Further than most people expect on the forgiving species, and not at all far on the ones that are not.
Species decides it. Yew, privet, laurel, beech, hornbeam, hawthorn and holly all regrow from old wood and can be cut back hard — in some cases nearly to the main stems.
Most conifers cannot. Leylandii and cypress regrow only from green growth, so the limit is wherever the green stops.
| Hedge | How hard | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Privet | Very hard | Extremely forgiving; recovers quickly |
| Yew | Very hard | The conifer that does regrow from old wood |
| Laurel | Hard | Responds strongly, sometimes vigorously |
| Hawthorn, blackthorn | Hard | Tough; suits laying as well |
| Beech, hornbeam | Hard | Better staged if severe |
| Holly | Hard | Slow to recover; slow to cut |
| Leylandii, cypress | Green growth only | No regrowth from bare wood |
| Box | Moderate | Can be cut back, recovers slowly |
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It depends on species. Yew, privet, laurel, beech, hornbeam, hawthorn and holly regrow from old wood and can be cut back hard. Most conifers regrow only from green growth.
Push a hand into the hedge and look. On a well-maintained conifer green growth may extend a foot inward; on a neglected one, a few inches. That distance is the whole scope of what can be cut.
Usually. Height one season and sides the next gives the hedge a full growing season to respond, and lets you see the result before committing further.
One to two growing seasons on forgiving species. Conifers cut past their green may never recover in that area.
Cutting at the right time for the species, watering in a dry spell, clearing and mulching the base, feeding the following spring, and not cutting again until it has responded.
Not always. A base shaded out for years often stays sparse, which is worth knowing before the work.
In hot dry weather, hard frost, during nesting season with an active nest, on a hedge in poor health, or on a conifer already at its green limit.
Then replacement is the honest answer. A conifer cut past its green years ago will not come back, however it is managed.
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