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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

rate this answer

Saturday - May 04, 2013
From: Temecula, CA
Region: California
Topic: Privacy Screening, Grasses or Grass-like, Herbs/Forbs, Shrubs, Trees
Title: Privacy screen from Temecula CA
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I live in Temecula and need a fast growing tree by our pool that is good to block neighbors house.ANSWER:
Before we begin, let us give you some caveats (that means we can't do everything you want us to)
1. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is committed to the growth, propagation and protection of plants native not only to North America but also to the area in which those plants have evolved; in your case, Riverside County in extreme Southern California. This helps ensure that plants chosen are already accustomed to climate, soils and rainfall when you plant them.
2. Fast-growing woody plants (trees and shrubs) tend to be short-lived. The speed of growth can depend on the amount of sunlight, the soil and temperature.
3. Completely blocking out a view would probably take years to achieve. We suggest a group of different types of plants, with different heights and textures, to distract the eye and focus on the attractiveness of the plants nearer the viewer.
4. Around pool areas, any plant, trees especially, are going to tend to drop a lot of stuff into the water. Also, tree roots can get into foundations, paving and even the structure of the pool, potentially causing cracking and damage.
Let us suggest you go to the website of Las Pilitas in Escondido. Here is their mission statement:
"All we grow are native plants.
The Escondido nursery grows primarily for the San Diego, Riverside, Orange, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles counties. We have some desert native plants, mountain plants and a lot of chaparral and coastal sage scrub plants. Which means, we have Manzanita, Ceanothus, Salvia, Buckwheat, California Fuchsia and many other native plants."
This means that they probably have more plants that will work in your garden than we do in our database. They specialize in your area. They probably have some of the mature specimens of plants you are considering, and they believe in plants native to the area, just like we do.
More Grasses or Grass-like Questions
Plants for full-sun landscape
November 20, 2007 - I live in a very rocky area just outside of Fort Worth, TX. It's taken me all spring, summer & now I'm going into the fall, to landscape just 30 feet in front of my house. The front of the house get...
view the full question and answer
Lawn fertilizer in Austin
February 23, 2012 - My lawn person wants to spread granulated spring fertilizer on my lawn. Problem is I have a very old Live Oak tree that I do not want to kill.
What should I avoid spreading on my lawn to prevent t...
view the full question and answer
Replacing hawthorn bush with muhly grass from Plano TX
April 10, 2014 - I am thinking of replacing a hawthorn bush with a muhly grass plant or two in an edged area with river rock cover in Plano, texas. It is the black soil and not a sandy loam. We have a sprinkler syst...
view the full question and answer
Pine bark on non-native St. Augustine grass in Kingwood TX
May 12, 2010 - I had two large Pine trees cut down. In the process of cutting the trees down there is a lot of pine bark from the tree on my St Augustine grass. Will this affect the growth of my grass?
view the full question and answer
Non-native smoketree for California City, CA
June 28, 2010 - I was wondering if you could tell me if it would be a good or bad idea to plant a Smoke Tree (most likely European) in the vicinity of a septic tank. We are looking for something which will provide a...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |