Help with selecting tree

[BBB]

Not sure what your trying to accomplish, but Ligustrums (sp) grow fast. grow thick, grow well in your area. grow to 15' and last forever. They make a fine sound and visual barrier. They even bloom small white flowers in the spring.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Poplar and "green giant" cedar seem like good options. Personally I avoid willow like the plague.

Look up "Dawn redwood" for another option. They like lots of water, but will grow in most conditions that other trees will grow in . They grow fast and straight, and should be fine in your climate. They are a needle-leaf deciduous, but in NC I expect they would have leaves almost all year. They should live longer and healthier than the fast growing poplars.

 

[KentT]

Not sure what your trying to accomplish, but Ligustrums (sp) grow fast. grow thick, grow well in your area. grow to 15' and last forever. They make a fine sound and visual barrier. They even bloom small white flowers in the spring.

I would NOT recommend Ligustrum -- otherwise known as privet hedge - for what you have in mind. You'd likely come to hate them, and your neighbors would hate you....

Mature hedges are covered with berries that the birds love, and they carry and spread them EVERYWHERE. Then, they grow like weeds. In a few years, your property could look like the attached picture, where hedge bushes have invaded from the abandoned property down the road...

They're almost as bad as kudzu...

 

[tlbuser]

How about something different, like Hydrangeas?

A good source
Trees for sale at arborday.org

 

[thingy]

I'd vote for white pine,,get bigger transplants as opposed to one year seedlings,,3 years seedlings/transplants grow good and most live without any watering,,in w.v.a any ways,,,plant in early spring,,,white pine is a pretty tree,,evergreen,,,grows fast,,about a foot a year after it gets going,,,and they get big,,I got some growing you can't reach around,,got some,,two people would be stretching to reach around,,,musser forrests have some deals on quanity buying,,,thingy

 

[dmccarty]

... Autumn Olive and Russian Olive also make good habitat for small wildlife...

DON'T plant Russian Olive! In NC its an invasive plant. Its as bad as Kudzo in how it takes over. I won't pull down a tree but my woods are filled with $%^&*() plant.
Russian Olive and the bamboo grass are taking over.

Talk to the county extension office and see what they have to say. They will or should know what works in your area and what you don't want to plant. They very likely have a website that already has this information.

We have planted 500 pines both for future sale and to provide a "screen". No sure how many of those 500 have survived though. I was looking yesterday and I see some of them that I planted 3/4 years ago. I'm going to try to plant another 250 this year. The state sells pines pretty cheap. I think I paid under $75 for the 500 pines. They also have packages of other trees as well but they are more expense for less trees. But then you are not likely wanting to plant 250 trees anyway. Even with a dibble your back does not want you to plant 250 trees.

Later,
Dan

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Volcamp:

Last spring I planted 100 seedling Leyland Cypress for exactly the reason you mention, a break of the view of the fields from the road. I have a problem with deer road "hunters". I ordered them off internet and had a ninety five percent survival rate. They grew from about 6" to about 24" the first summer. They are very fast growers and spread to make great privacy trees. I did a lot of reaearch before picking the Leyland and am not disappointed.

One of the main considerations I had was deer browsing. I have tried pine species and the deer tend to browse them to death, but didn't touch the Leylands. I plan to plant 100 more this spring. I have a long road frontage and now that I have convinced myself that Leylands are the answer, I'll continue planting them.

 

[dmccarty]

Volcamp:
...One of the main considerations I had was deer browsing. I have tried pine species and the deer tend to browse them to death, but didn't touch the Leylands...

There is a deer browse treatment that can be ordered on pine trees that the state of NC sells. Its only on bare root stock pines though and I think I planted containerized. The treatment is only $3 per 1,000 seedlings. Yes three whole dollars. Longleaf pine, containerized is $35 per 250 trees. Loblolly pine is $25 per 250.

Later,
Dan