Natives for a Hedge Row

Planting a hedgerow may seem like a departure from home gardening, but long lines of closely spaced flowering plants have been keys to growing food crops for thousands of years. They can be traced back to beyond Roman times when they served as property lines and fences for livestock. 

With the advent of modern fencing and vast tracts of agricultural acreage, hedgerows largely disappeared. Of late, they are making a comeback, not only for farmers but on a smaller scale for home gardeners who want to sustain pollinators as well as provide sustenance and nesting throughout the year for a wide range of our native fauna. Careful plant selection will ensure gardeners to host:  a variety of pollinators and beneficial insects, butterflies and moths, birds and bees, beetles, bats, and flies, and some small mammals.

Each plant suggested here offers features that attract native fauna in one or more seasons in mostly dry environments. It’s up to the home gardener to choose a blend of features based on available space and site conditions so that flowering occurs in the hedgerow every month. Little maintenance is usually needed, but it is important to eliminate weeds and prevent wide-spreading shrubs from creating shady conditions that prevent flowering. After a second full year of growth, no irrigation is generally needed unless moisture-loving species are included.

Because many flowering plants are deciduous during one or more seasons, a balance with flowering evergreens is important. Where deer browse, make selections from resistant species. Don’t hesitate to rejuvenate plants by cutting stems to the ground to control size if necessary, except during nesting season, and always leaving three-fourths of the row standing.

Amelanchier alnifolia (service berry). Grown as a shrub or small tree, this winter-deciduous, narrow, upright member of the rose family blooms in early spring with small white blossoms that allure many species of butterflies. Fruits similar to blueberries ripen in summer. Named cultivars produce the largest, sweetest berries—if you can get them before the birds. Serviceberry is fast-growing in full sun where it benefits from periodic watering. After several years, prune out oldest stems.

Arctostaphylos spp. (manzanita). Bark and evergreen foliage alone create beautiful additions to a hedgerow, but winter-to-spring, their urn-shaped flowers are an important nectar source for bees and hummingbirds when few other plants are blooming. Later in the year, other birds and small mammals feed on red berries. Tree-size manzanitas are useful as is the 5-ft. Sonoma County native shrub ‘Howard McMinn,’ which is perhaps the most adaptable of all manzanitas to garden conditions.

Ceanothus spp. (wild lilac). Flowering time of these bright blue- or purple-flowering evergreen shrubs varies from late winter to summer depending on the species. Those with small, dark green, crinkly leaves—such as ‘Julia Phelps’ and ‘Concha’—are the most drought-tolerant and deer-resistant. Bees, butterflies, and pollinating insects visit flowers; birds and small mammals forage for seeds in summer and autumn. Blue blossom ceanothus (Ceanothus thrysiflorus) is nearly tree size and is one of the easiest of the species to adapt in gardens near the coast or inland. It flowers heavily in spring with light or dark blue blossoms in 1-3-in. rounded clusters and enjoys occasional summer moisture. White blooming ‘Snow Flurry’ is even larger. ‘Ray Hartman’ has darker green leaves and longer blossom clusters and a somewhat smaller stature to 15 ft. Both tolerate nearly any soil as well as occasional summer irrigation.

Eriogonum spp. (buckwheat). These versatile natives are at home in dry, open, sunny sites but are as equally suited to mixed perennial beds as they are to hedgerows. Blossoming can be spring, summer, or fall, depending on the species. Their showy, dark rosy, button-like or flat flowers attract bees, butterflies, and moths but not deer; birds relish seeds. Most species are low-growing and good candidates for filling in at the base of larger shrubs where they receive full sunlight.

Heteromeles arbutifolia (toyon or holly berry). Toyon is a beautiful, large shrub that usually grows 6-12 ft. high and wide with good-looking, year-round features—leathery dark green leaves, attractive bark, white flowers in summer that attract bees, butterflies and other insects, and a heavy crop red berries in autumn into winter. Berries are edible but toxic unless cooked; birds and some mammals, however, devour them. Fast-growing in nearly any soil, toyon enjoys sun but can take quite a bit of shade and some irrigation. Toyon is deer resistant after the first 3-4 years.  

Holodiscus discolor (cream bush or ocean spray). This deciduous shrub requires no maintenance or supplemental moisture, grows in sun or shade, and is well suited to a native hedgerow where its rangy stems feel at home. With no supplemental moisture, it reaches 15 ft. or more and becomes shelter for birds. An abundance of creamy white flowers in early summer attracts hummingbirds, bees, and other beneficial insects. Flowers persist on tips of arching branches for months, turning golden and then brown as they age, similar to spiraeas. Deer are not attracted to cream bush.  

Lavatera assurgentiflora (malva rosa). Gardeners looking for a fast-growing, 5-12 ft., fast-blooming, deer resistant, native shrub would do well to consider lavatera despite its sprawling, sometimes awkward branching. Rosy purple, nearly year-round blossoms resembling hollyhocks attract a multitude of butterflies, moths, and birds. Native to the Channel Islands, malva rosa adapts easily inland in full sun, requiring only infrequent watering and fast-draining soil of any type.

Lupinus albifrons (silver lupine). Numerous species of annual and perennial lupines range from less than a foot to 6 feet in height. Silver lupine shrub falls into the latter category, useful in hedgerows for its silvery gray stems filled with year-round foliage and tiers of bluish purple pea-like blossoms that rise atop stem tips in spring, attracting birds, butterflies, moths, and bees. Give full sun and good drainage; water only until well established. Deer do not feed on lupines.

Mahonia [syn. Berberis] (holly grape, Oregon grape, barberry). Leathery, glossy and stiff, holly-like foliage on mahonias turns red in winter after tufts of bright yellow flowers fade and set purplish blue fruits that resemble grapes. M. aquifolium (Oregon grape), with individual stems to 5 ft., spreads by underground rhizomes to create colonies that may be freshened by cutting stems to the ground. M. nevinii forms a dense, prickly 5-6 ft. shrub that flowers heavily and produces a cornucopia of reddish orange berries that birds devour; deer ignore all parts. Both species are completely drought-tolerant but also withstand some moisture in the dry season. Birds glean berries and use prickly foliage for cover.

Myrica californica (Pacific wax myrtle). Beloved in gardens for fast growth, bright green foliage, and deer resistance, wax myrtle is best adapted to shaded sites closer to the coast than inland. It responds to pruning but assumes a dense, attractive shape on its own, often reaching over 20 ft. with several vertical stems. Occasional water in summer is recommended. Inconspicuous yellow flowers in early summer produce small nutlets eaten by birds.

Perennials. Nearly any native annuals or perennials may be added to hedgerows. The following are favored for flowers that reliably provide plentiful pollen and nectar that sustain numerous birds and bees in several seasons. Some have multiple or wide heads that are convenient landing pads for tiny beneficial insects. Many are deer resistant.

Achillea (yarrow). In winter, birds feed on fine, feathery foliage; bees and butterflies visit flowers atop tall stems in spring. Ground-hugging clumps spread by underground runners.

Artemisia (California sagebrush). Insects, birds, and small mammals feed on pollen, nectar, and seeds in late summer into early autumn, a critical time when many other plants are out of bloom. Plants vary in size, usually over 3 ft. tall and wide with silvery gray foliage and inconspicuous, daisy-like, yellowish flowers.

Asclepias speciosa (showy milkweed). Valuable for its thick, arrow-shaped leaves that support larvae of monarch butterflies, this milkweed enjoys heavy soils where it spreads by underground stems in wet or dry conditions. Beneficial insects frequent the pinkish purple, ball-like flowers atop stems to 4 ft. Wind-blown seeds self-sow as plants enter late-season dormancy.

Heuchera spp. (coral bells). Although not all heucheras bloom in coral, the common name remains; some flowers are white. Hummingbirds visit those with all shades of red, in particular. Numerous species and named cultivars enliven edges of hedgerows and bloom periodically throughout the year. Deadheading blossom stems—some up to 3 ft. tall—encourages repeat blooms.

Penstemon heterophyllus (foothill penstemon). Woody at the base with stems to 3 ft. tall, this mounding, evergreen perennial blooms in spring and summer with tubular flowers in lovely shades of blues and pinks. Some summer water is tolerated; overwatering is not. Many birds and insects are attracted to blossoms.

Solidago Californica (California goldenrod). Living up to its name, goldenrod flaunts masses of golden yellow flower clusters in summer into fall. Their nectar, pollen, and seeds provide an important food source for butterflies, moths, and bees when many perennials have ended their show. Little if any water is needed after spring rains. Creeping roots create colonies that may need monitoring.

Zauschneria spp. [syn. Epilobium] (California fuchsia). Any species, tall or low and spreading, of this late-season bloomer may be planted in hedgerows. All provide critical flowering, mostly in orange-red shades, that feeds hummingbirds and bees before winter dormancy. Colonies develop from self-sowing or underground stems. Occasional summer water keeps them vibrant in hottest spots.

Philadelphus lewisii (western mock orange). This fragrant bloomer is nearly smothered in spring with citrus-scented, white blossoms marked with yellow centers that draw bees and butterflies. Its appearance is best in rich soil and full sun with afternoon shade and occasional water. If fountain-like, thin branches spread too wide, prune after bloom or rejuvenate by cutting all stems to the ground. Size varies from 4-10 ft. in height and width.

Rhamnus californica [syn. Frangula Californica] (coffeeberry). Inconspicuous clusters of small, yellowish green flowers attract a multitude of pollinators in spring; in autumn, birds feed on berries shaped like coffee berries as they turn from green to red to black. Leathery, deep green, 1-3 in. leaves lend winter bulk to hedgerows with deciduous plants but do not attract deer. Named cultivars range in size from 6-15 ft. and are drought-tolerant but withstand some moisture.

Ribes spp. (currants and gooseberries). Ribes species with mostly upright, prickly stems are called gooseberries; with smooth stems, currants. Several species and named cultivars are as ornamental as they are practical in hedgerows. Many berries are edible, though not all are well-loved, except by numerous birds who relish them. Bees and hummingbirds are attracted to floral nectar. Fuchsia-flowered gooseberry (Ribes speciosum) grows from 4-8 ft. with tubular, red, pendent blooms and protruding stamens. It’s one of the prickliest of plants and dormant in summer but is useful in hedgerows as safe cover for birds; light watering keeps glossy, maple-like leaves semi-evergreen.

Rhus integrifolia (lemonade berry) & Rhus ovata (sugar bush). These two large shrubs to 10 ft. or more are among the most drought-tolerant evergreens that lend reliable and versatile foliage to native gardens. Sugar bush is favored in hottest microclimates but both shrubs reliably withstand either sun or shade, complete drought or occasional irrigation. Both are long-lived but left unpruned they may develop sparse branching over time; yet, they respond readily to being cut to the ground. Spring flowers attract pollinators; summer berries entice birds. Thick, resinous leaves repel deer.

Salvia spp. (sage). Nearly any salvia is welcome in a hedgerow but especially those native to California that develop a woody base, are fully adapted to dry sites, and have striking flowers essential to wildlife. Shades of blue and purple are magnets for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds while other birds depend on seeds. Semi-evergreen shrubs often attain 6 ft. in height and benefit from annual pruning up to one-half to promote density and prevent long stems from breaking. Deer do not feed on salvias.

Sambucus Mexicana (western elderberry). Swarms of bees and other pollinating insects visit flat-topped, creamy white, highly scented floral clusters in spring to summer. Birds devour blue berries despite toxins that make them inedible to humans unless cooked or fermented. Shrubs may reach 20 ft. under a range of conditions, flowering most heavily in full sun with supplemental irrigation. Fruits and foliage are avoided by deer.

Symphoricarpos albus (snowberry). Informal settings such as hedgerows are best for species with suckering and wandering roots, as with snowberry. Over time, stems on rounded shrubs 2-5 ft. tall may appear at distances from the original planting. Pinkish flowers often go unnoticed to all but bees, other insects, and hummingbirds; but small round white fruits that persist into winter on bare stems are both ornamental and food for birds. Plants are completely drought-tolerant. Little, if any, maintenance is needed as plants slowly expand in nearly any quality of soil. Snowberry is deer resistant.

February 2021