Griselinia lucida

Griselinia lucida, sometimes called shiny griselinia, is an evergreen bush perfectly suited to gardens on the Atlantic coast. It is particularly suitable for hedge planting. With abundant shimmering foliage and a very dense habit, this cousin of Griselinia littoralis has larger leaves, slower growth, and a slightly smaller size. It responds well to pruning: regular pruning in the early years increases its density and reduces maintenance in the long term. Hardy down to -12°C (10.4°F), this bush is resistant to sea spray. It thrives in any well-drained soil that is not excessively dry. It is also well-suited to container cultivation, where it can be shaped into a ball or pyramid.

Griselinia lucida belongs to the Griseliniaceae family. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it grows in lowland areas in humid forests and along the coast. While it can reach heights of 12 to 15m (39 to 49ft) with multiple trunks in its natural environment, it will not exceed 3m (10ft) in height and 2.5m (8ft) in width in our climates, and will remain even smaller when grown in pots. Its habit is very bushy, dense, and almost as wide as it is tall. Its growth rate is moderate. Its trunk and branches, which are quite flexible, are covered with bark that becomes rough over time. The foliage remains evergreen in winter. It consists of thick, shiny, ovate leaves that can reach up to 12cm (5in) long and 5cm (2in) wide. The texture of young leaves is supple, then becomes leathery, and their lamina is extremely glossy. They emerge as a Granny Smith green colour and darken to a deep green. Flowering occurs in May-June and is more abundant in sunny conditions, although it is not very noticeable. It consists of small axillary panicles composed of around 100 small, petal-less green-yellow flowers. While often inconspicuous to the human eye, the flowers attract many pollinating insects that gather a bountiful harvest of pollen. As this bush is dioecious, only the female plants will bear fruits, provided a male plant is nearby. The fruit clusters are composed of small ovoid berries that start off green and become dark purple when ripe.

Perfectly suited to coastal areas, Griselinia lucida is used to create hedges along garden boundaries to protect against wind and prying eyes. It also adapts well to container cultivation, which can be placed on a patio or balcony. Its height will be shorter than when grown in the ground, but the plant will quickly fill the available space by spreading out. In the garden, it can also be used in a small grove, either alone or combined with other evergreen bushes such as purple laurustinus, Photinia 'Pink Marble', osmanthus, evergreen ceanothus, or pittosporum. It is also very useful for creating a dense screen along a patio, facing prevailing winds.