Best tree / hedge for a privacy screen - AKA GREAT WALL OF CHINA

[Bigbore500r]

Getting ready to finish up landscaping our front yard, and i'm ready to plant a privacy screen along a fence line. Got about 30' of property line to cover. Looking for that lush, green, quick growing natural great wall of China. Something that will create a seamless hedge when it grows.

Local nurserys have recommended I go with a Ficus as they naturally grow 4-6 feet a year, they recommended the 15 gallon smaller size and plant them 1.5 '- 2' feet apart. I mentioned how they are known to have invasive roots and damage main lines / home foundations, the nursery said if the trees are kept trimmed and aren't allowed to grow more than 15-20' high they root system will stay smaller and wont be a problem

Anyone have any info or recommendations? Ficus a bad idea? I have my main sewer line about 10' away from the proposed planting area. Dont want to cause problems, but i would like something that grows FAST and BIG

 

[HNL2LHC]

My parents have ficus on their property. They do grow fast. SO fast that my 70+ year old father has to cut them at least once a year. He let them grow a few years early on on he had a mess on his hands. I do not think that I’d do it if I had to keep them trimmed.

 

[Activated]

We put ficus trees in our backyard in December. They are filling in really well. I hand watered them with a hose a few times per week for a few months, and it seems to have really helped them grow.

They haven’t grown as much during our Arizona heat this summer, but they are still healthy looking. I am going to start hand watering them again.

Will try to snap a picture when I get home.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

Dont do Oleander. They go super,fast,in lots of sun but holly hell do they grow!! I need to trim mine about once a month to keep them under control.

Right now they are not. And I have about 200' f them to trim back..... FML!!

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[King295]

I have been looking to do the same. Looks like I am going with Indian Laurel columns. Now I just need to find a landscaper in the OC to do it because I'm not digging all those holes.

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

Italian Cypress!!!!!



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[SoCalDave]

Dont do Oleander. They go super,fast,in lots of sun but holly hell do they grow!! I need to trim mine about once a month to keep them under control.

Right now they are not. And I have about 200' f them to trim back..... FML!!

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Isn't Oleander toxic?

 

[SoCalDave]

I have a friend that planted some Bamboo similar to this.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

Isn't Oleander toxic?

If you eat a bunch of it or get its sap in your open wounds.

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[SoCalDave]

Another thought would be a ficus hedge in place of ficus trees. They'll grow 2-3' taller than your existing wall.

 

[Lunatic Fringe]

Bambusa Oldhamii.
Aka Giant Timber Bamboo.
It's a clumping bamboo not running so it will stay somewhat under control.
Grows almost fast enough to see it happen. Literally.
Nice color and dense enough to screen a view or create shade.

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

Bambusa Oldhamii.
Aka Giant Timber Bamboo.
It's a clumping bamboo not running so it will stay somewhat under control.
Grows almost fast enough to see it happen. Literally.
Nice color and dense enough to screen a view or create shade.

Bamboo in climates that dry out SUX!! Had some in my last backyard and when it would get hot the leaves would dry out and die. They were a disaster to clean up. I freaking hated it!!!!

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[Danger Dave]

Maybe try Cannabis?

 

[76 Hondo]

I would go with espalier podicarpus, they are grown on a trellis and can be kept trimmed very narrow so not to take up a lot of room.

 

[Lunatic Fringe]

Bamboo in climates that dry out SUX!! Had some in my last backyard and when it would get hot the leaves would dry out and die. They were a disaster to clean up. I freaking hated it!!!!

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Obviously I don't know what type of bamboo you had but the Bambusa Oldhamii does very well in Phoenix and is fine down to 20° F. Not messy at all
It does need to be watered but not heavily.

 

[rvrrun]

Italian Cypress!!!!!



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They are great, but don't grow very fast. I put them in my yard when I moved in. I was still able to pull them out by hand when we went to hardscape a few years later.

 

[bowtiejunkie]

Red Tip Photinia - bush. May not meet your FAST growing parameter. It'll grow into a seamless hedge. Roots not invasive from what I've experienced. I hedge it once - in Spring.

 

[rightytighty]

If you have the room (and want to punish anyone trying to cross the great wall of china), Bougainvillea is the ticket!

 

[GRADS]

Red Tip Photinia - bush. May not meet your FAST growing parameter. It'll grow into a seamless hedge. Roots not invasive from what I've experienced. I hedge it once - in Spring.

This. I blocked out a two story house and a street with these in my backyard and they grew fairly quick. I suggest buying the ones that are already 6' tall or so.

 

[TITTIES AND BEER]

400 ac build in the middle

 

[USMC2010]

Italian Cypress!!!!!



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x2

 

[Activated]

Another thought would be a ficus hedge in place of ficus trees. They'll grow 2-3' taller than your existing wall.

View attachment 687379

We did the hedge, not the trees. I was wrong before. They have been in the ground about 9 months. 2 different gallon sized trees here...they are doing great. Will grow in to a hedge.

 

[GRADS]

The problem with Italian Cypress' is they are a haven for every animal in town including rats, squirrels, raccoons,...you name it.

 

[Big B Hova]

Plant marijuana. Its legal and its will pay for itself. It also is very potent to cover up the neighbors stench.

 

[Bigbore500r]

The problem with Italian Cypress' is they are haven for every animal in town including rats, squirrels, raccoons,...you name it.

Which would be real bad in my case....im using them to block out a hoarder

 

[SoCalDave]

Which would be real bad in my case....im using them to block out a hoarder

Those fuckers still stacking shit up?

 

[Bigbore500r]

Those fuckers still stacking shit up?

They've actually been cleaning up any outside debris, but still smells like the worst cat litterbox you can imagine...disgusting. They refuse to screen their house or any open holes in their stucco so it is fully infested with rats (still). Just watched a few run across their lawn and into their wall...WHILE ITS DAYLIGHT OUTSIDE.

 

[Sunset]

Carolina Cherry or Podicarpus graacilior-Fern Pine do well in the inland empire area .

 

[termiteguy]

Italian Cypress!!!!!

This

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[thedan]

Wax leaf privet grows good. Does need trimming 1 or 2 times a year. 5 gallons would get you a hedge in 2-3 years spaced 4-5 feet apart.

 

[Bigbore500r]

Wax leaf privet grows good. Does need trimming 1 or 2 times a year. 5 gallons would get you a hedge in 2-3 years spaced 4-5 feet apart.

I think I have one of those now. Need an insta-hedge, I wonder how large they sell them and how close I can plant them? I think those get 12 feet tall or so right?

 

[Bigbore500r]

Carolina Cherry or Podicarpus graacilior-Fern Pine do well in the inland empire area . View attachment 687438

Those look good!

 

[MohavValley]

It'd be cool to see some pics of the plants mentioned, at least the more unusual ones.

 

[thedan]

I think I have one of those now. Need an insta-hedge, I wonder how large they sell them and how close I can plant them? I think those get 12 feet tall or so right?

Can be from 1 foot up to 10+ feet. Fast growers. I’ve only seen 5 gallon. Plant closer and they’ll fill in quickly. The more you trim them, the more they branch out and fill in quicker.

 

[Classic Daycruiser]

They've actually been cleaning up any outside debris, but still smells like the worst cat litterbox you can imagine...disgusting. They refuse to screen their house or any open holes in their stucco so it is fully infested with rats (still). Just watched a few run across their lawn and into their wall...WHILE ITS DAYLIGHT OUTSIDE.

It's called distressed property. I have one next door.
I'd almost bet money my problem is worse than yours, but that's from my perspective.

I planted 15 gallon Japanese Privets. They were 2-3 feet tall. I planted them 3 feet apart along the fence line 5 years ago, and they are easy 15 feet screen. They are hardy enough to handle phoenix in the summer (lots of water), and the temps when they get in the low 20's.

(It also makes a great screen, so the neighbors don't see your pot plants )

 

[530RL]

As I get older, the more shit I have to maintain the more grumpy I get.....

I think the best privacy plant is a tall stack of CMU.....

 

[Yellowboat]

Isn't Oleander toxic?

Deadly, not good with kids or pets

 

[GRADS]

There's a two story house back there...

And this is the road side...they need to be trimmed a little

 

[Flying_Lavey]

Deadly, not good with kids or pets

You have to injest a lot and ignore the flu like symptoms for it to be deadly. I did a lot of research on them when I bought my house cause there are a shit load of them on my lot and I have 2 little ones.

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[sirbob]

My vote is for podicarpus - I used it on a house we had in Anahiem. Solid wall in one season.

 

[Rvrluvr]

12’ block wall. No maint needed.

 

[Dan Lorenze]

Build a wall and have your neighbor pay for it...

 

[Deja_Vu]

12’ block wall. No maint needed.

This, you can paint a mural of a vineyard... done.

 

[Universal Elements]

You have to injest a lot and ignore the flu like symptoms for it to be deadly. I did a lot of research on them when I bought my house cause there are a shit load of them on my lot and I have 2 little ones.

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http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jul/26/local/me-59440

 

[Singleton]

My parents have ficus on their property. They do grow fast. SO fast that my 70+ year old father has to cut them at least once a year. He let them grow a few years early on on he had a mess on his hands. I do not think that I’d do it if I had to keep them trimmed.

Avoid ficus. They are known to search out water and ruin water pipes underground

 

[SoCalDave]

Those look good!

That's what I would go with.

 

[Bigbore500r]

It's called distressed property. I have one next door.
I'd almost bet money my problem is worse than yours, but that's from my perspective.

I planted 15 gallon Japanese Privets. They were 2-3 feet tall. I planted them 3 feet apart along the fence line 5 years ago, and they are easy 15 feet screen. They are hardy enough to handle phoenix in the summer (lots of water), and the temps when they get in the low 20's.

(It also makes a great screen, so the neighbors don't see your pot plants )

That is exactly what I want!

 

[Bigbore500r]

Build a wall and have your neighbor pay for it...

My neighbor never agreed to pay for my wall...but if I say they will pay for it, and say it enough times, it will happen right?

 

[Bigbore500r]

12’ block wall. No maint needed.

I'd have a fence whipped up like yesterday if I could, but building code in LA county is I cant go over 4' high on the sides of property in the front yard. Or at least within XXX amount of feet of the street.

 

[Classic Daycruiser]

12’ block wall. No maint needed.

Code in Phoenix is limited to 6'. I think Scottsdale raised their code to 7'.