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An Impossible Plant required
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Posted by
dottyinduncan z8b coastal BC (
My Page) on
Tue, Aug 10, 10 at 12:18
| We are required to put some landscaping into an impossible situation and I thought I would see if there is a miracle plant that would survive. It is a little 10 foot strip on a commercial property that is a puddle in the wintertime and waterless in the summer. We are supposed to have a hedge, not more than 3 feet high. Personally, I think plastic would be best, but our city council knows better! Any thoughts? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: An Impossible Plant required
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- Posted by bboy USDA 8 Sunset 5 WA (My Page) on
Tue, Aug 10, 10 at 12:27
| Why is it a puddle? Heavy, compacted soil? If they will let you excavate and replace the soil (no buried utilities or maintaining of public access involved) or even dump better soil on top, plant in that (make a berm) then all you have to do is plant drought resistant plants. There is a ton of small shrubs that will survive our summers here (once established) if the soil is open enough for them. Think rock roses, junipers, various other Mediterranean style climate plants commonly seen here. |
RE: An Impossible Plant required
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| Callistemon sieberi. Just be sure to find some that are correctly labeled! |
RE: An Impossible Plant required
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- Posted by bboy USDA 8 Sunset 5 WA (My Page) on
Wed, Aug 11, 10 at 0:02
| If you are supposed to produce a full-looking planting ("hedge") you won't get it from that one. |
RE: An Impossible Plant required
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| Callistemon sieberi is a variable plant with many forms - I think I have five or six and none of them has ever been winter damaged. Some of them have a very dense habit. I do have one form with very prickly leaves that is not at all dense and would not make a good hedge unless pruned regularly. |
RE: An Impossible Plant required
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- Posted by bboy USDA 8 Sunset 5 WA (My Page) on
Wed, Aug 11, 10 at 13:00
| Very dense as in a yew, holly or box? That may be the kind of appearance being called for. |
RE: An Impossible Plant required
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| How about that short laurel cultivar that's in all the big parking lots around here? I thought I remember somebody calling it persian laurel, but I'm not sure. Leaves darker green & slightly narrower than English laurel. Tough as nails. |
RE: An Impossible Plant required
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- Posted by bboy USDA 8 Sunset 5 WA (My Page) on
Wed, Aug 11, 10 at 14:33
| 'Otto Luyken' will not want to sit in puddles for long periods and often has a terrible problem with Prunus Shot Hole fungus. In time it grows well above head height, although this does not happen overnight. |
RE: An Impossible Plant required
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| Thanks for the replies. I was thinking about a berm bboy, it might work. I will research suggestions to see if they are on the approved list for our city. Thanks again. |
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