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.
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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.
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Friday - September 11, 2009
From: Merced, CA
Region: California
Topic: Shrubs
Title: Evergreen shrubs for privacy in Merced County California
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Mr. Smarty, A main road will be moving closer to our home in the next two years. A chain link fence will be put in but we would like to start planting now for privacy. We would appreciate any ideas for trees or shrubs that would provide 12 months of privacy in the Central Valley of California. Thank you for your help.ANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants found the following evergreen plants of various sizes for your fence line. These were all found to either occur in Merced County or in one or more adjacent counties according to the USDA Plants Database distribution maps. You can see more possibilities in our California-Northern Recommended list.Arctostaphylos patula (greenleaf manzanita) 3-6 feet tall
Carpenteria californica (tree anemone) 4-8 feet tall
Ceanothus leucodermis (chaparral whitethorn) 4-8 feet tall
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus (blueblossom) 3-18 feet tall
Ceanothus velutinus (snowbrush ceanothus) 3-5 feet tall
Dendromecon rigida (tree poppy) 6 feet and taller
Heteromeles arbutifolia (toyon) 6-8 feet
Juniperus californica (California juniper) 10-15 feet tall and here are photos
Morella californica (California wax myrtle) 10-25 feet and here are photos
Umbellularia californica (California laurel) a slow grower to 40 feet
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