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garden_noobie

Cape Honeysuckle Hedge Spacing Recommendations

garden-noobie
12 years ago

I'm wanting to grow a Cape Honeysuckle privacy hedge in the space pictured. Once I remove the grass, the first row of stones, and relocate the sprinkler the space between the red line and blue line will be 16 feet and the space between the fence and yellow line will be 3 feet. There will be a gate where the red line is now and that is a very young bearss lime tree on the other side of the blue line. From what I've read I don't want to plant one too close to the lime tree since it might harm it? Some of the info on the web as to spacing for a hedge is confusing, some say 6-8 feet apart some say 3 feet apart. I've searched many of the post here on the forums but unfortunately all the posts with links to pictures are old and broken. Sorry if this question has been answered 1k times, like my name describes me, i'm a total noob...

Thanks in advance.

Oh and i'm in Corona, Ca. If that makes a diff.
{{gwi:503514}}From Garden Web

Comments (15)

  • calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
    12 years ago

    The Tecomaria capensis or Cape Honeysuckle is a rampant grower that will easily fill in if planted 8 feed apart. In your picture you indicate some planting between it and the fence, but that space will be overwhelmed by your hedge. The bloom on the Tecomaria is on the end of the new growth and keeping it in shape usually results in preventing most of the bloom. Al

  • garden-noobie
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Sorry, if I wasn't clear. From what I understand, the Cape Honeysuckle can be shaped into a hedge or left to scramble.
    I want to grow a honeysuckle hedge in the entire area area between the red line, blue line, yellow line and fence.
    I'd like it to be about 6 feet tall. I've read they're a lot of work to maintain but we need the privacy for our swimming pool,
    babies and an overly sensitive neighbor's dog.

  • gobluedjm 9/18 CA
    12 years ago

    I have it along a wall about 6 feet apart and there is about 2-3 feet in between the growth...BUT...I keep it cut back except right now when flowering. I trim it back to about 3 feet tall in spring and early fall. When flowering it gets to about 8 feet tall. When the branches get too long along the walkway I just cut back which then forces 2 branches below the cut to normally grow parallel with the walkway.
    Sometimes I think if I watched it for 5 minutes I could see it grow ;)! I have seen it 20x20x20 feet.
    It does attract honeybees.
    Two of them would be good in your area, but I would plant 3 as odd numbers are better...not so symetrical.

  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    12 years ago

    It will start coming up in your lawn and spread everywhere eventually. It's not a good plant for small spaces. You are going to be trimming every weekend. Save yourself some grief.

    Look at 'Green Tower' boxwood. Trim once a year instead of once a week. It can get 9' tall, easily kept to 6' tall, grows only 18" or so wide. Won't invade your lawn.

    {{gwi:503515}}

  • gobluedjm 9/18 CA
    12 years ago

    Here is a pic of mine. This area is 40 foot long 3 feet wide and I have 6 in there. This pic is from Jan 2010 and they were planted in Spring 2008.
    Sorry I can't give a head on view but my house is there.

    {{gwi:503516}}

  • garden-noobie
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    goblue, i saw one of your earlier posts with a pic but i think the link went bad, this helps a lot, thanks for the pic.
    I've only seen these either as ground type cover or a very vertical, hedge. the hedge was very attractive,
    so i guess you have to constantly tie them up and train them to form a wall?
    hoovb, your plant looks about 5-6ft tall, how big did you start with and how fast did it get to that height?
    The budget right now doesn't allow for too much and I got these for $8 a piece. Hmmm, desicions...

  • gobluedjm 9/18 CA
    12 years ago

    I don't tie mine up at all. If they get annoying in the walkway I just cut it back and it normally then grows 2 branches that grow parallel to walkway.

  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    12 years ago

    They are just under 7' tall, but I have trimmed off a foot or or so. It took about 2 years from a 1 gallon container with a plant 1 foot tall to get to 7 feet. I think they grew 1' the first year and 5' the next year. Then I lightly trimmed the tips at the very top and they got dense.

    It is a matter of, do you want to spend $20 now but you are trimming all the time, or $100 and trim once a year. Its the same with lawn. Lawn is much cheaper to install than shrubs, which is why builders always put a big lawn and skinny planting beds. But lawn costs a lot to water and maintain over time compared to slow or moderate growing, drought tolerant shrubs. Slow shrubs may seem not good, but on the other hand, you are not out there chopping at them all the time.

    Fast, aggressive plants are cheap to buy, but take time and money to keep under control. You have to do what you have to do, but it is something to keep in mind for the long haul. If you move in a year or two it becomes someone else's problem. If you are there for 30 years, it is your problem.

    One thing you can do is get the Cape Honeysuckle to the size you want then cut way back on the watering. It will slow them down. Try to keep the lawn away from them also, as they will invade the lawn looking for water.

  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    12 years ago

    as Hosenemisis said, Nandina 'Gulfstream' is another option. They are quite inexpensive at the big box stores but won't become an unmanagable monster like cape honeysuckle. They'll get six or eight feet pretty quickly if you give them decent soil and sufficient water.

  • skrip
    12 years ago

    I have one in a similar situation as yours. I planted just ONE about 5 1/2 years ago. It is about 10 feet wide against the fence, 8 feet tall and comes out about 3-4 feet wide. It has legs everywhere (which makes it go wide) and I trim about 2 times a year. Not too bad, just not as full and less blooms.

  • lgteacher
    12 years ago

    I also have just one, and it is huge. It will spread and send up runners. If you like hummingbirds, it will attract them. How close is it to your pool? It will drop flowers pretty much all year long. Podocarpus won't spread as wide, but it might be neater.

    Here is a link that might be useful: What's Growing On?

  • hosenemesis
    12 years ago

    Depends on the podocarpus. Gracilis is nicknamed "Hedgezilla" on this forum somewhere:D My mom has some nice new varieties that supposedly do not grow to 60 feet.
    Renee

  • garden-noobie
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Ok, follow-up. Never planted those Cape Honeysuckles since there is a 3" drain pipe running along the fence.
    They're still in their containers waiting to be put in the ground. Planning on planting these along a block planter
    in the other side of the yard away from the lawn on the other side of the pool.
    The planter is on a drip system so i can control the water to each plant and tree.
    If i control the amount of water to each honeysuckle am I ok putting them next to the palms/plumeria?
    It would go: Plumeria, cape, queen palm, cape, robellini.
    The spaces i want to put the capes would be about 5ft wide each. I don't want to kill anything that's there right now.
    @Lgteacher: The spot i want to put them in now is about 10ft from the pool.
    Will they try to get water from the pool or do you ask because of the mess with the flowers?

  • SK
    6 years ago

    I know it's an old post, hoping to get some perspective & advice. I have a similar situation - want to plant Cape Honeysuckle in a narrow 5' planter between the retaining wall & a pool & wondering about the root damage potential & the litter. @garden-noobie did u plant those Cape Hineysuckles in 2012? How is the pool litter? Bees? How big is the Honeysuckle hedge/vine? TIA for input.