A blade assembly of a hedge trimmer includes at least one cutting blade having cutting teeth. At least one portion of the cutting teeth are configured as protective teeth which, referred to the cutting blade axis, have an inner cutting region and from which an outer protective finger extends. The protective tooth is, referred to its tooth axis, configured unsymmetrically. The protective tooth has a cutting side and an opposite-lying holding side and a cutting edge in the cutting region on the cutting side and a holding edge on the holding side. The protective finger has a forward edge on the cutting side and a rearward edge on the holding side. Starting from the blade axis, the forward edge is inclined to the tooth axis and the rearward edge, starting from the blade axis, is inclined away from the tooth axis.