Native Plants
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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.
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Tuesday - April 09, 2013
From: Burleson, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives, Privacy Screening
Title: Privacy hedge for Burleson, TX.
Answered by: Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
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 to plant a privet hedge and am thinking of using wax leaf ligustrum. I have 7 1/2 acres and cannot afford to cover the entire fence line. I have some mature ones on another property. Can I propagate and if so what type of propagation is best? It will be next to a fence where we keep cows. If they are able to reach some of the branches, will the wax leaf make them sick? Do you have a suggestion for something that would work better and grow quicker?ANSWER:
Unfortunately, there are no plant screens of any kind that will silence screaming children and barking dogs.
For a visual screen, we can give you a couple recommendations. Juniperus virginiana, Juniperus ashei or Juniperus pinchotii might work for you as evergreen screens. Of these species, Juniperus virginiana is probably the most attractive and the most likely to be available in nurseries. Cattle will not eat juniper leaves.
Because the mission of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is dedicated solely to the study and promotion of native species, we cannot recommend any Ligustrum species or any other non-native plants. Privets (Ligustrum spp.) are particularly problematic invasive species in Texas and should not be planted by anyone. In many areas, privets have overwhelmed entire ecosystems. We strongly encourage you not to plant privets on your land.
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