Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_43.gif)
Tuesday - December 16, 2008
From: Hawthorn Woods, IL
Region: Midwest
Topic: Privacy Screening
Title: Screening plants for edge of pond in Illinois
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I have a backyard pond that I am restoring, adding aeration, plants, etc. Unfortunately, there is a farmer that stores old equipment on the shore of my pond and refuses to move it. It is an eyesore. Are there any perennial plants (Zone 5) that will grow tall in water and screen out some of this? I don't want it to overrun the pond though. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.ANSWER:
When you say the unwelcome equipment is at the shore of your pond, how close is that? Is the edge of your pond on your property and the farm equipment on his? There are plants that will grow in water in Zone 5, native to Illinois, that will provide some screening, and we will list them for you. There are also Illinois native trees and shrubs that don't grow IN water, but can grow in soggy soil at the edge of ponds or rivers, and would provide better screening still, but they would need some ground, maybe ten feet or so between the edge of your pond and the equipment. Unfortunately, none of these are evergreen, but at least they will help. To begin with the water plants:
Typha latifolia (broadleaf cattail) This perennial grows from 4 to 8 feet tall, with creeping rootstocks that form dense stands in shallow water, so it might be advisable to plant it in a large container underwater to prevent the pond being taken over by cattails.
Equisetum hyemale (scouringrush horsetail) Perennial growing in wet places, pond margins, swamps, to 3 feet tall.
For the area beyond the pond, if there is room, you could consider some willows, members of the Salix genus. Willows are fast-growing, but can be weak and susceptible to disease. They should be trimmed back vigorously every few years to encourage stronger growth. Perhaps by the time they need to be replaced or removed, the farm equipment will have rusted away.
Salix caroliniana (coastal plain willow) Grows in wet soils of stream banks or swamps.
Salix discolor (pussy willow) Many-stemmed shrub or small tree, marshy low ground, stream banks.
Salix humilis (prairie willow) Alluvial or boggy areas, 6 to 12 feet tall.
And some plants that will do well in soggy ground, and provide even more screening.
Spartina pectinata (prairie cordgrass) Rigid, upright perennial that grows well in low, wet areas, marshes.
Cephalanthus occidentalis (common buttonbush) Found in swamps and around ponds and margins of streams.
Taxodium distichum (bald cypress) Adapted to moist habitats, provides some height and interest.
Follow each plant link to a webpage on that plant, and go down to the bottom of the page and use the link to Google to get more information. These plants should all be commercially available. If you don't find them readily available in your area, go to our Native Plant Suppliers, type your town and state into the "Enter Search Location" box and you will get a list of native plant nurseries, seed companies and landscape consultants in your general area.
More Privacy Screening Questions
Low privacy hedge in Houston
June 17, 2009 - I am looking for a fast growing, dense (for privacy) shrub/s or plants, that will get at least 3-4+ feet high for a mostly shady area. Thanks.
view the full question and answer
Trees for screen around pool near Dallas
June 13, 2010 - I am looking for a native plant to use around a pool to provide screening (I am putting in a 12 ft tall set of flag poles to suspend a sun screen the HOA wants me to block the flag poles) I have 8 ft ...
view the full question and answer
Transplanting large Silverado Sage bushes from Mesa AZ
August 19, 2013 - We just bought a condo with three Silverado Sage, each one is 6-8 ft tall, trained to grow as "trees" with bare branches for the bottom 4 feet or so, and beautiful flowering branches on top. They ar...
view the full question and answer
Native plants for a barrier hedge
October 13, 2008 - Is there a native hedge I can plant to provide privacy? I have hostile neighbors behind me and would rather plant a hedge than put up a fence. I looked through the Virginia native species and didn'...
view the full question and answer
Smarty Plants on bio-security
June 11, 2005 - Hello,
My friend and I are summer interns at the Bryan Mound Strategic Petroleum Reserve Site in Freeport, Texas. Our jobs as the interns is to find a plant that is friendly to the animals around our...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |