Plant Ideas for Hedges

Fast-Growing Evergreens

• Often the impetus to plant a hedge comes from the need to create a screen along the property line. In this case, the speed of growth is important, and evergreen varieties should be selected to provide a dense, year-round visual barrier. The Leyland cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii) is a coniferous shrub that grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 10 and puts on 2 to 3 feet of growth each year. It prefers full sun and eventually reaches 40 feet or more with an upright, pyramidal form. For a smaller evergreen, try wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera), a broadleaf shrub that tolerates a wide range of growing conditions -- including sun, part shade, extreme heat, drought, infertile soil, acidic or alkaline soils and salt spray. This shrub grows very quickly to 10 feet tall and wide in USDA zones 7b to 11.

Elegant Flowering Species

• If a gorgeous flower display is what's important in a hedge, try the European cranberry bush (Viburnum opulus), hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8. It is a deciduous shrub, growing 12 feet tall with upright, gracefully arching stems and large round clusters of white flowers. The gorgeous summer flower display is followed by clusters of red fruit, which are a source of bird food in winter. Mock orange (Philadelphus lewisii) has pure white flowers in early summer with a sublime fragrance. Growing in USDA zones 5 to 8, this deciduous shrub grows to 10 or 12 feet and has an upright, vase shape.

Bamboo Screens

• Bamboo provides an option for an instant hedge with an exotic feel. Many bamboo species are highly invasive if they are planted without a barrier, but certain varieties grow as single clumps and take the worry away in planting bamboo. Giant timber bamboo (Bambusa oldhamii) is one such variety that makes a dramatic statement with 4-inch-diameter canes that grow to over 40 feet in height. It is one of the most cold-hardy clumping bamboos, growing in USDA zones 8 to 11. For a more modest size bamboo screen, try "Golden Goddess" bamboo (Bambusa multiplex "Golden Goddess") which has 1/2-inch canes and grows to a maximum of 10 feet.

Edible Hedges

• Edible shrubs make a dual-purpose hedge and can be highly ornamental. Blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) are elegant deciduous shrubs with decorative flowers, fruit and fall foliage and can be maintained as a 4- to 8-foot hedge, depending on the variety. They require acid soil conditions and grow in USDA zones 3 to 8. Plant pineapple guavas (Feijoa sellowiana) for a more exotic fruiting hedge. This evergreen shrub grows in USDA zones 8a through 11 and grows into a uniform, rounded shape up to 12 feet tall and wide. The 2- to 3-inch tropical-flavored fruits are produced in abundance each fall and the 1-inch red and white blossoms in spring are also edible.