griselinia
( griss - ell - IN - ee - uh )
At-A-Glance InformationGriselinia is a genus of evergreen shrubs and trees that need full sun to partial shade and moderate to regular water. These shrubs always keep a groomed look to them, with shiny thick green leaves and insignificant flowers and fruit. They are great near swimming pools and as formal hedges, and are hardy to sea spray and wind. These shrubs are native to New Zealand and South Africa.
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Griselinia Species and Varietals
The genus Griselinia includes seven species of shrubs and trees, and is a member of the plant family Griseliniaceae. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
Griselinia littoralis (New Zealand Broadleaf, Kapuka, Papauma) This species forms a 50-foot tall tree in its native habitat, but in gardens usually tops out more around 10 feet tall and just as wide. Use this shrub as a dense screen or windbreak plant, or as a background shrub. These plants do well in coastal beach conditions, and can also be espaliered. Varieties include 'Dixon's Cream' and 'Variegata', which both have foliage with cream markings. |
Caring for and pruning Griselinia shrubs
Plant your Griselinia in spring or fall in full sun exposure in well-draining soil. These shrubs aren't picky about soil quality, and can tolerate a wide range of pH levels, as long as they aren't too extremely alkaline or acidic. Provide with regular waterings as it is getting itself established in your garden; at maturity, it only needs some deep waterings during dry spells. Fertilize once a year in early springtime with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer. If growing Griselinia as a hedge, make sure to prune somewhat frequently when the plants are young to establish a dense habit. Springtime is the best time to prune these shrubs for size and shape. These shrubs tend to self-seed; if berries are allowed to drop, you'll find volunteer seedlings around the base of the plant. If you'd like to curb this behavior, cut berry clusters off of the plant when they appear.
Propagation
Griselinia shrubs can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Griselinia, follow the instructions below:
Propagating Griselinia by Cutting
Propagating Griselinia by Seed
Propagating Griselinia by Cutting
- Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
- In fall through the middle of springtime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 3-4 inch semi-hardwood portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip all but the top two or three leaves off. Make your cut just below a node. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
- Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
- Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.
Propagating Griselinia by Seed
- Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
- Harvest your seeds. The seeds on Griselinia shrubs are contained inside the berries that the plant produces. These berries will only appear if there is a male and a female plant present. Once these berries have ripened on the shrub, cut them off and bring them to a sink. Rub them against a fine mesh to extract the seeds from the pulp, and then rinse them and set them aside to dry on a paper towel. These shrubs will readily drop their berries and produce volunteer seedlings, so you can also wait for this process to happen naturally.
- Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
- Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Problems and Pests
Although Griselinia is relatively pest and disease-free, it does suffer from Leaf Spot. For more information on this issue, including how to treat and prevent it from occurring, see the links below:
Gallery
Videos
All about growing Griselinia.
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Growing a Grisilenia hedge, explained.
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How to prune your Griselinia shrub.
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How to hedge your Griselinia.
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 348, Griselinia
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