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nashonii

Tall fast growing trees

Nashonii
16 years ago

Has anyone in this area tried those tall, fast growing trees that are advertised in the seed catalog as making a living fence? I don't remember their name, but the picture is just a drawing, and the ad sayes they are very cheap for 5-10 trees.

I am wanting to plant a living fence...a TALL fence, that I hope will hide the house on the hill from my kitchen window, this year,(well maybe thats too much to ask). Next year at least.

Diann

Comments (7)

  • christie_sw_mo
    16 years ago

    Are you thinking of Thuja 'Green Giant'?
    I think as long as you have plenty of room, it's a great idea to screen in your yard. Remember though that if they're right on the property line, your neighbor may be pruning their side.
    Here's some info at Mobot's website. You can click on "Rate this plant/read comments" right under the name to see what other people have to say about it.
    I've seen good reviews for Botanyshop.com but have never ordered from them. They're located in Joplin, MO.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Mobot - Thuja 'Green Giant'

  • pauln
    16 years ago

    I bet the ad was for hybrid poplar. I can't remember where I read it, but the writer said they were not good trees at all. Nashonii, there are several things to consider when choosing a screen.

    1 Evergreen or Deciduous?

    2 How tall do you want it when mature?

    3 How long can you wait to reach maturity?

    4 How much sun will these trees receive?

    Remember that the fastest growing plants often have the shortest lives. Silver Maple, Tree of Heaven, Paulowina are very fast, but crappy trees. The hybrid poplar would fall into this category. Better choices for fast trees include Red Maple, Tulip Poplar, Northern Red Oak, Willow Oak, and Water Oak. These will all become LARGE trees. Make sure your site can handle anything large if you choose this. (Powerlines, closeness to houses, etc.) Also, some trees keep their dead leaves on the tree until they refoliate in the spring. This provides some cover during the winter. Southern Red Oak and Sawtooth Oak come to mind. Remember that trees which hold dead leaves can have the same problems as evergreen in the event of an ice storm. They can get weighted down and break or tump.

    Evergreen choices include: Yaupon Holly, American Holly (including cultivars Foster, etc.), Standard Burford Holly, Cherry Laurel, Wax Myrtle (may be too cold where you are for this), and conifers such as the afore mentioned Green Giant, and Leland Cyprus.

  • Nashonii
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thank you Christie & Pauln. I am so anxious to NOT see our neighbors house that I think I will just get more chickenwire and plant vines! Honeysuckle is already there, so I just need to add more for them to climb, or get another flowering vine.

    With all the stormes we have had, I don't need a tree breaking from the snow and wind.
    Thank you for the pearls of wisdom.
    Nash

  • pauln
    15 years ago

    Vines are always an option. Instead of honeysuckle, why not plant something that you'll be proud of and give you some enjoyment? Crossvine is evergreen, fairly aggressive and had wonderful flowers in late spring. Trumpet creeper would be an option, but it will have to be maintained as it spreads quickly. Carolina jessamine is another good choice for an evergreen screen. Mine is blooming right now, although I'm not a big fan of the overly-sweet scent. You could plant a variety of vines to climb up your fence. Others include hops, clematis (sweet autumn is evergreen sometimes), dutchman's pipe, coral honeysuckle, wisteria (not recommended), and english ivy.

    As to fence extensions, I'm going to do something simular on a small stretch of fence beside my neighbor's view of my garden. I'm adding hog wire on top of my 4 x 4 posts to extend my growing space another 5 feet above my privacy fence. I thought about wires, string, trellis, and chicken wire. I figure hogwire will be longer lasting, look somewhat better, and make for a good substrate for my vines to cling to.

  • Nashonii
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    GREAT IDEAS Pauln! I didn't think of hog wire...didn't know what type wire to get. thank you for the great list of vine! How fun this will be, smell good and look good too!
    diann

  • hergrammy
    15 years ago

    Hi,

    I'm new to this forum. Moved here to SW Missouri from NW Arkansas last year. Edge of the Ozarks with a lot of sun.

    I have bought the Thuja Green Giant at Botany on three different occasions (for different places). I buy the cheapest qt. size and they do very well. They carry every size for every budget. Once bought a 3 gallon and it is beautiful and very full and fat. All the plants I buy from Botany have been very nice.

  • christie_sw_mo
    15 years ago

    Welcome Hergrammy! I've even seen people from other states bragging on Botany so they must have their act together. That's in Joplin right? I replied to your email but it bounced back. I live west of Springfield but have visited Carthage a couple times to see the Precious Moments Chapel. It was several years ago. I need to go again sometime and take my youngest kids as I'm sure they don't remember it. Oooh and it has a garden right? lol Hope you enjoy the Ozarks forum.

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