun- and shade-tolerant. The tree grows well in almost any soil. In autumn, its foliage turns yellow.
disadvantages: fast growing and should be pruned twice a year. Since maple is a deciduous plant, in winter it poorly covers the area from prying eyes, moreover, it is often affected by powdery mildew.
General information: annual growth - 30-40 cm, 3-4 plants / p. m, the optimal height of the hedge is 1.5-4 m.
2. Barberry (Berberis)
Benefits: Thorny branches will keep neither humans nor animals from entering the garden, but provide protection for birds. In the sun, the red-leaved 'Atropurpurea' (Thunberg barberry, # 2 in the collage above) acquires a more intense color. Even in winter, having thrown off all the leaves, it covers the area due to the density of the branches.
disadvantages: planting and pruning shrubs should only be done with gloves.
General information: annual growth -15-25 cm, 3-4 plants / p. m, the optimal height of the hedge is 0.5-1.5 m.
3. Common hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
Benefits: grows well in any soil, both in the sun and in the shade. In autumn, the leaves turn yellow and do not fall off until the young shoots appear. Even after heavy pruning, it grows quickly and is also relatively cheap.
disadvantages: preferably cut twice a year. Winter is not as dense as in the rest of the year. The hornbeam is sometimes damaged by the moth.
General information: annual growth - 20-40 cm, 3-4 plants / p. m, the optimal height of the hedge is 1-4 m.
4. Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
Benefits: thanks to evergreen leaves, it reliably covers the garden even in winter. Hardy varieties such as ‘Herbergii’, ‘Etna’ and ‘Novita’ have proven themselves well. You only need to trim once a year.
disadvantages: May suffer from winter frost in sunny and windy weather. The fruits are poisonous and can be prevented by trimming the plant immediately after flowering.
General information: annual growth - 20-40 cm, 2-3 plants / p. m, the optimal height of the hedge is 1-2 m.
5. Lawson's cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana)
Benefits: evergreen coniferous plant with different color of needles depending on the variety (‘Alumii’ blue-green, ‘Columnaris’ blue, ‘Stardust’ yellow). More shade-tolerant and less susceptible to fungal diseases than western thuja. Covers the "rear" all year round. In winter, the seeds serve as food for birds.
disadvantages: does not tolerate pruning to old wood.
General information: annual growth -10-20 cm, 2-3 plants / p. m, the optimal height of the hedge is 1.5-4 m.
6. Larch (Larix)
Benefits: Both the local European larch (L. decidua, pictured) and Kempfer's larch (L. kaempferi) are distinguished by beautiful young shoots, bright yellow coloration in autumn and pretty buds. This hardy coniferous tree prefers completely sunny locations. Grows well after pruning.
disadvantages: larch sheds needles for the winter.
General information: annual growth - 25-50 cm, 2-3 plants / p. m, the optimal height of the hedge is 1.5-4 m.
7. Beech (Fagus)
Benefits: The leaves of both the green-leaved forest beech (F. sylvatica) and its red-leaved variety (F. sylvatica f. purpurea, pictured) remain on the branches for a long time, so the hedge from this plant can boast of a relative density in winter. Handles cropping and shading very well.
disadvantages: May be affected by drought in summer. Pruning is shown twice a year. More demanding than a hornbeam.
General information: annual growth - 30-50 cm, 3-4 plants / p. m, the optimal height of the hedge is 1-4 m.
8. Privet (Ligustrum)
Benefits: shrub in June - July strewn with white inflorescences, and in autumn - with black fruits. The well-branching privet (L. vulgare) 'Atrovirens' variety is excellent for hedges. The oval-leaved privet (L. ovalifolium) 'Aureum' has leaves with a yellow border.
disadvantages: leaves fall off prematurely in severe frost. As a rule, you need to prune 2 times a year.
General information: annual growth - 20-40 cm, 3-4 plants / p. m, the optimal height of the hedge is 1-2 m.
9. Photinia
Benefits: evergreen is increasingly used for hedges. Ph. Fraseri ‘Red Robin’ with bright red young shoots is perfect for this purpose. It perfectly tolerates drought and heat, prefers sunny places and is undemanding to soils.
disadvantages: not hardy enough, therefore only suitable for regions with warm climates.
General information: annual growth - 20-30 cm, 2-3 plants / p. m, the optimal height of the hedge is 1-2 m.
10. Berry yew (Taxus baccata)
Benefits: coniferous plant that grows well both in the sun and in the shade. After strong pruning, it quickly grows overgrown with young shoots, is distinguished by its endurance. Yew berry perfectly replaces boxwood in low hedges. It is enough to prune once a season. Safely hides the area from prying eyes all year round.
disadvantages: growing slowly. The bark, needles and seeds are very poisonous.
General information: annual growth - 10-20 cm, 3-4 plants / p. m, the optimal height of the hedge is 0.5-2 m.
11. Thuja western (Thuja occidentalis)
Benefits: An excellent inexpensive candidate for a site fence. This coniferous plant is evergreen, so that the hedges from it remain dense in winter. The beautiful varieties are 'Smaragd' (slender) and 'Sunkist' (yellow). You need to trim once a year.
disadvantages: does not tolerate strong pruning, is susceptible to fungal diseases, the needles turn brown when there is a lack of moisture. The plant is poisonous.
General information: annual growth - 10-30 cm, 2-3 plants / p. m, the optimal height of the hedge is 1.5-4 m.
12. Fargesia murielae
Benefits: bamboo of this species grows bushy, does not need to be fenced with a curb tape. Stems with evergreen leaves look very sophisticated. A great alternative to a traditional hedge for sun or partial shade.
disadvantages: due to cold and drought, leaves curl. Pruning should be done twice a year - in early spring, before young shoots appear, and in summer.
General information: annual growth - up to 2 m (new stems), 2-3 plants / p. m, the optimal height is. and. - 1.5-2.5 m.
Of course, the choice of plants is highly dependent on the climatic zone. For example, cherry laurel with glossy leaves will provide reliable shelter from prying eyes all year round, as well as the increasingly popular Photinia among gardeners. The only "but": both of these plants in severe winters can suffer from frost. If you live in a region with a cold climate, choose hardy breeds like yew and hornbeam right away. If in winter you spend little time on the terrace and you do not need a dense shelter for all seasons, the best solution would be to plant deciduous species, such as forest beech or field maple. In the spring they will delight you with luscious greenery, in the summer they will cover the "rear" with dense foliage, and in the fall they will be painted in bright colors - this certainly cannot be boasted by evergreens.
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Hedges are multifunctional and therefore very diverse. They can be single-row, two-row and three-row, forming and non-forming, grown from thorny and thornless plants. For hedges, both conifers and deciduous plants are used, which in turn can be evergreen and deciduous. Depending on the purpose of planting, hedges are high, or trellises, - over 2 m, average - from 1 to 2 m and low, or curbs, - from 0.5 to 1 m.
Medium hedges
They are usually created inside the site. They may not be too tight. For such hedges, conifers are used: the western and its medium-sized garden forms - both with green needles, and with golden or variegated; common spruce with a more intensive haircut to a height of no more than 1.5 m, juniper and virginas well as their garden forms, which usually do not require molding.
Tapestry
are planted along the borders of the site, less often inside it, in two or three rows. Conifers look great in a tapestry planting: thuja occidentalis and its pyramidal forms, junipers virginiana and common, even spruce, which, when trimmed, forms a very tight fit, which is not surmountable even for dogs and cats.
Trimmed hedges
They can be two -, three - and even four-tier. Plants for planting are selected according to the desired height of the tiers. For landscaping, deciduous and evergreen coniferous ornamental trees and shrubs are planted, climbing and climbing plants are planted
Unformed hedges in landscaping
For an unformed hedge, different types of hawthorn, elderberry, Maak's honeysuckle, Tatar, blue, different types of irgi, viburnum, as well as varieties of Persian lilac, varietal mock-orange, common scumpia, golden currant are good. For unformed hedges in landscaping, wrinkled rose, white snowberry, oak-leaved, medium, willow and Vangutta spirea, Thunberg barberry, various varieties of chubushnik, low almonds, felt cherries are used.The assortment of non-splitting deciduous plants for landscaping is extensive: tree caragana, European berekrest, common privet, squat elm, honeysuckle, brilliant cotoneaster, blister, common viburnum, hordovina. In Western Europe, evergreen types of privet, for example, brilliant privet, are considered the best for landscaping creation of hedges, but for the conditions of central Russia, they are completely unsuitable due to their low winter hardiness. For us (landscaping of central Russia), common deciduous privet is more suitable, which is able to withstand short-term frosts up to -30. In addition, it is drought-resistant, can grow on saline and alkaline soils, but prefers nutrient-rich and well-moisturized, as well as sunny location ... Easily recovers after pruning. Common privet is easily propagated by seeds, root suckers, cuttings, lignified and green cuttings.
Barberry hedge
For instance, barberry is the most prickly plant in the hedge crop range. It is not very pleasant to cut it, but such unwanted guests as other people's dogs and cats are unlikely to dare to climb over such a fence to your site. The plant is beautiful in itself: the Thunberg deciduous barberry convincingly proves this with its fine foliage with a velvety sheen. The more cold-resistant common barberry, as well as other species valuable for gardening, are no less attractive in gardening: Siebold's barberry, Amur barberry, multi-horned barberry. Barberries tolerate pruning well, so they are also suitable for low hedges and curbs.
Hawthorn
classic hedge plant. For example, the hawthorn is great for a natural garden. This is a small tree or shrub 3 - 6 ms in height with a symmetrical light crown, dark green leaves that turn red in autumn and sores up to 1.5 cm long. It is close to prickly hawthorn, but differs from it in its rapid growth and the presence of pinkish flowers. The fruits are round, red. This type of hawthorn is shade-tolerant and less demanding on heat and humidity than other species, therefore it can be used in areas with a more continental climate. Grows well in dry to moderately moist calcareous soil, in the sun or in partial shade.
Coniferous border is very beautiful:
Yew berry, undersized garden forms of thuja. Borders are very decorative, they are planted along paths, borders of terraces and lawns in one, two or three rows, they are very popular in landscaping participating in recent years. The border of conifers is very beautiful: berry yew, undersized garden forms of thuja. The following deciduous plants are suitable for clipping borders: from thornless plants - common privet, cinquefoil, alpine and golden currants, holly mahonia, evergreen boxwood; thorny - Japanese quince, Thunberng barberry
Berry yew hedge
Yew berry this is a real relict plant: there are specimens that are more than 1000 years old. The hedges grown from yew also live for a long time, but in order to get such a hedge, it will also take a lot of time, since yew grows very slowly. A well-groomed yew hedge is so thick that it looks like a solid green wall even after being trimmed. The yew grows in the deepest shade and under the canopy of large trees, without fear of competition with their roots. The main thing is that the soil is not too acidic. And it is important to remember that all parts of the plant, up to the pulp of the fruit, are very poisonous for both humans and animals. Berry yew is quite cold-resistant and, in principle, can grow in central Russia, for the winter it must be covered with burlap, protecting not so much from the cold as from the sun's rays that cause burns.
Recently, under the influence of Western gardening culture, many summer residents and land owners began to use hedges made of ornamental shrubs instead of traditional fences. A hedge is aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly. And very beautiful. About which shrubs are more suitable for hedges than others, what perennial hedges look like, when and how a hedge is cut, we will tell in our article.
Coniferous shrubs
Yew berry
This coniferous plant is extremely popular in the middle lane. Yew grows best in loose, well-drained soil. A yew hedge can be up to four meters high. The plant develops equally well in the sun and in the shade. Yew grows slowly, and a full-fledged hedge will have to be grown for several years, but there is a plus in this drawback: you have to cut yew bushes no more than once a year, and this is not necessary. Fertilizers under the yew are applied once a year in the spring. Of the garden forms of berry yew, Nana, Hixie, Ripendence and Fastgiat Aurea are more popular than others.
Berry yew hedge
Thuja western
This is also a coniferous plant, which is often used for decorative purposes, including for enclosing a plot. Thuja is sun-loving, frost-hardy, prefers moist soil and is not afraid of strong winds. In height, the wall of thuja can reach 4 m. Thuja grows much faster than yew, therefore, it is cut twice per season - in spring and autumn. Try not to root the plant too much, otherwise the color of its needles may lose brightness and saturation. In hedges, such varieties of western thuja as Golden Globe, Columna and Spiralis are often grown.
Lawson's cypress
This frost-hardy shrub that is not afraid of the wind is very similar to thuja, but its scale-like needles are thinner. Cypress trees come with yellow, green or blue foliage, and you can create a multi-colored hedge by planting plants with different colored needles in a row. The cypress grows best on moist soils. As for lighting, only deep shadow is not suitable for the plant. The hedge is cut once a year, but you should know that after a strong shearing, the needles grow for a very long time.
Evergreen shrubs
Boxwood
The ideal plant for a hedge is the perennial evergreen boxwood. Green-leaved plant varieties hibernate without shelter, and forms with leaves of other shades are best grown where there is no frost in winter. Boxwood bushes can be cut into any shape. The shrub has dwarf varieties for borders, and there are plants that reach a height of 3 m.However, in order for a boxwood hedge to look well-groomed, it needs to be cut once every one and a half months. Boxwood grows slowly, so adult seedlings are better for a hedge. A haircut is very important for the shrub, which is carried out in the very first season after planting: the bush is shortened by almost half, the plant receives a strong shake, after which it grows much faster.
Privet
This plant is readily and often used in landscape design. It has glossy, like boxwood leaves, but not rounded, but elongated. In spring, privet bushes are adorned with white flowers, which turn into small dark blue berries in autumn. Privet has evergreen varieties, and there are deciduous ones. The shrub grows slowly, so the formation of a hedge will take some time. Most often, the varieties Aureum, Glaukum and Atrovirens are grown as a hedge, which, due to the brightness of the color of the leaves, it is advisable to plant in a sunny place.
Privet hedge
Laurel
The cherry laurel bush grows up to 2 m. The main advantage of this plant is its adaptability to any conditions - heat, lack of water, poor or, conversely, too bright lighting. The cherry laurel has dense, glossy leathery leaves. In autumn, red, gradually blackening fruits appear on the bushes. In some plant species, they are edible. The cherry laurel grows quite quickly, so you will have to cut the hedge twice a year. The plant is very plastic: it can be given any shape.
Holly
Shrub up to 2 m high, preferring areas with medium light and not characterized by winter hardiness. Holly blooms with fragrant white flowers, and by the fall, bright red spherical fruits collected in a brush ripen on it, which do not fall off all winter. Holly grows slowly, so they cut it once a year.
Holly hedge
Deciduous shrubs
European beech
This is one of the most popular shrubs for creating a hedge, reaching a height of four meters or more. The plant prefers moist, fertile soil. The beech grows quickly, so it has to be cut twice a year. Green beech leaves in spring and summer turn yellow or turn red by autumn and do not fall until the very frost. However, the plant is prone to root rot, so it is important to monitor the degree of soil moisture.
Common hornbeam
Due to its silvery-gray bark, hornbeam is sometimes called white beech. The hornbeam can grow both in the sun and in the shade. This plant of the Birch family blooms with earrings, which gives it additional attractiveness. The hornbeam tolerates shading, drought and waterlogging of the soil well, is winter hardy and is almost not damaged by diseases and pests. It grows quickly, so the hornbeam hedge is cut twice a season.
Cotoneaster brilliant
The cotoneaster grows up to 2 m in height. Its small leaves are very densely located on the branches. The plant is relatively drought-resistant, frost-resistant, shade-tolerant, branches well and tolerates urban gas pollution, the bushes in the lower part do not go bald, the shrub is undemanding to the composition of the soil. It has only one drawback: it needs to be cut frequently.
Bubble plant
The bubble plant reaches a height of 3 m. It is resistant to diseases, frost-hardy and grows very quickly, and in all directions at once. Its leaves resemble currant, viburnum and even maple leaves. At the end of June, the bladder begins to bloom, and it is covered with umbrellas of many white flowers. The natural shape of the bush is spherical, but it can be cut to any shape. It is best to do the shaping in early spring, and during the period of leaf fall, you need to do sanitary cleaning of the fence. The plant is represented by varieties with leaves of different colors: Diablo, Little Davil, Coppertina - plants with purple foliage, turning red in autumn; Center Glow - a variety with burgundy-gold leaves; Luteus and Darts Gold are varieties with golden leaves; Nana is a vesicle with bright green leaves and white flowers.
Thorn
Inexpensive fast growing plant with tart edible berries. The thorn is represented in culture by a large number of varieties and garden forms, and all of them are distinguished by winter hardiness and rapid growth, but they require serious care. The thorn is cut in November. Of the varieties, the most popular are Plena, Purpurea and Krasnolistny.
Blackthorn hedge
Hawthorn
Another ideal hedge plant that lives up to 300 years, requires little maintenance and can adapt to all conditions. The exception is some varieties that do not tolerate cold winters well. A hedge of three-year-old seedlings is planted in a checkerboard pattern, and two years after planting, at the end of April, all bushes must be cut to a height of 20 cm. After such a radical pruning, the hedge will be much thicker. After a year, you can start adjusting the shape of the bushes, and this can be done from spring to autumn. Most often, Arnold's hawthorns are planted to create a hedge, fan-shaped, soft and ordinary.
Forsythia
Forsythia, or forsythia, is an amazingly beautiful plant: your garden will be surrounded by a golden ring of flowering bushes for a month in early spring, and only after the flowering is complete, leaves will begin to appear on the shrub. Forsythia loves the sun, does not tolerate drafts and does not tolerate frosts. A haircut in June serves to shape the shrubs, but heavy pruning is harmful to the plant. A hedge is created from species such as European forsythia (Giralda), oval-leaved, drooping and medium.
Forsythia hedge
Barberry Thunberg
A beautiful, showy plant that is great both in single and group planting. This type of barberry has a huge number of varieties, the foliage of which can be colored dark red, brown with a golden tint, green or purple. The height of the Thunberg barberry hedge can reach 2.5 m. The shrub is unpretentious in care, but the bright sun harms it. But moderately low temperatures are not terrible for him. Barberry blooms in May, and in August or September glossy, red, very attractive, but, unfortunately, poisonous fruits ripen on it. The shrub is pruned twice per season - in spring and autumn. For growing high hedges, it is better to purchase Pink Queen, Erecta and Maria varieties, and for growing curbs, the dwarf varieties Kobold, Admiration, Green Carpet, Speshil Gold, Bagatelle and Atropurpurea Nana are more suitable.
A hedge is a fence (fence), which is a planting of plants that serves to fence (protect) and fram a particular territory. Usually hedges consist of trees or shrubs, but they can also be of herbal plants, vines. Depending on the plants used, hedges are divided into deciduous, evergreen, flowering, curly.
Hedge may be:
- low (up to 1 m in height). For its planting, barberry, cinquefoil, currant, boxwood, etc. are used.
- average (from 1 m to 1.5 m in height). For planting it, they use euonymus, privet, cotoneaster, bubblegum, lilac, virgin juniper, etc.
- high (more than 1.5 m in height). Linden, ornamental apple tree, lilac, hawthorn, etc. are used for planting it.
Hedges formed by two types:
- free-growing;
- formed
Free-growing hedges most often created from flowering plants, as well as from plants with beautiful and bright fruits. The crowns of such plants should slightly touch each other, without interfering with the penetration of sunlight.
Formed hedges have regular geometric shapes, they need a regular haircut. Plants for such a hedge should have a well-branching crown, and easily tolerate shearing.
Finding the perfect hedge plants is not easy. We present to you a few of the most common ones, pointing out their advantages and disadvantages.
Conifers are irreplaceable material for vertical gardening. Their advantages are undeniable. Thuja western is quite winter-hardy and wind-resistant, although in winter the needles sometimes turn brown. The only drawback is slow growth. Only after 10 years, thuja forms a dense, living wall absolutely impenetrable to the eyes. The plant is very undemanding to the soil, on one condition that it is not too dry.
Hedge from thuja should be trimmed regularly, but little by little, since this plant does not tolerate radical pruning. One of the best varieties is: " Smaragd"" with tender, all year round green scaly needles and well branching " Sunkist"" with golden yellow needles.
Another evergreen coniferous hedge plant comparable to thuja. Cypress grows straight up and not as vigorously as thuja, it has more filigree branches with delicate scaly needles. It also thrives on shady areas on any normal soil, but not overly dry garden soil. For hedges there is a large selection of varieties with blue needles ("Alumii" "," Columnaris "", "Ellwoodii"), with yellow or yellow-green ("Alumigold" "," Golden Wonder "", "Stewartii" "). Like thuja, cypress does not tolerate strong pruning and requires shading in late winter and early spring.
This is a real relict plant, there are specimens that are more than 1000 years old. The hedges grown from yew also live long, but in order to get such a hedge, it will also take a lot of time, since the yew grows very slowly. A well-groomed yew hedge is so thick that it looks like a solid green wall even immediately after being cut. Yew grows in the deepest shade, and under the canopy of trees. The main thing is that the soil is not too acidic. It is important to remember that all parts of the yew tree are poisonous. Recommended varieties for hedges are Hicksii (erect, with bright green needles) and Semperauca (densely branching, with yellow needles). A yew hedge will tolerate heavy pruning, but it will take a long time before it becomes dense again. Yew berry cold-resistant, it does not need shelter for the winter.
Red-leaved form forest beech, or European contains especially a lot of red pigment in the leaves. Due to this, the hedge of this plant casts a dark metallic sheen and looks very noble. In autumn, beech foliage turns yellow-orange and partially remains on the tree until spring. Hedge beech is propagated by seed, so the color of the leaves, unlike grafted plants, can vary.
Sometimes you come across green-leaved specimens that will have to be replaced next year.
Both forms, green and red-leaved, have the same properties: it can grow in the shade, endure radical pruning and is suitable for very narrow hedges. The soil requirements of beeches are very high: they prefer fertile, loamy and will not grow on wet, acidic and alkaline ones. Beech is ideal for southern regions.
Real, looks like a beech. Hornbeam foliage has a fresh green color and looks more filigree than that of beech, as the leaves themselves are thinner, with pronounced veins and do not shine so much. In autumn they turn golden yellow and do not fall off until winter. In terms of shade tolerance and tolerance for pruning, hornbeam is not inferior to beech, and it makes much less demands on the soil: it can be moderately dry or wet after planting is rather bad, so it is better to choose younger seedlings. Hornbeam is good for making very dense hedges.
In Western Europe, an evergreen species privet (shiny privet) is considered the best for creating a hedge, but ordinary privet is more winter-hardy, although deciduous. It is drought tolerant, can grow in saline and alkaline soils, but prefers nutrient-rich and well-hydrated soils. Privet bushes well and grows quickly, easily recovers after radical pruning. Regular formative pruning should be done immediately after flowering, in July. There are forms with gray, golden or variegated leaves. It is easily propagated by seeds, root suckers, layering, cuttings.
The most prickly plant in the hedge crop range. It is not very pleasant to cut it, but such unwanted guests as other people's dogs and cats are unlikely to dare to climb over such a fence. The plant is beautiful in itself: deciduous barberry Thunberg
"Atropurpurea"" proves this with its fine foliage with a velvety sheen. No less attractive is the more cold-resistant common barberry, as well as: Siebold's barberry, Amur barberry, multi-horned barberry, evergreen Juliana barberry. The common dignity of all barberries is graceful golden yellow or reddish flowers and small red or gray-black fruits. Barberries tolerate pruning well, so they are suitable for low hedges and for curbs. Plants of all types prefer sunny places, undemanding to soil, drought-resistant and do not tolerate stagnant moisture.
For hedge it is not at all necessary to take classic plants that tolerate a haircut well, why not choose a decorative apple tree. The hedge made of it is not inferior in decorativeness to hawthorn, and even with fruits. Apple plants can be planted almost close to each other, then over time they will turn out to be a dense, almost impassable wall that perfectly protects the site from the wind. A good hedge can be formed from ordinary spruce, linden, hazel, irgi, yellow acacia. And for a low green wall, such undersized shrubs as cotoneaster, currants, shrub cinquefoil, spirea, evergreen podubolisty mahonia, etc. are suitable.
Hedgeb is a colossal work that will more than pay for itself, highlighting the beauty of the landscape. Specialists "White Acacia" are ready to offer our services for the selection of plants, the arrangement of hedges and their care.
Yew (Taxus ) is a genus of evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Northern Hemisphere. In nature, yews are extremely rare, but there are many varieties and varieties in culture. Yew needles are dense, very dark, shiny, tough, but not prickly. Species plants are, as a rule, bushy, varietal - the most diverse: candles, a ball, an inverted cone or creeping. Some cultivars have yellow or even variegated needles.
The genus includes 8 species of dioecious or monoecious evergreen trees or shrubs. Most commonly used European berry yew (T.baccata ) and its cultivars. Berry yew, which originally occupied a very large territory, was almost completely exterminated by humans because of its strong and practically "eternal" wood, which has strong bactericidal properties - it kills even those microorganisms that are in the air. A house in which at least the ceiling beams are made of yew is reliably protected from a disease-causing infection, which was extremely valued in the era of mass epidemics.
When the yew was no longer enough for construction, they began to make furniture from it. It was so rare and expensive that it was even mentioned in chronicles and fairy tales. Plank tables and beds, which are often found in Russian fairy tales, were made of yew. In "The Lay of Igor's Regiment" Prince Svyatoslav dies on a board (yew) bed, which the chronicler considered it his duty to mention as a rare and very expensive thing that testified to the power of the prince. Later, yew was used to make such sacred objects as crosses, tabernacles, crayfish for relics - in all cases when the contents needed to be protected from damage.
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Yew berry is distributed sporadically almost throughout Western Europe, in the Caucasus, in Asia Minor. A dioecious tree, in Central Europe up to 17 m in height, up to 27 m in the Caucasus. The crown is spreading, very dense, ovoid-cylindrical, often multi-peaked. The trunk is ribbed, knotty, covered with a reddish-gray, smooth, later lamellar, flaking bark. Young shoots are dark green, ribbed. The needles are located on the shoots spirally, on the side branches in pairs, flat, shiny on top, dark green, matte below, yellow-green, ends with a short spine. The length of the needles is 2.0-3.5 cm. Flowers are laid in the autumn in the axils of the needles at the base of the shoot. Male inflorescences are spherical, with short legs; female flowers are small, greenish, solitary. The seeds are enclosed in a berry-like, bright red seed plant. |
It is very shade-tolerant, surpasses all tree species in this indicator, grows in places where other types of conifers die. Requires nutritious, moist soil, preferring calcareous soil, and can grow on clayey. Gas and smoke resistant, wind resistant. It grows extremely slowly, living up to 4000 years in favorable conditions. It tolerates not only a haircut, but also a transplant in an adult state.
It is of exceptional interest for green building as a classic plant for clipped hedges, curbs, figured arrangements, group and single plantings. From the Renaissance to the present day, berry yew continues to be the best material for topiary art. It has many garden forms, among which the following are often found:
| THE FORM | DESCRIPTION |
| "Adpressa" |
The female form. Small tree or shrub up to 3 m in height and width. The crown is wide, unevenly developed. The branches are short, open. The needles are small, short, 5-9 mm long and 2-4 mm wide, dark green above, slightly bluish-green below; at the end the needles are rounded, located in two rows. Seeds from above are 3-4-sided or round. Many others were formed from this form: with yellow-variegated needles, with golden-yellow needles at the ends of the shoots, with shoots directed upwards or with a pyramidal crown shape and shoots spaced apart from each other. Propagated by seeds and cuttings (87%). It is relatively winter-hardy; in severe winters, freezing of annual shoots is possible. Recommended for group or single landings. A beautiful, peculiar coniferous plant that should be tested more widely in the landscaping of city parks and squares, to create hedges. |
| "Аdpressa aurea" |
Female form; the appearance is similar to that of "Adpressa", but slightly weaker, barely reaching 1.5 m in height. The needles at the ends of the shoots are golden yellow, the rest are yellow-variegated. |
| "Аdpressa erecta" |
Male form. Shrub form, pin-shaped, 3-5 m high; shoots are directed upward; lateral branches are spaced from the trunk, needles are 1.5 cm long and 3 mm wide, obtuse-pointed, evenly standing, dark green above, light green below. |
| "Adpressa pyramidalis" |
The appearance is similar to "Adpressa Erecta", but the shoots are more spaced from each other. The needles are only 1 mm wide (in the "Adpressa Erecta" 3 mm), but hardly distinguishable. |
| "Аdpressa variegata" |
The appearance is very branched; shoots are directed upwards. The needles are yellow-variegated with green central lines, often yellowish-white, lighter than that of "Аdpressa aurea". |
| "Аlbovariegata" |
The needles are uniform and constantly white and variegated. |
| "Amersfoort" |
Small, slow-growing shrub, kegle-shaped or narrow-leaved; the branches are quite tough and compressed; shoots are dense, short, brown. The needles are short, oblong, 5-7 cm long and 3-4 mm thick, slightly curved back, radially standing, dark green above, light below. |
| "Вarronii" |
Wide pyramidal appearance, slow growth; the apical shoot is oblique with powerful lateral shoots spaced from each other; branches are yellow, shortened shoots inside the plant are often dark green. The needles are far apart, 2 cm long and 2 mm thick, slightly curved, from above with a yellow-green central stripe, from below light golden yellow, winter color is fresh golden yellow. |
| "Сavendishii" |
Creeping dwarf form, 2-2.5 m wide and 0.3-0.4 m high; the branches are spread out above the ground, the ends of the shoots are hanging, young shoots are far apart, bent. The needles are spaced apart, directed upward and forward, slightly crescent-shaped, flat, intensely bluish-green above, light green below. One of the most beautiful dwarf forms. |
| "Сheshuntensis" |
The form is wide, straight (transitional form between the species and "Fastigiata"); branches are straight. The needles are smaller than that of the species, shorter and narrower at the ends of the shoots, usually bluish-green below. |
| "Compacta" |
Dwarf form, rounded, just above 1 m and the same width; branches evenly spaced from the trunk, numerous branches, 4-6 cm long, brown. The needles are located around the branches, 5-10 mm long and 1-1.5 mm wide, slightly sickle-shaped, shiny above, dark green, lighter below, with a dark central stripe. |
| Decora |
Dwarf form, straight with a flat top, branches are short, drooping and very densely standing. Needles about 30 mm long and 3-4 mm wide, curled upward, dark green, highly shiny. Very nice shape. |
| "Dovastoniana" |
Male form, but sometimes branches with fruits are found. A tree or shrub 3-5 m tall. Shoots are green, horizontally spaced from the trunk, almost in whorls, the ends of the shoots are hanging down. The needles are dark green, about 3 cm long and 3 mm wide, arranged in two rows. One of the most decorative forms of conifers. The well-known form "Dovastonian Aureavariegata" is characterized by weaker growth, golden-yellow shoots and needles.Both forms are recommended for single and group plantings on the lawn in gardens or near houses in the form of a hedge. |
| "Elegantissima" |
The female form. The growth is powerful, the height of the bushes is 3-5 m. The shoots are widely spreading, dense, powerful, pale yellow. The needles are 1-1.5 cm long, white and variegated with a yellowish tinge. Produces abundantly. It is quite common. Propagated by seeds and cuttings (81%). Recommended for group landings. Can be experienced when creating a hedge. |
| "Еrecta aureovariegata" |
The top is cut off. The needles are tightly standing, curved and straight, thin, flat, 2-2.5 cm long and 2 mm thick, sharp, green above with a yellow edge, uniformly white-yellow below. |
| "Ericoides" |
Dwarf form, slowly growing, just above 0.8 m; limbs are thin, short, straight and distant from the trunk; branches are short. The needles are small, densely standing, thin, very sharp, almost fusiform (\u003d T. bassata microphylla, T. empetrifolia). |
| "Fastigiata" |
The female form. The crown is wide-columnar. Plant height 3-5 m. The top is drooping. Branches are numerous, sharp, straight, short, ascending. The needles are 2.0-2.5 cm long, black-green; bent inward, spirally located on the shoots. Relatively hardy. It recovers quickly if damaged by frost. Should be planted in a place protected from the wind. Propagated by cuttings (80-94%). Recommended for single and group landings. It is advisable to experience when creating a hedge. |
| "Fastigiata Aurea" |
The crown is columnar. Young shoots and needles are golden yellow with a green stripe. Propagated by cuttings (69-85%). Recommended for group landings. |
| "Fastigiata auremarginata" |
In everything it is similar to the green form, but the needles of young shoots with a wide edge of a golden yellow color, during the year they turn light green. It is very often mistaken for "Fastigiata aurea". |
| "Fastigiata robusta" |
Like "Fastigiata", but strictly columnar and more coarse. The needles are longer, light green and tighter. |
| "Fastigiata variegata" |
Like "Standishii", but the needles are white-variegated at first, then green or almost green. |
| "Fastigiata viridis" |
The form is strictly columnar. The needles are very dense, flat, thin, 25 mm long, soft to the touch from above, shiny, light green, pale green below. |
| "Glauca" |
Male form. Loose, straight, similar to "Cheshuntensis", but larger and more luxuriant; branches are numerous, short. The needles are 1.5-2 cm long, often crescent-bent, monotonously bluish-green above, matte bluish-green below (\u003d T. baccata nigra). |
| "Nessei" |
Straight shape: very densely branched. Needles 30-35 mm long and 3.5-4 mm wide, partially crescent-bent, dark green above with a distinct central vein, light green below. |
| Horizontalis |
Dwarf form 0.8 m in height, in width it grows strongly. Spreading shoots, far apart from each other. The ends of the shoots are bent. The needles are 2.5 cm long and 4 mm wide, sickle-shaped, dark green above, light green below with a dark central stripe. Propagated by cuttings (56%). Recommended for rocky slides. Grown in containers for landscaping balconies. Can be planted in groups on the ground in parks. |
| "Imperialis" |
The form is straight, densely branched, not as pointed as in "Fastigiata". Needles 2.5-3 cm long and 3 mm wide, thin, slightly crescent, green, light green below. |
| "Jacksonii" |
The shape is pyramidal, but the shoots are hanging; branches are numerous, short, red-brown. The needles are wide, more or less sickle-shaped, bent inward, densely covering the apical shoots (\u003d T. baccata pendula). |
| "Linearis" |
The shape is dense and lush; the branches are directed upward. Needles up to 3 cm long, thin, sickle-shaped, dark yellow-green. Very winter hardy form. |
| "Lutea" |
The female form. Broad and powerful, 3-5 m tall. The needles are intense green. The most important distinguishing feature is the light yellow (instead of red) fruits. |
| "Nana" |
Dwarf form, low and wide, no higher than 60 cm. The needles are small, dark green. |
| "Neidpathensis" |
Male form. Columnar or almost Keglevidnaya, loose at the end and not closed, resembles "Сheshuntensis", but more rigid. |
| "Nissen" s Corona " |
Bush. Height 1.5-2.5 m, crown diameter 6-8 m. In Moscow, it does not grow above the level of snow cover. The crown is open. The bark is thin, reddish-brown, branches are brownish-green. The needles are needle-like, bright green. Annual growth is 5 to 10 cm in height and 20 cm spread. Slow growing. Shade tolerant. Hibernates with shelter. Prefers fresh fertile, calcareous soils, does not tolerate acidic. It lends itself well to a haircut. Application: single landings, groups, curbs. |
| "Nissen" s Kadett " |
The form is loose, straight, without a central shoot; rising branches. The needles are dark green, delicate. |
| "Nissen" s Page " |
The form is bushy and closed, straight, with slightly shortened shoots. |
| "Nissen" s Рresident " |
The form is spreading, fast-growing, up to 5 m wide and 2 m high. The needles are powerful, dark green. |
| "Nissen" s R egent " |
Similar to "Nissen" s Corona ", also 6 m wide and 1 m high, uneven growth. Needles are tender, dark green. |
| "Рendula Graciosa" |
Hanging shape, powerful, slightly branched; long hanging branches; branches are short, twisted, hanging. Needles 1.5 cm long and 2 mm wide, thin, soft to the touch, light green above, lighter below (\u003d T. baccata pendula overeynderi). |
| "Raket" |
The form is broad-shaped, very densely branched. Needles 15-20 mm long and 2-2.5 mm wide, dark green above, lighter below. Due to its small stature, it is suitable as a hedge. |
| "Repandens" |
Creeping shrub, 0.4-0.5 m in height and 2-5 m in spread. Branches horizontally spaced from the trunk, pressed to the ground. The needles are up to 3 cm long, crescent-shaped, directed upward and forward, from above with a distinct central line, shiny, dark green with a bluish tinge, flat below, lighter. The needles are poisonous to mammals. It grows slowly. Shade tolerant. Moisture-loving. However, heavy shading causes plant oppression. Prefers fresh, well-drained soils, medium in fertility. Winter-hardy. It is currently one of the most interesting and widespread decorative dwarf forms of yew. Propagated by grafting. Recommended for landscaping terraces and roofs, for growing in containers, for group plantings in rocky areas, in rock gardens. |
| "Schwarzgrun" |
The form is uniformly wide-bushy, straight. The needles are distinctly dark green. Especially hardy; suitable for hedges. |
| "Semperaurea" |
Shrub up to 2 m tall. The crown is wide and straight, but with a cut off crown. Crown diameter 4 m. Shoots rising. Branches are numerous, yellow-brown, very short. The needles are 1-2 cm long, gradually shortening at the ends of the shoots, slightly crescent-shaped, golden yellow above, light yellow-golden below or with a yellowish edge. Currently, a very well-known form, one of the best among the yellow-colored. Winter hardiness. Propagated by cuttings (48%). Recommended for group and solitary plantings against the backdrop of a lawn, on alpine slides, for growing in containers for landscaping roofs and terraces. Can be experienced in hedges. |
| Spickermann |
The shape is wider than the tall one, without a central shoot. |
| "Summergold" |
The shape is wide and flat, the branches rise obliquely. Crescent needles, 2-3 cm long and 2-3 mm wide; the edge is wide, yellow, in summer it is usually golden-yellow (\u003d T. baccata Horizontalis aurea). Does not suffer from sunburn. |
| "Standishii" |
Height as in "Fastigiata", but not higher than 2 m; shoots are golden yellow. The needles at the ends of the shoots and on young shoots are golden, 2.5 cm long and 3-4 mm wide (\u003d T. baccata hibernica standishii). A beautiful columnar plant. |
| "Washingtonii" |
Height 1.5-2 m, crown diameter is much larger. The crown is loose with overlapping branches. The needles are strongly curved, in summer they are yellow-green with a yellow border, in winter the color of the needles becomes golden-yellow or bronze. Frost resistant. It is common. Effective in solitary plantings. |
Location: the most shade-tolerant breed. With the onset of warm days, the generative buds of the yews quickly swell and at the end of April the yews bloom. Despite the high shade tolerance, plants grown with sufficient illumination give greater growth, but are less protected from the effects of low temperatures. Plants planted in sheltered places, after harsh winters, better retain their appearance (the color of the needles, give abundant fruiting) than plants in open places. All of this is in favor of planting yew in sheltered areas.
The soil: turf land, peat, sand (3: 2: 2). Yew berry can grow on both alkaline and slightly acidic soils. Drainage is desirable, broken brick and sand with a layer of 20 cm. It does not tolerate excessive soil moisture and the presence of heavy metals and other toxic substances in it, therefore it is unsuitable for landscaping large cities. It tolerates drought well, has very deep roots and is able to extract water from the lowest aquifers. If these waters contain salt, which happens quite often, the yew begins to turn yellow in drought, while the needles located closer to the trunk suffer first.
Landing: distance between plants from 0.6 to 2.5 m. Root collar at ground level. Planting depth 60-70 cm. Soil: sod land, peat, sand (3: 2: 2). In the hedge, trenches measuring 0.5x0.5 m are single-row, 0.7x0.7 m are double-row. It grows slowly.
Care: when planting "Kemiru Universal" is applied at the rate of 100 g / m 2. A year later, in the spring, give a complete mineral fertilizer 50 - 70 g / m 2 nitroammofoski. During the season, water is watered once a month, 10 - 12 liters per plant, sprinkling once every 2 weeks. Loosening of young plantings is recommended for the first 2-3 years to a depth of 10-15 cm, when removing weeds and when compacting the soil. Chip mulching with a layer of 8 cm. It tolerates haircuts and strong pruning during crown formation. Remove dry shoots completely, pruning 1/3 of the shoot length. Cover young plantings for the winter with peat with a layer of 5-7 cm, protect the plants from burns with spruce branches or craft paper. Adult plants are hardy. Young yews in winter also become very fragile and easily break from snow, so for the winter they are tied with a rope in one bundle to prevent snow from accumulating on individual branches.
Reproduction: seeds and cuttings. Most often they bloom and bear fruit for two years in a row, in the third year of fruiting does not happen. The seeds ripen in the fall. After harvesting, the seeds are stored in a cool room with a temperature of 5-6 ° C, with low air humidity. Autumn sowing of seeds gives good results. With spring sowing, 7-month stratification is required at a temperature of 3-5 ° C, after which they germinate in 2 months (unstratified - in 1-3 years).
Yews are perfectly cuttings, and not only one-year shoots are rooted, but also two-year ones taken "with the heel". Interestingly, cuttings taken from upward-pointing branches produce shrubs with compact, upright growth. And cuttings from horizontal branches, rooting, form sprawling low plants. They reproduce well by layering and grafting.
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Using: Yews have been used for haircuts and topiary art for centuries, as they grow slowly and branch off perfectly, creating a very dense texture. However, for most regions of Russia, yews are suitable only for a low curb that will winter under the snow, and high impenetrable walls, which are formed from yew in more southern regions, will not come out of it. |
| In the picture on the left: yew maze |
Yew is the most common ornamental tree in the classic English garden. Sheared yews are used to create hedges and various decorative figures - balls, cubes and sculptures.