Medlar is not equal to medlar. While some are ideal as ground cover, the others are ideal plants for hedge design. Others are more suitable as solitary trees… Here is the medlar, which is excellently suited as a hedge.

The medlar - the most popular medlar for hedges

Among the medlars, the glossy medlar stands out for the hedge design. It is considered extremely popular, with the 'Red Robin' variety in particular outstripping other specimens. But why is the photinia so popular?

She convinces with:

  • its evergreen and colorful foliage
  • their intense red colored young shoots
  • their blossoms
  • their broad, upright and compact habit
  • their growth rate (between 20 and 40 cm per year)

Its maximum height is 5 m. Just three years after planting, it has become an opaque shrub. For these reasons, the medlar is an ideal hedge.

A colorful foliage

The foliage of the photiniae is one of its best features. It is glossy, green in summer and red in winter. The leaves do not fall off due to low temperatures, but renew themselves sporadically. In addition to other hedges such as privet or cherry laurel, the foliage of the photiniae, which is excitingly colored in winter, creates an enormous contrast.

How should the medlar be cut as a hedge?

The glossy medlar is considered to be well tolerated by pruning. It is enough to pull out the secateurs once a year. But beware: In order to enjoy the radiant white blossoms, this plant should not be cut before its flowering period. The pruning will be done towards the end of June. It is sufficient to cut back the branches slightly.

What must be considered when handling?

  • protect young specimens from frost and wind (hardy to -22 °C when old)
  • Water regularly at first (keep the soil moist)
  • Rough, cool areas are generally not suitable as locations
  • otherwise: extremely easy to care for and undemanding

tips and tricks

In contrast to the medlar, the medlar with the botanical name Mespilus is less suitable as a hedge. On the one hand it is deciduous and on the other hand it is usually bare in the lower area. In order to be able to train them as a hedge, many cuts are necessary.

Category:

Vegetable garden