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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Tuesday - December 14, 2010

From: Wade, NC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Privacy Screening
Title: Need plants for privacy screening in a campground in Wade, NC.
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

Landscaping a campground tent area, need evergreen to grow to ground, narrow in width but will reach height for privacy. There is a wooded tree line along wall that produces shade during summer. Any suggestions?

ANSWER:

My first suggestion is for you to go to our Native Plant Database, scroll down to the Combination Search box, and make the following selections: select North Carolina under state, Shrub under Habit, and Perennial under Duration. Check Sun under Light requirement, and Dry under Soil moisture. Ignore bloom characteristics for now. Click the "Submit combination search" button, and you will get a list of of 30 native species that match these parameters. Clicking on the name of each plant will bring up its NPIN page that has information about the plant, its growing conditions, and images. By going through the list, you can pick the plants that meet your specifications and growing conditions. You can generate different lists by altering the parameters. Our National Suppliers Directory can help you find businesses that sell native plants and provide professional landscape services in your area.

Controlling the shape of your shrubs is done through appropriate pruning. This link from Aggie Horticulture has some good tips.

Here's a list of plants that I found that may be possibilities. Check to see if their growing conditions fit your area.

Morella cerifera (Wax myrtle)

Ilex vomitoria (Yaupon)

Rhododendron maximum (Great laurel)

Ilex myrtifolia (Myrtle dahoon)

Another source of help closer to home is the Cumberland County Office of NC Cooperative Extension.