Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

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.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Tuesday - March 19, 2013

From: Parks, AZ
Region: Southwest
Topic: Privacy Screening, Shrubs
Title: Drought tolerant privacy plants for Flagstaff AZ
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

We need a fast growing drought tolerant tree that will grow in Flagstaff AZ/Parks AZ. Neighbors are hoarders and we want privacy fence to cover the mess. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

ANSWER:

Actually, what we think you need is privacy shrubs. If you think about it, once a tree begins to grow, what is at eye-level? The trunk of the tree, of course, which doesn't do much for privacy. There are a number of shrubs native to Arizona and evergreen, which will "bush out" and make the area both more attractive and more opaque. By the by, "fast growing" trees is something of a misnomer. It still takes several years for any tree to grow very much, and many fast growing trees tend to be short-lived.

The American poet, Robert Frost, wrote in his poem Mending Walls: "Good fences make good neighbors." So, maybe your neighbors will notice your lovely new living privacy wall and decide to clean up their side so they can enjoy the plants, too. Or, maybe not.

We will go to our Native Plant Database and, using the Combination Search, select on Arizona on State, "shrub" under Habit, "sun" under Light Requirements and "evergreen" for Duration. We are going to assume this privacy wall will be in full sun, which we consider to be six hours or more of sunlight  a day. We will choose, as we always do, only plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they are to be grown, in your case, Coconino County. Follow each link to our webpage on that plant to learn its growing conditions, sunlight requirements, preferred soils, etc. To determine if a shrub is native to your area, scroll down to the bottom of that webpage and click on the link to the USDA Plant Profile on that plant. We have done that on all of our suggested list.

Shrubs for privacy in Flagstaff AZ:

Arctostaphylos patula (Greenleaf manzanita)

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Kinnikinnick)

Buddleja scordioides (Escobilla butterflybush)

Cercocarpus montanus (Alderleaf mountain mahogany)

Encelia farinosa (Brittlebush)

Fremontodendron californicum (California flannelbush)

Garrya wrightii (Wright's silktassel)

Juniperus monosperma (Oneseed juniper)

Larrea tridentata (Creosote bush)

Mahonia haematocarpa (Red barberry)

Rhamnus crocea (Holly-leaf buckthorn)

If you have difficulty locating native plants of your choice, go to our National Suppliers Directory, put your town and state or just your zipcode in the "Enter Search Location" box and you will get a list of native plant nurseries, seed companies and consultants in your general area. All will have contact information so you can find out if they have your choice in stock before you start shopping.

 

From the Image Gallery


Greenleaf manzanita
Arctostaphylos patula

Kinnikinnick
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Escobilla butterflybush
Buddleja scordioides

Alderleaf mountain mahogany
Cercocarpus montanus

Brittlebush
Encelia farinosa

Carolina silverbell
Halesia carolina

Wright's silktassel
Garrya wrightii

Oneseed juniper
Juniperus monosperma

Creosote bush
Larrea tridentata

Red barberry
Mahonia haematocarpa

Redberry buckthorn
Rhamnus crocea

More Shrubs Questions

Plant similar to forsythia for Kansas City KS
April 11, 2012 - I want to plant a plant very similar to Forsythia. I want it to be tall 4-5 ft tall. Need something that leaf changing, something besides burning bush.Former area rose beds 4 x 4 (two areas) Right ...
view the full question and answer

Evergreen shrub for East Texas
October 31, 2012 - I am looking for a small to medium evergreen shrub (native to east Texas) for a location that receives some sun in the morning but mostly shade. Something that blooms & attracts butterflys & hummingbi...
view the full question and answer

Recovery of an agarita having been cut down from San Antonio, TX
August 16, 2013 - I had an agarita adjoining a cedar and a volunteer hackberry in my yard. The tree trimmers were supposed to cut out the hackberry but unfortunately also cut the agarita back to the ground. How long ...
view the full question and answer

Small evergreen shrubs for horse barn in North Carolina
September 26, 2009 - I want to plant some low growing evergreen shrubs in pots in my paddock around my barn. The horses can occasionally be in this are but not for an extended time. I am in NC. Any suggestions?
view the full question and answer

Evergreen sumacs for privacy along fence
August 02, 2014 - I would like to plant enough Evergreen Sumacs along our fence for privacy for the length of our backyard which is 60 ft. Fifteen feet on the left and right ends are shaded with the right side being d...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.