Griselinia littoralis Redge

Griselinia littoralis 'Redge', also known as New Zealand broadleaf, is an evergreen bush ideal for coastal gardens. This recent cultivar is more branched and more disease-resistant and stands out for its average growth of about 30 cm (11.8 in) per year. Its shimmering apple-green foliage contrasts with its very dark branches. With its dense habit and great resistance to summer drought and sea spray, it will be highly appreciated in coastal gardens for creating windbreak hedges. Its discreet but highly fragrant spring flowering is followed by the formation of ripe, black berries on the female plants. Although hardy down to -10°C (14 °F), this bush will appreciate a position sheltered from dry and cold winds, and is best grown in a pot that can be stored away during winter in colder regions 

Griselinia littoralis is a bush from the family Cornaceae, just like dogwoods. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it grows in forests along the coastline up to 900m (2952 ft 10 in) altitude. In its natural environment, it can grow into a true tree with multiple trunks, reaching a height of 12m (39 ft 5 in). The 'Redge' cultivar will remain much smaller, only 1.80m (5 ft 11 in) in height and 1.20m (3 ft 11 in) in width. Its habit is upright, very bushy and dense, almost as wide as it is tall. Its growth rate is moderate in slightly chalky and deep soil, about 30cm (11.8 in) per year. In very chalky soil, its growth will be significantly reduced. Its flexible trunk and branches are covered with a smooth bark that turns black and cracks over time. The foliage, more or less evergreen depending on the severity of winter, consists of upright, ovate, incurved leaves, ranging from 4 to 12cm (1.6 to 4.7 in) in length. The texture of young leaves is fine and flexible, then it becomes thick, almost succulent, leathery and very glossy when mature. Their colour is a bright acid apple-green with a very shiny finish. The May-June flowering is more abundant in full sun, but not very visible: it takes the form of small paniculate axillary clusters composed of about a hundred small petal-less greenish-yellow flowers. Although often unnoticed by our eyes, it attracts a large number of pollinating insects that gather a bountiful harvest of pollen. As this bush is dioecious, only the female plants will bear fruit, provided that a male plant is planted nearby. These clusters of fruits are composed of small ovoid, acidic green berries, which turn black when ripe and contain only one seed.

Well suited to coastal areas, Griselinia littoralis 'Redge' can be used to create hedges at the garden boundaries to protect from wind and prying eyes. It adapts well to container cultivation, placed on the terrace or balcony. This cultivation method allows gardeners in cold regions to protect it from severe cold in an unheated greenhouse or conservatory during winter. Its height will be somewhat reduced in pots, but the plant will quickly fill the available space by spreading out. In open ground, it can also be used in a grove, alone or in association with other evergreen bushes such as purple laurel, Photinia Pink Marble, Elaeagnus, evergreen Ceanothus, or Pittosporum. It will also be very useful for creating a dense screen at the edge of a terrace, facing the prevailing winds.