Dallas Help Needed - Hedge Plant or Small Tree

Hi Everyone, I found this site a short while ago and wow, so much information! I have been lost in here for hours!

I am new to gardening in Dallas TX (just south of down town Dallas) and came from St. Pete Florida. All of my gardening experience is in Florida so I am learning about cooler weather gardening. I have been researching plants and in the middle of a back yard redo. I am looking for a hedge plant or small tree that is evergreen, good for privacy and does not get taller the 20 ft or so (powerlines above the back fence) You will see from the photo I am desperate to hide my neighbors unsightly structures! the bed(s) that they will be going in is 8ft deep and spans about 40 ft.

I am thinking of using Wax Myrtle or Hollies (unsure of which one still researching what will work and not be thorny) along the back fence . Or a combination of a few types of trees/shrubs. I am thinking that I would trim the shrubs in to a tree form to be able to do light planting under them

Would anyone have a suggestion of other shrubs or small evergreen trees?

Thank you in advance,

Duff

I like my wax myrtle. I like it pruned kind of "open and airy," but it will still make a nice screen. I'm just planting mine, but I see them all over Houston.

I'm also planting a chaste (vitex) tree. It has beautiful purple blooms that butterflies (and bees) really like, but it's deciduous.

An excellent book for basic planting and very nice landscaping plans is "Texas Home Landscaping Including Oklahoma" by Greg Grant and Roger Holmes.

Other choices:

Texas Mountain Laurel (evergreen I think)
Pink Dawn chitalpa (deciduous)
Red Bud (Forest Pansy)

Good luck.

Jo

A sweet Olive or two is always nice:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1450/

Debbie

I agree! I have two sweet olives. I love them, but they're pretty slow growing or at least they seem to be. :)

Jo

Isn't sweet olive an understory tree? A burford holly will get quite tall and wide. I don't know if it would be hardy up there but a sweet bay might be nice. I have one I want to try to plant in the ground this year if I can just figure out where to put it.

Silver, the biggest garden mistake I ever made was planting a sweet bay too close to the house and the fence. Actually, an ex-husband put it there; I was getting it out of a pot I wanted for something else. I didn't say anything as it was a "twig" of 6"-8" and I figured it would freeze to death the first winter.

Grows great but don't plant it within 5'-6' of any structure--I'm still battling mine every year.
This is on the west side, very bad soil, never any supplemental water. I haven't figured out how to kill it or I would.

I thought he was looking for something small so not to interfere with powerlines.

This is a pitiful shot, but will give you an idea. The only reason its under control now and all cut back is all this fencing is soon to be replaced, and since I'm "free-lance" employed now; I had an entire afternoon to saw, and bind limbs into 4' sections for garbage collection. It's just about torn up the eaves of the house. I have to keep after it 3-4 times a year and it also branches out wide and almost blocks my neighbor's gate.

Just be careful WHERE you put it. I've resigned myself to the fact it will forever be a thorn in my gardening side. Sure wish I could find a source needing that many bay leaves.

Thanks for the warning Dmj. The spot I want to put it is on the east side of the house where it'll get light shade in the morning and no sun in the afternoon. The eave of the house is atleast 20 feet up there, but I forgot about how wide it'll get. How much sun does yours get? Can it be an understory tree, like between 2 huge live oaks. They are probably 50 to 60 feet apart, but their branches meet in the middle. It would get late afternoon sun.

Mine is in full blazing west sun--but I do not know how it would do anywhere else. That thing is almost 10 years old--I just wish I could kill it with some method short of deadly chemicals and nuclear radiation--lol.

Wow CDuff!! that is a beautiful canvas you got there.

That is stunning - there a lot of natives that owuld be great - evergreen sumac, some of the hollies, Mt. Laruel, among others that are great for that type of space. You could really get a lot of the native birds in there that way - just a thought.

Possum Haw holly would be nice--I wish mine would grow faster. It might be a bit too tall for your area with the utility lines.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/58203/

I'm watching this too as I have a 60' x 8' almost blank back to fill after the subdivision decides to start back fence construction/destruction. That's why you are probably getting more input from me than you really want. =)

You have a fine line to work with there to get plants tall enough to block your neighbors but short enough for the power line problem. I admire your courage; its a beautiful area with challenge!

This message was edited Feb 16, 2008 5:49 PM

I have a Possum Haw under power lines with no problem, this is one over the fence in my neighborhood, mine was attacked by webworms and didn't do well this year.

I love them too and that's a beautiful specimen Josephine!

That possumhaw is gorgeous! Don't you need a male pollinator, though? I'd start looking for one tomorrow if I knew it would look like that.

Jo

Oh My Gosh, you all are great, thank you everyone for weighing in on ideas and words of advice. I will take everything I can get!

I am more use to Plumeria, orange trees, year round gardening and sand coming from Florida! It's a funny adjustment to know that year round home grown veggie require more work then just a little water and the re-potting of the top 12 inches of a plant. Now I have to learn seasons, working in clay and all the fun new plants available! I suppose it is time to rehome all my Florida books and start a new.

Jo_in_TX thank you on the book idea, I will pick it up.
I did already pick up Neil Sperry's book on TX Gardening and have been studying away.

Everyone else, I love all the idea's and now have a few more to start researching! Thank you

I must admit that I am excited to have a blank slate this time around. The previous owners did not touch the back yard and I don't think anyone did before them. I have been in the house for about a 18 months and did not want to do anything until I had a better understanding of the yard. I think I have a pretty good understanding of the sun and shade now. Then it took about 6 months to find a contractor and finish the hardscape (just about done). So now I am venturing into plants.

There was a Pecan tree smack dab in the middle of the yard (you can still see the Stump) but last year 1/2 of it just fell off. No wind, nothing, just fell one night. It was over 40 ft tall and thank god it missed the house but destroyed the patio furniture. It scared me so much that I removed it and about 4 month later we had all that bad weather that did major destruction of trees in my neighborhood. I hated to remove the tree but it looked like no one touched it in many many decades an the thought of losing the house vs. losing the tree, the house won.

The only other plant life that existed in the yard is a smaller yet unidentified tree in the back corner and a Fortinia planted to close to the house that is huge and again never touched and then a larger unidentified tree that is planted about 3 feet away from it. I love the Fortinia tree and will keep it for now but will most likely get rid of the other one.

Any other idea for foundation plantings is very welcomed. As you can see the yard is empty. My goal is to get those in the next few months. For the back fence I do plan on spending a bit more and get larger sizes to help with the view.

Again, thank you for taking the time to post idea's! If anything else comes to mind I would love to hear about them. I am also searching past posts and find a wealth of information!

Duff

It is best to purchase one while they have berries on, that way you are sure to have a female.
Usually you don't need to have two, I only have one and no problem.
Some years they fruit a lot heavier than others.
Also a Yaupon Holly is very nice and evergreen too.
A close up of a very fruited possum haw.

Wow, that possum haw is beautiful! I am not sure it would work along the back but I have the bed to the left that it may be a good contender for. I am terrified to have to spend my hours in the garden looking at my neighbors collection of back yard garages. They are adding another one and were on the roof most of the afternoon. Nothing like having your neighbors have full access to see everything you do!

This message was edited Feb 16, 2008 8:36 PM

This message was edited Feb 16, 2008 8:36 PM

You probably have read about the Nellie R Stevens and Mary Nell hollies. They are not too prickly. They are very evergreen and keep a nice shape.The burford hollies grow here. I had to take my "dwarfs" out because they were over 6 ft.

I am confused on the subject on possum haw hollies. I bought one, thinking it was evergreen and it's not.

They are deciduous except for the berries in winter--I think that's what makes them so beautiful. =)

I must have a different kind from that in the picture. Mine never has had those wonderful red leaves.

those are berries, silver =)

Oh, they are berries? OMG! I hope mine will look like that some day.:)

OK so after a night of searching and taking your suggestion to heart I think I have narrowed it down to the following:

Yaupon Holly
Wax Myrtle
Evergreen Sumac

I am interested in keeping the birds happy as well as the local squirrels. Once I took the Pecan tree out I felt guilty and have several bird feeders, a squirrel feeder and water to keep them happy and keep them around.

I think the Yaupon is at the top of the list at this time. Maybe a combination, Yaupon (3) in the upper raised bed and Wax Myrtle (2) in the lower bed. I have about 20 ft of space in each bed.

I am also leaning towards Passom Haw (2) along the side bed as well as a Sweet Olive closer to the house. There is a chain link fence between my neighbors yard and mine and his yard is not an eye sore, so the fact that it will be bare in the winter (except berries) will be fine and keep the open look. I am choosing to not out a wood fence between us to keep the "openness" between our yards for a bit of a larger feel.

What do you think about that plan? Any opinions on the lay out or order of plants?

Thank you! Duff

PS. the back fence will be painted a darker brown. I would stain but the previous owner painted a large portion of it already.

You know, I forgot to look at that picture with the berries.:) I have a sinking feeling now that maybe ours just doesn't make berries.:( Either that or I have become even less observant than I was before - hard to imagine..

Where is a good place to get the Possom Haw? I don't remember ever seeing one. It seems like most places just offer the standard one's that everyone has.

Silver, don't despair about your Possum Haw. Howard Garrett says that it takes 3-5 years before a planted PH will berry. That was the case for the 1st one I purchased. So just be patient awhile longer.

Shirley, are you close to Blue Moon Gardens in Edom? I think any nursery that sells native plants should have one. As Josephine suggests, look for one that has berries on it so you'll know you're getting a female.

Duff, your choices (holly, sumac, wax myrtle) are outstanding. Those are plants native to this area, and will give you years of enjoyment with very little work on your part.

Carla

Ok, Loonie. I'll wait. It does atleast look good when it has leaves.:)

I am close to Blue Moon, I'll check there. That's an awsome place to go to. I guess it has berries in the winter?

Duff,

How high do you want your screen? And so you want screen that gives total privacy? Also while sweet olives do great south of us, Dallas is far enough north where sweet olives may not be a long term plant. The past few winters have been fairly mild but in the future when we get below 20 degrees they won't survive.

CDuff, welcome to DG! I wanted to let you know about the plant swaps that we have here in Texas, and personally invite you to attend the swap in Waxahachie on April 19th. This would be a great way to meet alot of DGer's in your area and get some plants for your new home. I think the choices that you're considering would all work great for you. We are a VERY friendly bunch, so if you need help with anything, just let us know!

Possumhaw Hollies can be propagated from cuttings, so the best way to ensure that you will have berries is to take cuttings from a female plant.

T.J.

Would anyone with a Possumhaw be willing to start me one?

Shirley, I have some hardwood cuttings potted, if they take you can have one, if they don't, I will try again with new wood. I will let you know.
Josephine.

Thank you Josephine. I kind of had you in mind when I asked that. Ha Ha! It's because of your generosity though.

I hope it will work, will you be coming to Waxahachi?

Siggy - good to know about the sweet Olive - Maybe a better Pot specimen, I can bring in the the winter time... As for height, I only have 22 feet or so and then power lines. My main goal is to hide the neighbors garages. Evergreen and under 20 feet is about the only requirement. In the end I think I am going to go with Yaupon Hollies, Way Myrtle (eventually both to tree form) and a little gem Magnolia (will not be near the powerlines). Then settle back and add the rest of the smaller plantings over the summer a little at a time.

Broncbuster - sound like I need to plan on attending - I am so new to TX gardening I need all the help I can get! I will put it on my calendar and plan on attending, thank you so much!

Can't wait to meet you CDuff!

Yes, we are all looking forward to meeting you Cduff.
Josephine.

CDuff that sounds like a good plan

Hi Everyone, I thought I would give you a quick update and say thank you for the great feed back! I ended up going with the following

1 - little Gem Magnolia
3 - Yaupon Hollies
3 - Wax Myrtles
2 - Sweet Olives (One for a large pot and the other still needs a final home)
1 - Maple "Fireglow" In a large Pot
2 - Carolina Jessamine for the Chain Link fence

I am ever so greatful that I found this great site and have enjoyed reading so many posts on Texas gardening, It has really helped me in my planning.

Thank you again!

Duff