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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Sunday - December 21, 2008
From: Magnolia, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Privacy Screening
Title: Spacing for wax myrtles as screen in Texas
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I have bought 30 wax myrtles, 15 gallon sized, and would like to plant them along my fence line, as a screen. How far apart is the recommended distance when planting plants of this size? Thank you!ANSWER:
Morella cerifera (wax myrtle) is generally predicted to grow from 6 to 12 feet tall, with a similar spread. They can grow as high as 20 feet, often trained into a tree. You will want to grow them as shrubs without trimming them up, in order to achieve maximum screening. To follow this rather loose formula, if you have a shrub that is going to mature to 12 feet in spread, two shrubs should be 12 feet apart (trunk to trunk). The wax myrtle is fast-growing, but you will probably want to plant them closer together than that, for quicker effect. We would suggest 5 to 6 feet apart, and they should grow together fairly soon for your hedge, but not be so close together that they interfere with the growth of the others in the hedge.
More Privacy Screening Questions
Evergreen shrub with dense base for screen in Austin
November 11, 2010 - I just bought a house in Austin and am looking for an evergreen shrub to use as a thick hedge between my elevated yard and a bus stop. The only shrubs I can come up with tend to get thin toward the b...
view the full question and answer
Dog Friendly Privacy Hedge for Long Island
April 14, 2013 - Can you please advise me of some plants for a privacy hedge that are non-toxic to dogs and that would thrive on Long Island, NY? I am looking for a hedge to grow to about 6-8 ft.
view the full question and answer
Small evergreen shrubs for part shade in Texas
January 31, 2015 - Mr. Smarty Pants,
I'm, for some reason, at odds with myself about a shrub decision. I have need about 8 ft of hedge-like evergreen shrub(s) that I can maintain around 4ft to go under a window. It...
view the full question and answer
Plants for a property line in Birmingham, AL
August 15, 2012 - I am looking for a plant to help establish a property line. Our neighbor's landscaping/mowing company has a large turnover, and the new employees always get confused about where the property line is...
view the full question and answer
Pfluegerville Screening Hedge
May 25, 2014 - We live just north of Austin in a subdivision built on farm land so we have relatively flat land with good soil. We just put in a pool and are needing a privacy hedge along our 66 ft back fence. We ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |