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Vachellia Karroo - The sweet thorn is a fast-growing and exceptionally adaptable medium-sized shade tree. -
Gymnosporia Heterophylla - The common spike-thorn is an excellent fast-growing barrier plant with woody branches and sharp, straight thorns up to 10 cm long. -
Dovyalis Rhamnoides - The common sourberry with its shiny leaves, red fruits and up to 8 cm-long spines creates an impenetrable barrier. -
Carissa Edulis -The evergreen simple-spined num-num can be trimmed into a topiary or a neat hedge, or it can be used as a security plant. -
Azima Tetracantha - The needle bush is a dense, scrambling shrub with needle-sharp spines, carried in clusters of four. The pretty oval leaves are mid-green and glossy. -
Carissa Macrocarpa -The evergreen simple-spined num-num can be trimmed into a topiary or a neat hedge, or it can be used as a security plant.
PHOTOS Craig Fraser, Marijke Honig, Malcom Hepplewhite, New Plant Nursery WORDS Marjike Honig
Landscaping with local plants creates an interface between the urban and natural environment. In her book Indigenous Plant Palettes: An Essential Guide to Plant Selection (Quivertree), plant ecologist-turned-landscaper Marijke Honig provides a practical approach to indigenous plant selection. Her plant palette concept – there are 24 palettes in the book whereby plants are grouped for a specific use – provides a diversity of choice for each garden situation. In this extract from the book, we focus on plants for security.
Ever caught the sweet scent of a num-num in flower or noticed the luscious red fruits? Thorny hedges can provide beauty and attract wildlife while serving as an effective deterrent to potential trespassers. Another favourite is the Kei apple, which is widely used for security in urban areas and planted by farmers to protect their crops. Both of these barrier plants produce delicious fruits, which can be enjoyed fresh or made into jam. What a bonus!
There are a number of plants with “green armour” – sharp thorns, hooks or spines – that are natural burglar deterrents. If you’ve brushed past any of these, you will know what I mean! Prickly planting is an excellent way to discourage opportunistic crime. Indigenous plants can provide a beautiful but secure barrier that is also a safe haven for wildlife. This palette of plants offers a natural and attractive way to improve security around your property, and add colour and variety at the same time.
With good soil preparation you can create a dense security hedge in two to four years, depending on the initial size of the plants. Palisade and wire-mesh fences are preferable to walls, as they allow air to circulate freely and don’t shade plants or inhibit root development, resulting in faster and denser growth. Prepare planting holes as you would for large shrubs, with plenty of compost and a handful of bone meal added in the root zone. A thorny hedge does require some maintenance, especially when there is limited space for spreading.
Pruning is required to keep the thorns low, and helps to make the hedge dense and impenetrable. You can either opt for regular trimming with a hedge trimmer, which can cut through soft new growth and thorns, or pruning manually less often. The latter option calls for thick garden gloves and a pair of long-handled loppers. If you have planted spiky plants along a road verge, prune the hedge regularly to ensure that pedestrians can pass by safely without being snagged.
For more information about Indigenous Palettes: An Essential Guide to Plant Selection, visit quivertreepublications.com.
