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Tuesday - September 21, 2010

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Shade Tolerant
Title: Evergreen shrub for part shade in Austin
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I am planning a pocket prairie on the north side of my house. Where I am struggling is finding an evergreen shrub that will grow about 6-8', be native and provide semi-privacy in front of a bedroom window. Although the prairie will get full sun, the shrub I need will only get about 3 hours of direct sun. Can you help?

ANSWER:

Here are several native evergreen shrubs for the Austin area that will grow in part shade (2 to 6 hours of sunlight per day):

 Rhus virens (Evergreen sumac)

Morella cerifera (Wax myrtle)

Prunus caroliniana (Cherry laurel) and here are more photos

Garrya ovata ssp. lindheimeri (Lindheimer's silktassel)

Sophora secundiflora (Texas mountain laurel)

The maximum size for several of these is larger than you stated that you want, but all of these can be trimmed to size. 

Here are photos from our Image Gallery:


Rhus virens


Rhus virens


Morella cerifera


Morella cerifera


Prunus caroliniana


Garrya ovata ssp. lindheimeri


Sophora secundiflora


Sophora secundiflora

 

 

 

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