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Hedges can be made from a wide variety of plants, but many of them are poisonous! However, there are also a large number of plants that are not poisonous and pose no danger to humans or animals. The following post will introduce ten non-poisonous hedges.
Non-toxic hedge plants
Hedge plants are planted in public areas, such as parks or kindergartens, but also in the home garden. A variety of different plants are suitable for this purpose, from berry bushes to coniferous trees. Among them, however, there are many poisonous plants, which pose a potential danger, especially for children and animals. However, there are also a number of hedge plants that are non-toxic and can therefore be grown in the home garden without any problems. The following hedge plants are non-toxic.
Alpine currant
The alpine currant is not poisonous and, unlike other Ribes species, does not have any prickles or thorns. The deciduous shrub is densely branched and reaches a height of up to 250 centimetres. The alpine currant flowers from April to May and bears spherical, scarlet berries in August. Although these are non-toxic to humans and edible, they taste rather bland. However, many birds enjoy the berries, which is why the alpine currant is also considered a bird food tree.
- botanical name: Ribes alpinum
- Synonyms: mountain currant
- Genus: Currants (Ribes)
- Family: Gooseberry family (Grossulariaceae)
- Location: undemanding, sun or shade
notice: The alpine currant is very compatible with salt and car exhaust fumes. It is therefore ideal as a hedge plant to shield the home plot from street noise.
field maple
The field maple is not particularly demanding, but should be cut regularly. The native wood grows up to 45 centimeters per year and is therefore ideal for high hedges. With proper care, the field maple forms yellow flowers in May and turns its foliage a gorgeous yellow and/or orange. While many types of maple contain the harmful substance hypoglycine A, the field maple is completely non-toxic and therefore harmless to humans.
- Botanical name: Acer campestre
- Synonym: measure holder
- Genus: Maples (Acer)
- Family: Soapberry family (Sapindaceae)
- Location: rich in nutrients, moist to alternating dry, warm and calcareous
Norway spruce
The Norway spruce is one of the few non-toxic conifers that can also be used as a hedge. Because it convinces with its opacity and thus offers effective privacy protection. With hedges like these, however, it should be noted that the Norway spruce should not be cut too narrow. A minimum width of around 80 centimeters and a minimum height of 150 centimeters are recommended.
- botanical name: Picea abies
- Synonyms: Norway spruce, red spruce, red fir
- Genus: Spruces (Picea)
- Family: Pine family (Pinaceae)
- Location: possible anywhere, not too hot and too dry
- Cut: annually, narrow hedges twice a year
hornbeam
The hornbeam is considered one of the best hedge plants and is also non-toxic. It grows freestanding as a medium-sized tree or shrub and is found primarily in Europe and western Asia. It can happen that the tree reaches a height of growth of up to 25 meters or more. The hornbeam adorns its location in summer with healthy, green foliage. It keeps some of its leaves over the winter, but these turn yellow-brownish in the cold season.
- Botanical name: Carpinus betulus
- Synonyms: hornbeam, hornbeam, horn tree
- Genus: Hornbeam (Carpinus)
- Family: Birch family (Betulaceae)
- Location: undemanding, sun or shade
raspberry
Berry bushes are also suitable as hedge plants, such as the raspberry, proves. It flowers and bears fruit in the 2nd year and bears a variety of tasty fruits. Depending on the variety, these can be harvested from July to late autumn. Because summer raspberries are harvested from July and September, whereas the fruits of autumn raspberries are only ripe between August and October. The evergreen pseudoshrub reaches a height of 0.6 to 2.0 meters, but likes to lose its shape. It is therefore advisable to trim them regularly.
- botanical name: Rubus idaeus
- Synonyms: hintperi, mollberry
- Genus: Rubus
- Family: Rose family (Rosaceae)
- Location: partially shaded to sunny, loose and humus-rich soil
notice: If you want to grow raspberries as a hedge, you need about two to three raspberry bushes per meter.
Canadian hemlock
The evergreen Canadian hemlock is hardy in local regions, making it perfect as a privacy hedge. Likewise, it poses no danger to children or animals, because the Canadian hemlock is not poisonous. While bearing its green needles year-round, it produces inconspicuous flowers in May and bears stalked, ovoid cones. The latter reach a length of about 1.5-2.5 centimeters and a diameter of 1-1.5 centimeters.
- botanical name: Tsuga canadensis
- Synonyms: Canadian hemlock
- Genus: Hemlock (Tsuga)
- Family: Pine family (Pinaceae)
- Location: sunny to semi-shady, fresh to moist soil
notice: The Canadian hemlock does not flower until it is 20 to 40 years old.
Muriel Bamboo
The Muriel bamboo is also one of the non-toxic hedge plants and therefore does not pose a danger to children or animals. It forms a large number of upright stalks, which can reach a height of one to five meters. The evergreen hedge plant is hardy and can easily cope with temperatures down to -20 °C.
- botanical name: Fargesia murielae
- Genus: Fargesia
- Family: Sweet grasses (Poaceae)
- Location: partially shaded or sunny
notice: The Muriel bamboo is already opaque after a few years, which is why only a few specimens are needed.
Purple Willow
The purple willow is a large, upright shrub that can reach a height of up to six meters. The flowering time of the purple willow is from March to April, in which it forms female and male "catkins". Incidentally, the name comes from the latter, because the male willow catkins are reddish in color, whereas the leaves of the purple willow are dull green.
- botanical name: Salix purpurea
- Genus: Willows (Salix)
- Family: willow family (Salicaceae)
- Location: sunny or semi-shady
notice: The purple willow attracts numerous insects, making it a welcome food source for honey bees and wild bees, among others.
roses
Hedge plants often act as privacy screens, but they can also be extremely decorative! Because roses are excellent hedge plants, which not only grow densely, but also convince with their beautiful flowers. If the roses are cultivated as hedge plants, they should be at least 180 centimeters high. It is therefore advisable to plant stronger-growing roses, such as wild, shrub and/or park roses.
- botanical name: pink
- Synonyms: Queen of Flowers
- Genus: roses
- Family: Rose family (Rosaceae)
- Location: sunny and airy, nutrient-rich and humic soil
notice: Although roses are non-toxic, the plants form thorns. Since there is a risk of injury for children and animals, caution is always required here!
marshmallow
The shrub marshmallow is a medium-growing woody plant that comes into its own both individually and in groups. It grows upright and reaches a height of one to four meters. The deciduous shrub forms numerous flowers from July to September, which can have a wide variety of colors. There are also some varieties that are multicolored and have, for example, a different colored center of the flower.
- botanical name: Hibiscus syriacus
- Synonyms: Garden marshmallow, festival flower, Sharon rose, Syrian marshmallow
- Genus: Hibiscus (Hibiscus)
- Family: Mallow family (Malvaceae)
- Site: full-bodied, nutritious and well-drained soil
Not sure if your hedge plant is poisonous? A list of 10 poisonous hedge plants can be found here.