How much pruning would you like to do?
See the link below for people's experiences.
Renee

Here is a link that might be useful: Hedgezilla

Thanks for that link, I've checked it out before ordering the podocarpus trees. How much pruning? Between the two, I think they would be equally time consuming.

I prune my podocarpus at least twice a year. It should be done more often. Benefit: once they are established, they don't require much water at all.

I have Golden Bamboo at the back of my property, contained with buried "Bamboo Guard" barrier. I don't bother trying to keep the tips green- the rainbirds water it twice a week. It does lean, though.

There are many other choices that are less labor intensive. Check out the FAQs for some suggestions.
Renee

I personally like Podocarpus, there are several very nice, well-behaved cultivars, and a very pretty new one that has silvery foliage. 'Icee Blue'. I have a stand of Yellow Bamboo, and while pretty, and very tropical-looking, it does bend as Renee mentions, and it will drop a significant amount of leaf litter if we have a spike in temps. For me that's a pain, as it sits behind two small ponds, so I'm constantly fishing out leaf litter from the pond, as well as sweeping up leaf litter from the patio. If I could get it all out, I'd do it. It's not worth the ambiance at this point. But, it is very established, so it's just not worth the incredible effort it would take to try to get it all cut down and torn out, sigh.

Patty S.

Patty S.

you know that Golden bamboo is a serious runner, don't you? You will not be pruning this one, but chasing it down forever unless you plan ahead and put in a 3' deep, narrow, sturdy rhizome barrier in place before planting the bamboo... it can spread over 10' on a single rhizome, and likes to go EVERYWHERE! Not that good looking a bamboo, either.. better to get a clumping hedge bamboo. I guess it also depends on your hedge height... some bamboo hedges will grow only 10'-20' tall, but some well over 100'.