Explore Plants
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.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Friday - January 07, 2011
From: Douglassville, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Shrubs
Title: Looking for a fast-growing evergreen shrub to use along a fence line to obscure unsightly surroundings in Douglassville, TX.
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
I live in far East Texas (near Texarkana). I need a fast growing, thick evergreen shrub to plant along a fenceline to block out the unsightly "junkyard" my neighbors have going. Prefer something that can at least get to 6 ft high. The soil is sandy, it is in shade, with maybe an hour or two of sunlight per day. Need something that is not too high maintenance. I also have horses, dogs and cats so would need something non-toxic. THANK YOU!ANSWER:
The first step in this process is for Mr. Smarty Plants to introduce you to the use of our Native Plants Database. After clicking on the link above, look in the Recommended Species Lists box and click on View Recommended Species page. Click on East Texas on the map and you will get a list of 133 species of native plants that are commercially available for use in landscapes in East Texas. This is probably more information than you can use right now, so go back a couple of pages to the Native Plant Database page and scroll down to the Combination Search box and make the following choices: Select Texas under state; shrub under Habit, and perennial under Duration. Check part shade under Light requirement, dry under soil Soil Moisture, and then click the "Submit combination Search" button. You will get a list of 95 species of native plants that grow in Texas that meet these criteria. Clicking on the name of each plant will bring up its NPIN page that has information about the plant's characteristics, growth requirements, as well as images. You can modify the list by changing parameters such as Soil moisture, Habit, or Light requirement.
Mr. Smarty Plants gets lots of questions about using shrubs to make the neighbors disappear, so I will provide links to some previously answered questions that may prove helpful.
3350 from Winnsboro, TX
5164 from Dallas, TX
595 from Flower Mound, TX
5071 from Fort Worth, TX
6506 from Porter, TX
Check the plants that are recommended in these answers to make sure they fit your growing conditions.
Whenever we get questions about poisonous plants, we usually go to the databases listed below.
Poisonous Plants of North Carolina
Cornell University Plants Poisonous to Livestock
University of Pennsylvania Poisonous Plants
Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System
Toxic Plants: Horses from the ASPCA
Poisonous Range Plants of Temperate North America
After you have picked out the plants you want, run the name through these databases. Finding the plant listed is a good indication that it is toxic. However, not finding the plant isn't a guarantee that that it is not toxic, but it is less likely to be.
For some help closer to home, you might contact the folks at the Cass County office of Texas AgriLife Extension.
More Shrubs Questions
Native shrubs for privacy hedge in Lockhart, TX
December 21, 2008 - I will be retiring from the US Army to Lockhart, Texas in March. We have a small house with a 6' security fence. I have always been an advocate of Hedges for security, sound dampening and wildlife ...
view the full question and answer
Is red tip Photinia toxic to dogs?
September 18, 2012 - Is the red tip bush toxic to dogs?
view the full question and answer
Replacement of non-native red tip photinias in Midlothian VA
April 30, 2012 - I need to replace our long lived red tips. They are now diseased. I would like a fast growing bush that I can trim and make a hedge with. Any suggestions
view the full question and answer
Will wax myrtle (Morella cerifera) grow in Roswell NM?
September 29, 2011 - We live in Roswell, NM. Will a wax myrtle tree live in our climate and soil?
view the full question and answer
Plants for northern exposure in Wichita, KS
March 17, 2009 - What are good plants for the north side of the house with acidic soil in Zone 6, Wichita, KS?
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
