Griselinia littoralis Green Jewel

Griselinia littoralis Green Jewel is a variety of Coastal griselinia that stands out for its compact growth, but above all for its magnificent foliage, randomly edged and spotted with yellow and cream, finer than that of the species. Originating from a dense evergreen bush from New Zealand, sometimes called English Holly, this selection is very well adapted to coastal areas, in a windbreak hedge. Extremely bright and shimmering in the sun, this Griselinia will also be very elegant in a small urban garden or in a large pot on a terrace, to be protected in winter in cold regions.

Griselinia littoralis is a shrub from the dogwood family. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it grows in coastal forests up to 900 m in altitude. While it can form a true tree with multiple trunks reaching 12 m in height in its natural environment, it will not exceed 3 m in height and 2.50 m in width under our climates and will remain even smaller in pots. 

The cultivar 'Green Jewel' was selected in New Zealand. Its hardiness does not exceed -8°C (17.6 °F) once mature. The habit of this shrub is upright, very bushy and dense, reaching about 2 m in height at maturity and 1.50 m in width. Its growth is quite fast in slightly chalky and deep soil. In very chalky soil, it will be greatly reduced. Its trunk and branches, quite flexible, are covered with a smooth bark that is yellow-green when young, becoming ochre-grey and fissured over time. The foliage, more or less evergreen depending on the severity of the winter, is composed of upright, ovate, incurved leaves, 4 to 10 cm long, irregularly toothed along the edge. The texture of the young leaves is fine and flexible, then they become thick, almost succulent, leathery and very glossy when mature.  Their colour is dominated by yellow or cream, but some leaves can be completely green.  The flowering, in May-June, is more abundant in the sun, but not very noticeable : it takes the form of small axillary panicles composed of about a hundred small flowers without petals, green-yellow in colour. While it often goes unnoticed to our eyes, it attracts a large number of pollinating insects that gather a bountiful harvest of pollen from it. As this shrub is dioecious, only the female plants will bear fruit, provided a male plant is planted nearby. These clusters of fruits are composed of small ovoid, acid-green berries, which turn black when ripe and contain only one seed.

Griselinia littoralis Green Jewel is mainly planted in the ground in coastal gardens. This shrub can be used to create a shared hedge or a property boundary to protect the garden from wind and prying eyes. It can also be placed near an entrance or on either side of a gate. The plant adapts well to container cultivation, placed on a terrace or balcony. This cultivation method allows gardeners in cold regions to protect it from severe cold in an unheated greenhouse or conservatory in winter. Its height will be less significant in pots, but the plant will quickly fill the available space by spreading. In the ground, it can also be used in a grove, alone or in association with other evergreen shrubs such as purple laurel, Photinia Pink Marble, Elaeagnus ebbingei, Evergreen Ceanothus or Pittosporum. It will also be very useful to create a dense screen on the edge of a terrace, facing the prevailing winds.