zone 9b need screen/shrub non invasive ideas HELP

Just looking for a little advice.

I live in hardiness zone 9b (or zipcode 92804).

I have a planter in front of my house 3'X6' in front of a bedroom window.
-facing south
-full sun
-not clay but not perfect soil
-water main is near and so is the sewer (probably at 4-6- deep)

I had a couple of oleanders that were there for atleast 20-30 years and were getting into my sewer so i took them out. I am looking for something to go in front of the window that offers a bit of privacy but non invasive. It is a daunting task for me it seems and I would really appreciate a little help.

Thank you Kelley

Kelley, this web site says you are located at zone 10 and experiencing extreme drought:

http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-california-usda-plant-zone-hardiness-map.php

Julia Phelps has attractive purple blooms and likes full sun:

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/55603/

Or perhaps a vine would be best to avoid pruning heavily next to the window. Potato Vine is an option:

http://www.onlineplantguide.com/Plant-Details/3294/

Nancy G.

What about adding a tree to the lawn away from the window to give some shade, then smaller shrubs near the window?

If you are watering the lawn, and going to continue, then the planter area is not a really dry location.

Anyway, here are some good shrubs that could work:

For average garden water:
Coprosma, any of several colored leaf types like Tequila Sunrise, Evening Glow, Coppershine and others - confirm plant height, not all the colored leaf types get as big as you want.
Coprosma repens- the species or the variegated form. (Not Marble Queen- too small)
Duranta stenoctacha (several colors)
Escallonia- There are several varieties in different sizes. Do not get the most common, E. fradesi, gets way too big.
*Lavatera thuringiaca- again, look for the right variety. Burgandy Wine, Red Rum and others might be the right size.
Grewia occidentalis-
Rhaphiolepis umbellata- There are many varieties of Rhaphiolepis indica, a close relative. R. umbellata has thicker, almost waxy leaves. The flowers are not so showy. It is resistant to the bacterial spot that R. indica gets.

For drier conditions, for example, if you are using less lawn:
Rhamnus californica 'Eve Case'
Leonotis leonurus
*Grevillea rosmarinifolia
Callistemon viminalis- Gotta look into what varieties are available. The species is a good sized tree. The most common variety (Little John) is too small. But there are several that might be right in the size range that would work.
*Ceanothus, as a group may work. You would have to decide if the varieties that are available would suit the situation. They are mostly natives, and selections or hybrids. Very showy flowers, but most do not like garden water, and tend to be short lived.
Arctostaphyllos, another native shrub. Many species, some hybrids. Like Ceanothus, some do not care for garden water. Some are native to foggy, north coast hillsides, and not going to do so well on a south facing wall.
*Cistus ladanifer, perhaps the variety 'Cordoba'. Ask about other varieties, too.
Myrtus communis and the variegated type. Not the dwarf ones.

* May get too wide. Can be pruned, but may not look as good.

I am concerned about the plumbing in the area. If you put a root guard between the plants and the plumbing that would be good. Any plant that gets big enough on top to screen the window will have comparable sized roots.

Thank you so much for both of your ideas and suggestions. I am going to put a tree in middle of the grassy area. (you can see a small corner of where I have started to dig out in the 2nd pic) I was going to put a pepper tree in but too invasive.

I really appreciate both of the responses!

Kelley

If you cut out an area so the lawn does not grow right up to the tree, then the tree will be better. You could add some flowers or something in that area, or just mulch it.
Yes, pepper tree (Schinus molle) is not right for that area.

How tall a tree do you want? Are there wires overhead?
A wider and taller tree will shade the house better. Offer more cooling in the summer.

A tree with similar foliage to the pepper tree might be Maytenus boaria, but it is slow growing, and pretty boring. Plain ol' green, no flowers.
Don't go to the other extreme of too-fast growing, though. Many of the fastest growing trees are more weed-like with problems like surface roots, or weak branch attachment.

Trees that do well with lawn water include:
Acer rubrum
Magnolia (most)
Tillia (several species)
There are probably a lot more, but if you can suggest some parameters, I can narrow the list a lot.

Deciduous or evergreen?
Lawn water? Or can you aim the sprinklers away from it, and do a thorough deep soak, then allow it to dry some between watering?
Flowers?
Size?

My house is single story......

maybe 20-30'+- tall would be good(wide is good too)(definitely looking for shading for the summer)
no overhead wires
sprinklers, yes but can direct however I want
Deciduous or evergreen....either one

Thanks so much.... you are a wealth of info!

Kelley, I notice the roofs in your neighborhood are flatter than average, probably a 4/12 pitch. Here in the northeast most homes have a steep pitch (i.e. 9/12) to help the snow-pack fall off the roof; so I'm guessing in an arid climate with little or no snow flatter roofs are built because there's no need to protect against snow damage. The steep roofs and frequent wind and rain in my region also help remove leaves that fall on roofs. I was concerned that you had mentioned placing a 30-ft. tree near your home. I suggest researching how much leaf fall a tree produces before planting it, because most trees drop leaves, needles, cones, fruit, pollen, etc. and once that lands on the roof it might stay there and rot until the wind or infrequent rains will remove some or all of it. Of course, you can get a ladder and climb on the roof to do routine sweeps but that takes time and could be dangerous. For shade I would recommend small trees. Mexican Bird of Paradise has yellow flowers:

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/57631/

Nancy G.

A shallower roof is common in CA, and yes, leaves etc. need to be cleaned occasionally. Not really much of a problem. Tall trees grow over houses all the time, and wind blows leaves onto the roof even if the tree is not directly over the roof.

Look into how fast these grow in your area, and what sized containers are available. A larger plant may not always mean a faster plant over the years, though it looks more impressive when first planted. A smaller plant can catch up, and may ultimately grow faster than the same species planted from a larger container. Buying (and planting!) a tree in anything larger than a 24" box calls for a tractor and a skilled planting crew. Even a 24" box is not a one-man job.
Most of these are about average growth rate.

20-40' tall trees, not too narrow, average garden water, evergreen:
Arbutus 'Marina'
Citrus- Check the varieties for the fruit you might want, but Orange and Grapefruit get that big.
Magnolia grandiflora, the smaller varieties- Edith Bogue, St. Mary, San Marino, Victoria or others.
Avocado- WATCH OUT most are not OK in colder winters. I am also listed as zone 9b, and have to spray mine with Cloud Cover every year.

20-40' tall trees, not too narrow, drier conditions, evergreen:
Laurus nobilis 'Saratoga'- Yes, you can use these leaves in the kitchen.
Melaleuca linearifolia, or other species. Go see these. Very interesting bark, showy flowers. May not really get more than 20'. Here, they are used as a street tree in the middle of the road, which may not be their best use, but they grow well under these conditions. Maybe better in a garden setting, though.
Prunus ilicifolia 'Lyonii'- a native tree. Fruit can be a bit messy.

20-40' tall trees, not too narrow, average garden water, deciduous. With noticeable flowers.
Acer rubrum (several varieties, look into October Glory)
Aesculus x carnea
Catalpa bignonioides (may get bigger).
Koelruteria paniculata- May be invasive.
Liriodendron tulipifera 'Majestic Beauty', the variegated one.
Tillia cordata- several varieties. I have 'June Bride'- covered with flowers!
Vitex angus-castus
MANY varieties of Magnolia (species, hybrids)
MANY varieties of Malus, Crabapple. Research disease resistance and performance. Often produce fruit, but it is not usually too messy.
MANY varieties of Prunus, Flowering Cherry and Flowering Plum, some with purple leaves. Research disease resistance, and performance over the years. Many flowering cherry and plum will bear some fruit that may sprout, or can be messy. Some have such small, dry fruit it is less of a problem.
Edible fruit trees, you will have to research, see which will do well in your area, and can reach the size you want. Also, if you want the fruit, what is needed in your area- spray for pests, thin the fruit or other:
Asian Pear (several varieties, will easily become big enough to do the job)
Apple, Pear, Plum, Cherry- standard sized trees. Not dwarf or semi dwarf.


20-40' tall trees, not too narrow, drier conditions, deciduous:
Albizia juibrissin- several named varieties are better behaved than the species.
Crataegus- several species and varieties of Hawthorn. Showy fruit, too.
Fraxinus angustifolia 'Raywood'.
Lagerstroemia hybrids (the species gets powdery mildew). Look for the tallest ones.
Pyrus calleryana- check the varieties- some are better behaved than others.

20-40' tall, a bit narrower, average garden water, decid.
Ginkgo biloba- A tree to admire not just for its looks, but also because it is a botanical oddity- a conifer with broad leaves! Since it grows a bit narrower, perhaps a small grove? 3 of them, in a triangle, about 15' apart...

Diana, whether or not tree fall is a problem depends on the tree. I wouldn't want fruit chunks rotting my roof for a year or pollen staining it. A tall conifer that leaves a few inches of needles and cones on the roof won't do much damage because it takes a long time for evergreen needles and cones to biodegrade. Nevertheless, I don't want to see anything on my roof, because I prefer it to look clean regardless of whether the tree fall does little or a lot of damage.

I never thought much about tree fall till I moved to a home next to a forest. At different times of the year our deck is covered with several inches of pine needles that I gather for mulch, red berries that rot and stain if not swept quickly, helicopter leaves, big oak and maple leaves, white sticky stuff that pine trees drop that looks like bird droppings and is more difficult to remove than melted plastic, big branches (sometimes six feet) that fall when the wind breaks them off, and yellow pollen that stained our metal outdoor table and I cannot remove no matter how many times I power-spray it (with soap). Proper maintenance of the deck requires sweeping it dozens of times and power-spraying it at least 4 times a year. We live in a windy micro-climate and the wind is so powerful it knocks down the heavy metal umbrella-topped table about ten times a year, and throws our broom and metal shovel around about 150 times a year but even with that intense wind our deck is frequently covered with tree fall. - N.G.

This message was edited Jan 11, 2015 2:57 PM