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Cornaceae FAMILY

Griselinia littoralis

Griselinia littoralis

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
1/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Shrub
GrowthMedium

Prefers a rich light loam in sun or semi-shade[1]. Tolerates chalky soils[2]. Plants are very tolerant of strong maritime winds[3] but they can be damaged by cold dry winds. Tolerating temperatures down to about -10°c, this species is somewhat tender in most parts of Britain[2] though it usually regrows if cut back by frost[1]. The young shoots in spring are often cut back by late frosts[PFAF]. Very tolerant of root disturbance, it transplants well even when quite large though it would then require staking at first when growing in exposed positions[4]. A number of cultivars have been developed for their ornamental value[3, 1]. Plants in the wild live for a hundred years or more[5]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[1]. A dioecious species - both male and female forms must be grown if fruit and seed are required. It self-sows abundantly in the milder areas of Britain if both sexes are grown[2].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in a greenhouse. It can also be sown in the spring in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow on for at least their first winter in a greenhouse. Plant out in late spring after the last expected frosts and give some protection for their first winter outdoors. Cuttings of half-ripe wood 7 cm with a heel, mid summer in a frame. Keep the foliage moist. Pot up in August and overwinter in a sheltered position, planting out in late spring after the last expected frosts[6]. Cuttings of mature wood, 7 - 10 cm with a heel, autumn in a frame. High percentage[6]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Griselinia+littoralis>

Pollinators

Bees

References

  1. [1]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  2. [2]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
  3. [3]Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. — Thomas. G. S. · Murray · 1992 · ISBN 0-7195-5043-2 ↩︎Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.
  4. [4]The Milder Garden. — Taylor. J. · Dent · 1990 ↩︎A good book on plants that you didn't know could be grown outdoors in Britain.
  5. [5]Trees for Survival — http://www.tfsnz.org.nz/resources.cfm ↩︎An excellent site, giving fairly comprehensive information on a small number of native New Zealand trees.
  6. [6]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
  7. [7]Flora of New Zealand. — Allan. H. H. · Government Printer, Wellington. · 1961 · http://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/Book.aspx?fileName=Flora%201.xml · ISBN - ↩︎The standard work, in 5 volumes though only the first two are of interest to the plant project. Very good on habitats. There is also an on-line version.
  8. [8]Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. — Crowe. A. · Hodder and Stoughton · 1990 · ISBN 0-340-508302 ↩︎A very well written and illustrated book based on the authors own experiments with living on a native diet.
  9. [9]Hedges and Screens. — Shepherd. F.W. · Royal Horticultural Society. · 1974 · ISBN 0900629649 ↩︎A small but informative booklet giving details of all the hedging plants being grown in the R.H.S. gardens at Wisley in Surrey.
  10. [10]Shrubs for the Milder Counties. — Arnold-Forster. ↩︎Trees and shrubs that grow well in Cornwall and other mild areas of Britain. Fairly good, a standard reference book.
  11. [11]The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers — Brickell. C. · Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. · 1990 · ISBN 0-86318-386-7 ↩︎Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.
  12. [12]Dictionary of Economic Plants. — Uphof. J. C. Th. · Weinheim · 1959 · ISBN - ↩︎An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
  13. [13]A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. — Usher. G. · Constable · 1974 · ISBN 0094579202 ↩︎Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
  14. [14]Encyclopaedia Britannica. 15th edition. — ? ↩︎It contains a few things of interest to the plant project.
  15. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎