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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.

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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

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Friday - June 13, 2008

From: Las Cruces, NM
Region: Southwest
Topic: Privacy Screening, Shrubs, Trees
Title: Evergreen plants for a windbreak
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Our church has need to plant a windbreak. We would like fast growing native plants, preferably evergreen or really early 'leafers' to protect us from our windy season beginning in mid/late February.

ANSWER:

Here are several evergreen or semi-evergreen shrubs native to New Mexico that should work well. To see more possibilities visit the Recommended Species page and click on New Mexico on the map for a list of commercially available native plant species suitable for landscaping.

Artemisia tridentata (big sagebrush) evergreen

Atriplex canescens (fourwing saltbush) semi-evergreen

Cercocarpus montanus (alderleaf mountain mahogany) almost evergreen

Fendlera rupicola (cliff fendlerbush) deciduous to semi-evergreen

Fraxinus greggii (Gregg's ash) almost evergreen

Juniperus scopulorum (Rocky Mountain juniper) evergreen, small tree to 40 feet

Larrea tridentata (creosote bush) evergreen

Pinus edulis (twoneedle pinyon) evergreen, small tree 10-30 feet

Yucca elata (soaptree yucca) evergreen

Yucca torreyi (Torrey's yucca) evergreen

 

From the Image Gallery


Big sagebrush
Artemisia tridentata

Chamiso
Atriplex canescens

Alderleaf mountain mahogany
Cercocarpus montanus

Cliff fendlerbush
Fendlera rupicola

Gregg's ash
Fraxinus greggii

Rocky mountain juniper
Juniperus scopulorum

Creosote bush
Larrea tridentata

Colorado pinyon pine
Pinus edulis

Soaptree yucca
Yucca elata

More Privacy Screening Questions

Plants for privacy screen in Edgewood TX
September 10, 2009 - Can you recommend a large fast growing tree, shrub, etc. that can give me some privacy from my neighbor across the street that likes to use his binoculars? I live in East Texas on about 10 acres.
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Fast-growing evergreens for privacy in Center, TX
March 30, 2010 - I live in East Texas and am looking for a fast growing evergreen for a privacy screen around my backyard. The area gets partial sun and the soil has a lot of clay in it.
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Vine for Chain Link Fence in Virginia
March 25, 2015 - I am from Great Falls, Virginia. I would like to know what the best vine is to grow on aluminum fences to cover them up quickly but also doesn't damage expensive fences in a long term?
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Is purple bindweed good for a screen growing on a fence?
September 12, 2012 - We cleared a bunch of dead trees and tree limbs (mostly cedars and some oaks) on our semi-rural property in Driftwood and now we're left with an undesirable view onto the neighboring property. We're...
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Native Texas shrub for privacy screen in hot area
August 31, 2007 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I have a lot facing dead west which I'm sure you can understand is brutally hot in the summer. I'm putting in a pool in my backyard and would like to plant a native Texas...
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