Blackthorn and co.

Natural hedges offer nature conservation with pleasure

The trees and shrubs that can be ordered now will be ready for collection on Hedge Day, November 16. Snowball fruits are harvested here.

(Bild: R. Schiegl)

Natural hedges can offer more than just privacy. They are high-quality biotopes and their fruit is also a real treat. Another hedge day ordering campaign is now underway.

Bees, birds, butterflies or humans - we all love these sugar suppliers. With a sugar content of 5 to 10 percent, sloe berries are as sweet as an apple or cola. The fact that we hardly notice any of this is due to the high tannic acid content, which perfectly tricks our taste buds. The vitamin B and C content is also remarkably high. Together with considerable anthocyanin values (these are "bioflavonoids" that protect against diseases, editor's note), blackthorn is a real power fruit!

This can be found in the wonderfully designed "Heckenblatt", which the state of Carinthia and Arge Naturschutz have now published. And the blackthorn is just one of the plants described.

On Hedge Day, you can once again purchase seedlings from regional woody plant propagation in Carinthia at reasonable prices; individual plants are available from 4.49 euros, rarities from 7.59 euros and whole hedge packages with ten different plants from 48.80 euros.

The blackthorn hedge berry is a real power fruit.

(Bild: Horvath Walter/Walter Horvath)

It is joined by barberry, hawthorn, buckthorn, dog rose, elderberry, common snowball and many more.

"Hedges are important for our ecosystem. These woody plants are perfectly adapted to the climatic conditions in Carinthia, making them more resistant and robust," enthuses Provincial Councillor Sara Schaar.

The fact that they are also pretty to look at, provide a habitat for insects and birds and some even have medicinal properties completes the picture.

All information and orders can be found at www.heckentag.at. Info phone: [phone]