Native Plants
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Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
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Friday - July 24, 2009
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Privacy Screening
Title: Need suggestions for shrubs for a screening barrier along a fence line in Austin, TX.
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
Hi! I am new to Austin and I live in a town home community that backs up to an existing neighborhood. There is no screening on my fenceline, which is only about 30 feet from my back porch! I also have a plethora of power lines running above the fence line, which is unattractive to say the least. I need advice on evergreen shrubs and trees that I can plant which will complement each other, and hopefully grow fast! (without overtaking the power lines and being cut down by Austin Energy) Thanks!ANSWER:
Well, we can't do much about the power lines, but this bulletin from Austin Energy states that trees within 20' of their power lines should be no more that 25' tall at maturity. I think we can find some suggestions that will fit within that limit.
These first three shrubs/trees are fast-growing, evergreen and grow well in the Austin area :
Morella cerifera (wax myrtle) can grow up to 20'
Rhus virens (evergreen sumac) can grow 8 - 12'
Prunus caroliniana (Carolina laurelcherry) can grow 15 - 20'
The final two are also evergreen, grow well in Austin, and would make a very good privacy hedge. Unfortunately, they are slower growing than the first three:
Ilex vomitoria (yaupon) can grow 12 - 25'
Sophora secundiflora (mountain laurel) can grow up to 30'
Clicking on each of these names will bring up its NPIN page which describes the characteristics and growth requirements of the plant.
You can come up with your own list by going to our RECOMMENDED SPECIES page and clicking on Central Texas on the map. This will give you a list of 155 commercially available native plant species suitable for planned landscapes in Central Texas. Go to the Narrow Your Search box on the right side of the page and select Texas under STATE, Shrub under APPEARANCE, Perennial under LIFESPAN, and check the appropriate box under LIGHT REQUIREMENT and SOIL MOISTURE. Click the Narrow Your Search button and your list is shortened to include only the plants that meet these criteria. By changing the criteria, you can generate different lists. Clicking on the names of each plant will bring up its NPIN page.
Our Suppliers Directory can help you find businesses that sell these native plants.
More Privacy Screening Questions
Need native plants for wind block and screening along a fence row in Commerce, TX
June 04, 2011 - I'm looking for a small tree or lg shrub for wind block & screening along a fence row. The soil is black clay with a mostly full sun exposure. Landscaper suggested Elaeagnus but I want a nat...
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Evergreen tree for privacy screen in Collin County, Texas
May 26, 2010 - I am looking for a shrub or tree that will serve as a privacy screen. I would like it to grow very tall and be thick to help provide some privacy. I live in Collin County, and the area where the tre...
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Evergreen for privacy screen in Virginia
December 02, 2008 - Last year we lost a large pine that was part of privacy screen and we replaced it with two Eastern red cedars. There is still a substantial gap that won't be filled in by the cedars and we were cons...
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Plants for a property line in Birmingham, AL
August 15, 2012 - I am looking for a plant to help establish a property line. Our neighbor's landscaping/mowing company has a large turnover, and the new employees always get confused about where the property line is...
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Need suggestions for plants to form a privacy hedge in Charleston, WV.
April 05, 2011 - Mr. Smarty Pants, I live in zone 6 and an looking for an evergreen privacy type hedge that grows no taller than 10'-12'. I am not interested in any boxwood type of hedge. The evergreens would be ...
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