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
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Monday - July 26, 2010
From: Corpus Christi, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Privacy Screening
Title: Small tree with blossoms for screen in Corpus Christi, Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
We are looking for something to plant along a back fence for privacy but don't want it to be a bush. What might work like a crepe Myrtle in the Corpus Christi area that would blossom towards the top but not at the base of the tree/shrub? We would also like to not have to wait five + years for it to begin to fill out. Any suggestions? Thanks!ANSWER:
Here are some suggestions for small native trees with the faster growing selections listed first:
Bauhinia lunarioides (anacacho orchid tree) is deciduous and has rapid growth and beautiful flowers in the spring.
Chilopsis linearis (desert willow) is deciduous and has rapid growth and showy pink flowers.
Cornus drummondii (roughleaf dogwood) is deciduous and has rapid growth with white flowers and berries.
Prunus mexicana (Mexican plum) is deciduous and has moderate growth with beautiful flowers in the spring and summer fruit.
Magnolia virginiana (sweetbay) is semi-evergreen to evergreen and has moderate growth with large, showy blossoms.
Acacia farnesiana (sweet acacia) is deciduous and slow-growing with fragrant orange blooms.
Cercis canadensis var. texensis (Texas redbud) is deciduous and slow-growingand has spectacular pink blooms.
Cordia boissieri (anacahuita) is evergreen, slow-growing and susceptible to freezing temperatures but has beautiful foliage and flowers.
Sophora secundiflora (Texas mountain-laurel) is evergreen and slow-growing, but has beautiful flowers in the spring.
Here are photos from our Image Gallery:
More Privacy Screening Questions
Need suggestions for plants to form a privacy hedge in Charleston, WV.
April 05, 2011 - Mr. Smarty Pants, I live in zone 6 and an looking for an evergreen privacy type hedge that grows no taller than 10'-12'. I am not interested in any boxwood type of hedge. The evergreens would be ...
view the full question and answer
Trees to replace Ligustrums, and evergreen vines for privacy screen
January 21, 2008 - We had 3 ligustrum trees growing along a creek bank in our back yard and under the City of Austin power lines. Our backyard is on a terrace about 7 feet above the creek's flood plain. The Ligustrums ...
view the full question and answer
Deer resistant screening evergreens for CT
April 07, 2010 - I live in Connecticut, in a predominantly wooded environment. I am looking for a recommendation for a great screening tree, which I can use to block a view of Neighbors behind me. It would need to b...
view the full question and answer
Trees for privacy screen
August 08, 2012 - Hello, We'd like to plant a privacy screen to hide our view of an adjacent apartment complex. Ideally the trees or other plantings might be a native species, and preferably they would eventually rea...
view the full question and answer
Oak root resistant hedge for Southern California
December 28, 2013 - I live in Southern California and my cypress hedge has oak root fungus. What kind of hedge can I plant that will grow fast and be resistant to the fungus?
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |