Hedge Plants: What They Are and the Best for SoCal

A hedge is a row of shrubs, or sometimes small trees, planted close together and trained so they grow into one continuous living wall. Gardeners use hedges to mark boundaries, screen for privacy, slow the wind, hide eyesores, and create a tidy green backdrop. The best hedge plant is simply the one suited to the job, the space, and your climate.^[1]

Below we cover what a hedge plant is, how a hedge differs from a single bush or tree, what hedges are used for, what makes a plant a good hedge, the best choices for Southern California, and how to plant and space one.

What Is a Hedge Plant?

A hedge is a line of plants grown close together and trained to form a barrier or boundary, and a hedge plant is any shrub or small tree suited to that purpose. A formal hedge is sheared into a defined shape; an informal hedge is left closer to its natural form.^[1][2]

So is a hedge a bush? Not exactly. A bush or shrub is one woody plant grown for its own form; a hedge is many shrubs planted in a row close enough that they merge into a single continuous mass. And are hedges trees? Usually not. Hedges are most often made from shrubs, but tall screens can also be built from small or columnar trees planted in a row and kept pruned.^[1]

What Are Hedges Used For?

Hedges do real work in a landscape:

• Define and enclose space. A hedge marks a property line or encloses an area far more softly than a fence or wall.^[2]
• Privacy screening. An evergreen hedge blocks undesirable views and gives year-round privacy from neighbors and the street.^[1]
• Windbreak and shade. A dense hedge slows wind and can even lower utility costs by shading and sheltering the house; it also helps soften street noise.^[2]
• Backdrop. A plain green hedge sets off flower beds and specimen plants against a clean, uniform wall.
• Hide eyesores. Screen trash cans, utility boxes, or an unattractive view.
• Habitat. Mixed or native hedges offer shelter and food for birds and pollinators.^[9]

What Makes a Good Hedge Plant?

The right hedge plant is all about the job it does. Look for these traits:^[3]

• Dense, twiggy growth so the hedge reads as a solid wall rather than a see-through row.
• Tolerates shearing or pruning, which keeps a formal hedge crisp and encourages thicker regrowth.^[4]
• Evergreen for a year-round screen; deciduous plants drop their cover in winter.^[1]
• A mature size that matches your goal, so you are not constantly fighting a plant that wants to be far taller or wider than the space allows. Compact varieties need less trimming.^[1]
• A growth rate you can live with: fast growers give quick privacy but demand more frequent trimming.^[3]

Best Hedge Plants for Southern California

Choose species adapted to our warm, dry, mild-winter climate rather than cold-climate plants. Reliable Southern California hedge choices include:

• Boxwood (Buxus) for low, formal, finely sheared hedges and edging.
• Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira) for a fast, dense evergreen screen; it grows across California climate zones and shears cleanly into a hedge.^[5]
• Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis) is a hardy, compact evergreen that makes an excellent lower, flowering informal hedge in most California zones.^[6]
• Xylosma (Xylosma congestum) is a heat-tolerant evergreen that can be grown as a tall hedge or small tree in full sun to part shade.^[7]
• California natives such as toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) and coffeeberry (Frangula californica) make water-wise, wildlife-friendly informal hedges that take pruning well and feed songbirds and native bees.^[10][9]
• Oleander (Nerium oleander) is a tough, drought-tolerant evergreen that forms a large eight-to-twelve-foot screen. Important safety note: every part of oleander is poisonous, so do not plant it where children, pets, or livestock can reach it.^[8]

Skip classic cold-climate hedges like beech. Beech is rated for much colder zones and does not tolerate high summer heat, so it struggles in Southern California’s hot, dry conditions.^[11] For more ideas, see our guide to great bushes and shrubs for a SoCal yard and SoCal options for green walls, hedgerows, and privacy. For a lower hedge, our picks for shrubs that stay under five feet are a good place to start.

How to Plant and Space a Hedge

A hedge is only as good as its spacing and shaping:

• Space by style. For a tight formal hedge, set plants about one to two and a half feet apart; medium informal shrubs go two to four feet apart, and large informal shrubs four to six feet apart. Closer spacing fills in faster; wider spacing uses fewer plants.^[1]
• Decide formal or informal. A formal hedge is sheared into crisp geometry and needs regular trimming; an informal hedge keeps its natural shape with only light pruning.^[1]
• Shear the base wider than the top. Keeping the bottom broader lets sunlight reach the lower branches so the hedge stays full to the ground instead of thinning and going bare at the base.^[4]
• Mind the roots near hardscape. Vigorous large hedges can lift paving or reach pipes, so keep aggressive species away from them. See our note on plants and underground plumbing.

Ready to plant a hedge? Visit any Green Thumb Nursery location and our garden experts will help you match the right hedge plant to your space, climate, and the look you want.

Hedge Plant FAQ

What is a hedge plant?

A hedge plant is a shrub or small tree, such as boxwood, pittosporum, or Indian hawthorn, grown in a close row with others and trained into a continuous living wall used as a screen, boundary, or backdrop.^[1]

What are hedges used for in landscaping?

Hedges define and enclose space, provide privacy and block unwanted views, act as a windbreak, and create a backdrop for other plantings. Mixed or native hedges also provide wildlife habitat.^[2]

Is a hedge a bush?

Not quite. A bush or shrub is a single woody plant, while a hedge is a row of shrubs (or small trees) planted close together and maintained as one continuous form.^[1]

What are the best hedge plants for Southern California?

Reliable SoCal hedges include boxwood, pittosporum, Indian hawthorn, and xylosma, plus water-wise natives like toyon and coffeeberry. Oleander works but is poisonous, so site it carefully. Avoid cold-climate plants like beech.^[5]

How far apart should you plant a hedge?

For a formal sheared hedge, space plants about one to two and a half feet apart; medium informal shrubs two to four feet, and large informal shrubs four to six feet. Closer spacing fills in faster but uses more plants.^[1]

Are hedges trees?

Usually not. Most hedges are made from shrubs, but tall privacy screens can be built from small or columnar trees kept trimmed in a row.^[1]

Sources

• Iowa State University Extension, Selecting and Planting Hedges: extension.iastate.edu
• UGA Cooperative Extension, Great Hedges Make Great Neighbors: extension.uga.edu
• UC ANR Master Gardeners (Napa), Privacy Hedges: ucanr.edu
• Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC, Pruning Shrubs: hgic.clemson.edu
• UC IPM, Pittosporum: ipm.ucanr.edu
• UC IPM, Indian Hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis): ipm.ucanr.edu
• UC IPM, Xylosma: ipm.ucanr.edu
• UC IPM, Oleander (toxicity): ipm.ucanr.edu
• Calscape (California Native Plant Society), California Coffeeberry: calscape.org
• Theodore Payne Foundation, Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia): theodorepayne.org
• NC State Extension Plant Toolbox, Fagus sylvatica (beech): plants.ces.ncsu.edu

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