Native Plants
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Wednesday - January 07, 2009
From: Winnsboro, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Privacy Screening
Title: Privacy hedge for East Texas
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
I need suggestions for a native shrub/bush as a privacy hedge for East Texas conditions. Thank you.ANSWER:
We've had several inquiries lately regarding privacy hedges, and Mr. Smarty Plants is pleased that people are chosing this landscaping option. Although slower than building a fence, the outcome is more aesthetically pleasing, and the potential of attracting birds and other wildlife is worth the wait. Mr. Smarty Plants will give you a few suggestions, and tell you how you can search our database to come up with a list of your own.
Wax myrtle, Morella cerifera (wax myrtle) an evergreen shrub growing 6-12" ft. tall. See more at Aggie Horticulture Database
Yaupon, Ilex vomitoria (yaupon) a picturesque, evergreen shrub growing 12-25 ft tall. Female plants produce an abundance of red berries. See more at Aggie Horticulture Database
Possum Haw, Ilex decidua (possumhaw) is a small deciduous tree growing 15-30 feet tall. The leaves remain dark green through the fall, finally turing yellow before they drop. Female trees produce red berries that persist through the winter. See more at Aggie Horticulture Database.
Fragrant Sumac, Rhus aromatica (fragrant sumac) is a small to medium-size, deciduous shrub with aromatic foliage. It can grow 6-12 ft. tall, and produces dark red berries that can persist into March. See more at Aggie Horticulture Database.
Smooth Sumac, Rhus glabra (smooth sumac) is a colony forming shrub that can grow 10-20 ft. tall. Female plants produce red berries in erect clusters that persist through the winter. See more at Aggie Horticulture Database.
For a plant that will form a denser hedge, you might consider Eastern Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar). There are dwarf varieties available that could fit your situation. Contact UConn Plant Database or North Carolina State University
For more information about East Texas shrubs, go to our website and select Recommended Species. Click on east Texas on the map, and you will get a list of 133 commercially available native plant species suitable for planned landscapes in East Texas. If you chose the NARROW YOUR SEARCH option and chose Shrub in the "Habit"window, your plant list shrinks to 23 shrubs suitable for East Texas. Clicking on any name on the list will take you to the NATIVE PLANT DATABASE page for that plant. There you can learn characteristics of the plant, such as habitat, size, growing conditions, benefits, etc. The ADDITIONAL RESOURCES box toward the bottom of the page can link you to further informatiion sources on Google. Visit our Suppliers Directory for help in locating nurseries theat sell the plants you chose for your hedge.
For help closer to home you might contact the Wood County Master Gardeners.
More Privacy Screening Questions
Evergreen Hedge for Austin
November 28, 2010 - Hello,
We live in Austin and have a yard that is almost fully shaded. We have a few burford holly bushes there, but would like to add some evergreen interest. We would love a tall hedge (around 8 ft...
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Evergreen Privacy Hedge for Long Island
June 29, 2012 - I live on Long Island and want a privacy evergreen hedge partial sun.
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Hedgerow plants non-toxic to horses
April 07, 2012 - What would be a good, fast growing, hedgerow plant that is NON-POISONOUS TO HORSES? Thank you.
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Screen plants to replace non-native Chinese raintrees in Marble Falls, TX
February 15, 2010 - Five four year old Koelreuteria bipinnata (Chinese Rain) trees were mistakenly cut to the ground. They were planted fairly close together, perhaps ten feet apart. The purpose for them was to provide a...
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Evergreen sumacs for privacy along fence
August 02, 2014 - I would like to plant enough Evergreen Sumacs along our fence for privacy for the length of our backyard which is 60 ft. Fifteen feet on the left and right ends are shaded with the right side being d...
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