Native Plants
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Sunday - May 25, 2014
From: Pflugerville , TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Privacy Screening, Trees
Title: Pfluegerville Screening Hedge
Answered by: Larry & Brigid Larson
QUESTION:
We live just north of Austin in a subdivision built on farm land so we have relatively flat land with good soil. We just put in a pool and are needing a privacy hedge along our 66 ft back fence. We need something slender at 3-4 ft wide and 10-15 ft or so high that doesn't attract alot of wasps and bees for kids with allergies to stings. Also we have 2 small dogs so something non-toxic to dogs.ANSWER:
This Mr. Smarty Plants answered a question really similar to this about a year ago. They were looking for a tall, really slender tree as a privacy screen. Here is a link to: Privacy Tree for Austin, TX . It also has several further references to screening plants suitable to your area.
And here are some similar question/answer pairs:
Fenceline trees for Northwest Austin
Landscaping plans in Kyle TX
I’m not sure what to do about not attracting wasps and bees. As you review individual plant suggestions, oftentimes they have annotations that they are attractive to birds, bees or other beneficial garden denizens. Those then can become ones you avoid!
Similarly, we have questions from folks who are concerned about plants that are toxic to dogs. The ASPCA and other organizations have lists of these plants which you can cross-check against the plants you are considering. Here is a link about a privacy screen from somebody who was also concerned about their dogs: Landscaping plans in Kyle TX
This answer deals very extensively with several references to plants with respect to dogs:
Is Thalia dealbata toxic to dogs?
As I read that information, here are a few trees that I think you should seriously consider:
Juniperus virginiana (Eastern red cedar) [a bit tall and some toxic nature], Cercis canadensis var. mexicana (Mexican redbud), Cotinus obovatus (American smoke tree), Pistacia mexicana (Mexican pistachio), and Juniperus ashei (Ashe juniper) [This is our Ashe Juniper, hope you don’t suffer much from Cedar Fever!]
From the Image Gallery
More Privacy Screening Questions
Shrubs for a screen in DC
May 05, 2011 - Live in Washington DC vicinity (zones: 7-8). Looking for hardy shrubs to screen a 47 foot long picket fence and provide barrier to neighbor. It is western exposure with sun light. Ideally evergreen, d...
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Deer-resistant screening tree/shrub
April 17, 2008 - Can you recommend a deer resistant screening tree/shrub? We would like to use privet but are not sure which variety or if the deer will really stay off it, we've had conflicting views!
We live on th...
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Evergreen hedge for Dallas-Fort Worth area
May 18, 2010 - Our red tip photina hedge is slowly succumbing to black spot and we'll need to replace it within the year. (Yes, I now understand red tips come in two varieties: diseased and about to become disease...
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Draought-tolerant screening shrub for Shasta County, California
July 08, 2015 - It has been suggested to me that I plant phodocarpus 'maki' along my fence for needed privacy due to it's dimensions. I need something that does not grow too wide. I would not be pruning them as I ...
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Privacy hedge for Burleson, TX.
April 09, 2013 - I moved out to the country away from the hustle and bustle only to find that I have less privacy out there because of open land. I hear children screaming and dogs barking from 1/4 mile away. I want t...
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