Hi guys,  I'm about to take out two massive clumps of bird of paradise.  They're great for shade and privacy in my backyard but are too much work for me.  I don't have a green thumb or much time to maintain landscaping.  They are almost up into the top power lines and make a mess in the pool.

So I'd love to hear recommendations on what would be good for:

1) low maintainance

2) clean (won't make a mess in the pool)

3) grows somewhere between 7 to 10' max

4) good for shade and privacy factor (doesn't have to block out the neighbors completely, but I do like it private feeling back there)

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

-------------------------

Jesus invented surfing...
Matthew 14:22-33

www.facebook.com/churchonthebeach

I'd suggest cutting down the tallest stalks and let the suckers grow up. Us a razor blade to trim off the old fronds and create a tropical ornamental look.

Clusia Major may be an alternative.

-------------------------


If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

Monster white bird of paradise, I assume.  They are clippable, but it's useful to have a pole saw and pole loppers.  

You can indeed cut the clumps to the ground and watch them grow back.  That happened after Frances and Jeanne.

Depending on location, a number of shrubs make good hedges.  Podocarpus gets very thick and hard to see through.  Simpson stopper, a native along the beaches, is drought tolerant and can be pruned into a hedge or allowed to grow tall (and less dense).  

If shaded, Rhapis (lady) Palms. But they are expensive. 

Podocarpus is a good hedge plant. Low maintenance, not messy.

Areca or Cat palms

Thanks everyone for the good feedback.  I'm looking at these options.  I do like a more tropical look so the palm options are cool.  Was looking at certain types of bamboo but it sounds like they can get out of control quick.  

Yes ww they're big white bird of paradise.  I've been trimming them or a few years and i'm just tired of the debris and I can't keep up on them as of late.  So I'm taking them out completely.  BTW, Noah is still loving the yellow soft top!  He's officially loving surfing and it's awesome to go out with him!

-------------------------

Jesus invented surfing...
Matthew 14:22-33

www.facebook.com/churchonthebeach

bamboo sheds leaves...pita for pool

-------------------------


If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

Vertical Fence Posts anchored in ground/inbetween run (ideally) non plastic lattice ( the lattice can start a min' of 3' above ground.
And plant as many confederate jasmine as possible. Why vining jasmine?
Because there are few vines that hold the same look in winter and don't shed in fall/winter - high aggressive grow once established.
Confederate jasmine grows in shade or sun.
Plus the entire apparatus shrinks the plan-table space to a skinnier line and you have more of your yard to enjoy.

I did copper horizontal pipe runs between vertical wooden posts and then planted jasmine every 2'. No irrigation. Shade. My apparatus is 22' x 30' (ish).
Planted in 2013 and everything is more than 2/3 filled in with jasmine and have achieved what it we set it out to do. 3 years.
Maybe 4 times the ladder came out to tweak the new growth to go up.
Highly recommend the project.

My neighbor has a "confederate" jasmine fence.  Much shearing, but it's been reliable.  

Rhapis palms don't like to be moved but thrive once established.  I can provide a few pups.

or Turk's Cap (aka Sleeping Hibiscus) - the Florida kind, which gets taller than the Texan version.
Malvaviscus penduliflorus

Turk's cap is sort of messy, but a couple in my part of town have been kept trimmed into balls.

Another possible hedge is wild olive, Forestiera segregata.  It's a quasi-tropical beach shrub with small leaves that takes well to being cut with shears--that's what it puts up with from salt spray, after all.  In Vero, it's been used for a lot of the topiary-type shrubbery in the parks.  

A hedge substitute might be the native red honeysuckle.  This one's on a wire trellis.  

Edited: 04/21/2016 at 06:15 PM by ww