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Evergreen sumac is a shrub or small tree, from 8-12 ft. in height with spreading branches. Its shiny, evergreen, pinnate foliage is tinged with pink in early spring and maroon after frost. Leaves are alternate, 2–5 1/2 inches long, with 5–9 fleshy leaflets on stiff stems. The 5-petaled, inconspicuous, greenish or white flowers grow in clusters 1–2 inches long at the end of stout branches. When the fruit matures in mid-September it is red, broader than long, and covered with fine hair.
Not a true evergreen – leaves are green through the winter, then are dropped, to be replaced within a week with a new crop.
View herbarium specimen from Harry T. Cliffe Bexar Regional Herbarium.
Ligustrum japonicum (Japanese privet)
Pyracantha coccinea (scarlet firethorn)
Question: Help, my oleanders are dying. I am in need of hedge suggestions- ideal would be quick growing, maybe 8-12 feet at their tallest. I live in Central Texas.
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Question: Mr. Smarty Plants, Please recommend a tall, thick shrub to conceal the 6 foot chain link fence around the perimeter of our property. The fence is located down a hill from our home with western exposure and full sun. While we can run a soaker hose down there to establish the roots, I would love to have tall shrubs that will conceal the fence, act as a noise barrier from the street and require no watering throughout the summer. Is there such a plant? The nursery recommended red tip photinias but after reading your article about disease with these plants, I'm reconsidering. Thank you for your advice.
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Question: I live in Austin in a neighborhood that is bordered on one side by highway 183 and on the other by MoPac and the train tracks. Even though I am least a three blocks from the closest highway, the traffic noise is horrific on all sides of my house, even at night. What might the best native plant or plants to put near the house to mitigate the noise coming inside and to plant around the perimeter of the property for the same purpose? I have a large yard, which I like, but I notice that the smaller properties, with smaller yards and close-by houses on all sides, are quieter because the buildings shield each other from the noise. Thank you for any suggestions.
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Question: Is there some kind of drought resistant bush or thorny plant we can rim our property with to stop all the foot traffic through our yard? We don't care if it's pretty, just something thick and/or thorny to stop people wandering through our property day and night. We have over an acre lot which is near IH35 and would like some privacy. We have bamboo on one side which works nicely, but can this be transplanted to grow on the empty side of our yard? Thank you!
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Question: Hello, we live west of Ft Worth. We are looking for tall plants to form a visual screen along a chain link fence we share with a neighbor. We have post oaks there and it is very shady and the ground is sandy and sloping. Our neighbor has planted eleagnus along her side but it is only a few feet tall. The fence line is about 100 feet long and we would like a variety of native plants 6 to 10 foot tall. Can you suggest anything?
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Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.
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