A evergreen thorny hedge in the shade

[John85]

What plants would you advice?I tried pyracantha but it grows very "leggy" and needs a lot of watering to stay alive:the hedge is under large trees.Butcher's broom(Ruscus aculeatus) is fine but very slow to increase-Has anybody grown it from seeds?-and rather low.
Do you have any experience with berberis(which one?) in that situation?
Holly is perfect but 60m of it is a bit like a green wall.Any suggestions?
Gardening in Z8b

[fleurbleue]

Berberis x chenaultii would be a good choice John. I have grown in shade  my ones for fifteen years without any problem   

[zephirine]

Hello John!
I would suggest Osmanthus.
I have had 2 dozen Osmanthus fortunei, here in zone 7b, for three years, and they do stand my winters.
The advantage of this one is that (from what the nurseryman told me) it reaches 2, max 3m in height here (and not that slowly, mine grow at least  20 cm per year), and remains fairly erect (1m, max 1,5m in diameter), which means I won't have to trim my hedge at all. The two pics below are dated respectively 2008 (plantation) and 2011.
There are several other Osmanthus that might give some variety to your hedge, too: variegated Osmanthus heterophyllus, for instance.
You could even use the wonderfully fragrant Osmanthus...fragrans, in your zone!
(O. fortunei is fragrant too but less powerfully, and in fall, instead of spring).

[Lesley Cox]

Why does it need to be thorny. Have you a problem with invaders?

[zephirine]

An after-thought: you could also use some of the Mahonia in this situation!

[John85]

Thank you Fleur Bleue. I'll give it a try.
Good guess Lesley both with 2 and 4 legs(hunters and their dogs)
Zephirine,I like osmanthus but I have never grown them in the shade.From the pictures it seems that your hedge is growing in a open situation.Is there a part of the hedge growing under trees?Are they not leggy?
Mahonia would certainly grow fine but I prefer something more dissuasive:it is more prickly than thorny.

[Darren]

Just a thought - what about one of the Rubus with decorative stems such as R.cockburnianus? Not evergreen but the thicket of prickly white stems is there all year. I certainly would not want to push through it!  Of course if you do not watch it it will take over....

[John85]

Good idea Darren.I can lead it above the butcher's broom that is a bit low.

[Rick R.]

Perhaps then, you might consider Princepia sinensis.  It leafs out and flowers early in the spring, and hopefully has enough thorns for you.

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/efans/ygnews/2009/08/cherry-prinsepia.html

[John85]

Interesting shrub Rik !I have never seen it and would like to grow it specially as it is good for wild live.
Do you think it 'll cope with the shade?Any idea where I can find seed?

[zephirine]

Zephirine,I like osmanthus but I have never grown them in the shade.From the pictures it seems that your hedge is growing in a open situation.Is there a part of the hedge growing under trees?Are they not leggy?

In fact, not "under trees" exactly, John, but the western part of the hedge is shaded by a tall hedge (3m) of Carpinus betulus, and the soil there is also full of the carpinus roots.
They don't grow leggy at all, no, and make a nice thick screen.
I also have two members of the Osmanthus heterophyllus tribe elsewhere, in the shade and roots of an old mixed hedge, and they grow very well there.
My soil is clayish and seldom dries off deeply, however, and it probably helps!
And Osmanthus are prickly, not thorny either. I hadn't figured out that you (or anyone else!), would deliberately want to have 60 meters of thorns to deal with!!!! 
 

[Hoy]

I would suggest Ilex pernyi. It is very prickly and impossible to penetrate. It tolerates heavy shade and root competition too. The fallen leaves is sharp as needles. Furthermore it gets nice red berries in the autumn.