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Tuesday - August 31, 2010

From: Georgetown, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Privacy Screening
Title: Privacy hedge, thick, fast-growing in Georgetown TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I want to plant a privacy hedge in Austin Texas Edwards escarpment so it's rocky soil. Looking for something thick, fast growing and can be kept to 7'. It's along a wrought iron fence and ranges from direct sun to shaded by 15' oaks.

ANSWER:

There are a few native shrubs that can be kept trimmed to about 7 ft, and tolerate part shade (2 to 6 hours of sun a day) or sun (6 hours or more of sun.) One thing we want to warn you about is that more and more gardeners are discovering that they cannot grow much of anything under oaks. This is partly because of the shade, partly because of the competing roots, and partly because of allelopathy. Allelopathy is the emission of substances that impede the flourishing of plants beneath that tree. Another warning: don't try to plant the shrubs you select now, in late August/early September. It is still way too hot. Woody plants should be put in the ground in late Fall or early Winter in this part of the world, while they are in partial dormancy. This will give their roots time to develop before the Texas heat makes it imperative for those roots to be able to transmit water and nutrients from the soil up to the leaves, which are the food manufacturers for the plant.

We will go to our Recommended Species and select Central Texas on the map, after which we will specify "shrubs" for General Appearance and "sun" or "part shade" for Light Requirements. You will need to follow each plant link to the page in our database on that plant to find out what its water needs and growing conditions are. We know you would probably prefer evergreen shrubs to help maintain privacy year-round, but that narrows the range of choice quite a bit.

Shrubs for Privacy in Georgetown TX:

Ageratina havanensis (Havana snakeroot) - 2-6 ft. tall, deciduous

Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry) - 3-5 ft., deciduous

Eysenhardtia texana (Texas kidneywood) - 3-10 ft, deciduous

Ilex vomitoria (yaupon) - 12 to 25 ft., can be trimmed to hedge, evergreen

Leucophyllum frutescens (Texas barometer bush) - 3 to 5 ft., evergreen

Mahonia trifoliolata (agarita) - 3 to 8 ft., evergreen

Senna lindheimeriana (velvet leaf senna) - 3 to 6 ft., deciduous

Sophora secundiflora (Texas mountain-laurel) - 5 to 10 ft., evergreen

From our Native Plant Image Gallery: