Native Plants
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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Friday - September 06, 2013
From: Little Elm, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Xeriscapes, Drought Tolerant, Shrubs
Title: Five-eight foot hedge for north Texas
Answered by: Guy Thompson
QUESTION:
I am looking to find a fairly large (preferably flowering) shrub / hedge to go along 100 feet of fence. The plants will be facing Northeast, but will be for the most part under the branches of crape myrtle trees, so I need something that does well with a little morning sun, but is shaded the rest of the day. Would like them to be anywhere from 5-8 feet tall / wide. I live in the north Texas area - hot dry summers, hard clay soil. ThanksANSWER:
For your location I suggest the following shrubs: Rhus aromatica (Fragrant sumac), Fallugia paradoxa (Apache plume), Leucophyllum frutescens (Cenizo) and Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry). Clicking on each name will give you characteristics of the plant. Note that only Cenizo is evergreen. They will not bloom so profusely in deep shade, but the shade cast by your crepe myrtles should be light enough to cause no significant decrease in bloom.
More suggestions may be found at the local Native Plant Society of Texas web site. The plants I suggest should be available at one of your local plant nurseries, and it would be best to wait to plant shrubs in cooler weather. Some planting tips for trees/shrubs are found in this article.
From the Image Gallery
More Drought Tolerant Questions
Leaves dropping on evergreen sumac in San Antonio
January 11, 2012 - I have a large evergreen sumac in my back yard that started off as a small shrub 10 years ago. This summer the leaves turned red and now have dropped off. Is the plant dead? It sent out two smaller pl...
view the full question and answer
Drought tolerant vine for Austin, Texas
May 17, 2014 - What kind of drought-tolerant vine can I plant outside my screened in porch in Austin, Texas, that will stay on a trellis and not grow into the screen?
view the full question and answer
Montezuma cypress trees for San Antonio
June 23, 2012 - Are Montezuma cypress trees good drought tolerant trees for your yard? I live 30 miles south of San Antonio; would this tree be good for this area?
view the full question and answer
Leaves dropping from a potted Mesquite
August 11, 2014 - I have a Prosopis pubescens (Screwbean Mesquite) that I purchased at a nursery in Alpine, TX just a few miles away from me. It was a in nursery style black plastic container. The mesquite is perhaps a...
view the full question and answer
Evergreen replacement for bamboo in Redding CA
July 27, 2009 - We have just removed bamboo from our backyard and need to replace it with a plant that will give us the same type of privacy. What plant would you suggest to plant along a fence line that will surviv...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |