Tree recommendations

[RobA]

Anyone have any suggestions for evergreen trees to plant for privacy? I'm in the process of clearing land and creating a driveway for when we build our new house. Our driveway will be between 800 and 1,000 feet long and need some sort of privacy screen for about 300 feet of 1 side of it. I don't just want to create a hedge and, of course, want zero maintenance, fast growing and inexpensive. I thought about white pines but don't they loose their branches near the ground? We won't be moving there for about 6 more years. I live in southeast Pennsylvania about 30-40 west of Philadelphia.

 

[beenthere]

Yes, w.pine lose their lower branches as do many if they are crowded together.
You may want to plant spruce or cedars. But I would consider first the direction the wind (and snow) will come from, so the trees don't become a snow fence and drop all the snow in the drive. If far enough back (thinking 30-35') then they may actually help keep the snow from drifting in the drive dropping it before the drive).

 

[Wesdor]

I'm not sure they fit your needs - fast growing and inexpensive. But I am very partial to Norway Spruce. They have a long life and can make a nice privacy fence. We planted some along the road in front of our present home and they are about 20 feet tall - 12 years later.

I'm not really familar with your area, but would think they would thrive in Pennsylvania as they do here in Illinois.

Good luck.

 

[MikeD74T]

I live on a curve in the road on a hill such that car lights would light up my bedroom like daytime. I planted four 4' hemlocks about 3 years ago as a screen. They are 100' from the house in line perpendicular to the curve. They are 4' apart. Have grown to 6' now and filled in solid. I spend about 1/2 hour each spring trimming the new growth to keep the size down. My son shears a white pine hedge each spring that is 60'tall, 250' long, & about 20' thick. If forms a solid screen clear to the ground but is like a cathedral inside. I don't think you can have a good screen without at least a little maintenance.

 

[RobA]

beenthere - I never thought of the snow thing. Good point.

Wesdor - Norway spruce are nice. Since I am not in a rush I could plant some smaller ones in the spring and they should have some size to them in 6 or 7 years (?). I am on the edge of planting zones 6 and 7. Western Illinois is either 5 or 6 so our areas are similar enough when talking these trees.

MikeD74T - I never thought of hemlock. Looks like they grow pretty fast and since I have the space probably wouldn't trim them.

Anyone have luck with Leyland Cypress or "Thuja" Green Giant which is a white cedar?

 

[bugstruck]

Yes on the Leyland Cypress. I had some at my location when I bought and just planted 8 more this year. Great maintenance-free tree with real fast growth. When doing a privacy buffer they are my choice.

 

[Dennisfly]

I second the Leyland Cypress choice. I've used White Pine too, but the Cypress is hardier, denser, and faster growing.

 

[HobbleCreek]

On the subject of trees, somebody told me a few years ago about a tree and I can't remember the name. I'm wondering if any of you might know of it. Here's what I recall about it.

The tree is from (I think) China.

It grows to maturity in 7 years.

If you cut it down at 7 years and leave the stump, the tree will regrow to maturity again in 7 years.

It seems like the tree could be expect to regenerate itself in this way 7 times.

Anybody have any idea what kind of tree this might be?

-- Grant

 

[beenthere]

You might be thinking of the Ginko tree. Not sure about what is 'maturity' and what that means, nor that the Ginko has anything genetically built in around the "7 year" thing. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Ginko tree, also know as Maidenhair

 

[Freds]

I've seen lots of arbovitae used for that purpose. I'd say it's more of a shrub, though, at least the common ones around here.
web page

 

[Dargo]

How wide of an area do you have where you want the screen? There are several different ways to handle this; plant type of thick evergreen and allow the lower limbs room to thrive, plant some thick foliage taller trees with some asthetic bushes below etc. In the last 15 years or so, I've planted around 30,000 trees myself on properties that I own. This last spring I planted 5100 trees. But, it was my worst planting. We had a severe draught and I lost about 95% of everything I planted. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif So, I'm sticking with fall planting unless the amount planted is small enough to be able to water. Besides the monitary loss, do you know how much physical labor and time I spent planting 5100 trees?! I certainly may not be the brightest guy, but with lots of practice and numerous visits from our state forestry service, I'm learning. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Paddy]

I planted some white pines over the last two years. First year, $100 worth of 2'(35 trees). That winter the deer just about did them in. Second year, $100 of 4-5' trees, (ten trees).

The deer still had a go at them but came back like I had trimed them. So in summary, go larger. Also, when buying ask for discounted ugly trees. Most customers want prety, well balanced trees that will look nice from day one.

good luck

 

[PBinWA]

I'll 3rd or 4th the Leyland Cypress Recommendation. They are hardy, fast growers, prunable, deer resistant.

I planted 100 or so 3-6 inchers two years ago and some of them are now close to 10 feet tall! They are supposed to grow 4-6 feet a year. I have some that I bought locally that were 6 feet tall and fertilized and watered them heavily for the first year and they are now close to 20 feet tall.

They seem to like pruning in the July and you can even grow them fairly easily from the cuttings.

The most damage the deer have done to them is from rubbing their antlers against them and breaking them in half. I've just bent a lower branch up and held it in place for a few months and they are no worse for the wear (just a little shorter then their neighbors.

I've bought lots of trees from these guys and had good results: http://www.anythinggreen.com/

I've got some of their Thuja Green Giant Cedars and they have grown pretty fast too. I'm not sure how deer tolerant they are but will be finding out soon. I plant as much as possible in the fall or early spring. Your success rate is going to be much higher.

 

[Sully2]

Boxwoods! They grow well in sunlight or shade..even well in "poor soil". You can trim them..or let them go and only "trim" the driveway side of them ( depending on how close they are) or just let them go period. Stay green all winter.

 

[have_blue]

Rob,

I need privacy bushes too, and have done a lot of thinking on it. I decided on Japanese holly. (Ilex Japonica, I think)

They are evergreen, get 6-8 feet tall, and keep branches and leaves all the way to the ground. They grow real fast to 5 feet, then grow real slow after that.

They will never need trimming unless you want the look if a hedge.

I used to have 1 underneath my kids bedroom window. No kids could sneak in or out, and I wasn't worried about intruders. Their shiny leaves needles are the sharpest I have ever seen. Even the lightest touch gets you stuck. There are no barbs or anything, so no worries about that.

 

[Jstpssng]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If you cut it down at 7 years and leave the stump, the tree will regrow to maturity again in 7 years.)</font>
JMHO, but that DOESN'T sound like something I'd want on my land. Some of those exotic things are OK but all too often they become a weed, and a nightmare to get rid of.
Has anyone tried to eradicate bamboo, which was the rage back in the '50's?

 

[SPIKER]

Ive got white pines growing in zone 5 here that are 35~50' tall and have branches all the way to the ground, so I planted some 2000 more along with 2000 sugar maples and 2000 white & blue spruce. the new plantings are all about same as far as die back, ~10% in 3 yrs, the whites are 2~4' high some deer damage last winter, the big pines lost most of the north side brannches due to the bad really really bad ice storm. the smaller spruces weren't yet above the weeds and only suffered some rodent damage... maples are hardly making it

Markm

 

[Henry]

I've had good luck with Norway Spruce at my place in Pennsylvania. I ordered my trees from Musser Forests and have been very happy.

 

[Paddy]

Henry,

That is where I got my trees first time around. They do have quality products.

patrick

 

[Darren]

You may be thinking about a Paulownia tree which is marketed to Japan and which grows in both China and Japan. They're not suited for a privacy screen but they will readily resprout and can be coppiced.

Another idea for a privacy screen is to grow two or three offset rows of trees that are spaced far enough apart to allow for the trees to mature without crowding but also because of the multiple rows and offsets provides privacy long before the trees reach maturity.