Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

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.

Morella cerifera

Ilex vomitoria

Ilex decidua

Rhus aromatica

Rhus glabra

Juniperus virginiana