Author Topic: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?  (Read 3634 times)

barath

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Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« on: March 01, 2019, 04:24:37 PM »
I'm trying to plan what to plant along a 6 foot fence that will be along the roadside, where I need something that will provide good screening from the street and grow taller than the fence (ideally covering the height range from 6-20 feet because the fence will cover from 0-6 feet) and be lush and evergreen.  Ideally it'd also be fruit producing but something that the average passerby wouldn't think to pick.

Any ideas?  Bananas are an obvious choice given how fast they grow, but people might pick them.  Any other ideas?  I'd like something that I can plant now and that will provide good screening within a year or two here in SoCal.

zephian

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2019, 04:31:14 PM »
I'd say passionfruit and bananas are a good choice.
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spaugh

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2019, 04:48:26 PM »
Reed avocados every 6ft
Brad Spaugh

barath

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2019, 05:19:16 PM »
Reed avocados every 6ft

Haha, good point -- that would work well.  Though they'd be a perfect target for people to pick.

zephian

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2019, 05:29:52 PM »
Reed avocados every 6ft

Haha, good point -- that would work well.  Though they'd be a perfect target for people to pick.
Pretty sure I'd be upset if someone took some a good avocado off my 'cado hedge. :)
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Ulfr

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2019, 05:31:54 PM »
Gracilis bamboo. A small clumper that would work well for that purpose but unfortunately not edible. Still useful for stakes etc around the garden. There are edible clumpers but don’t know much about them, think most are larger.

I have seen good jaboticaba hedges and would suit the discreet requirement but a lot slower obviously.
« Last Edit: March 01, 2019, 05:56:33 PM by Ulfr »

spaugh

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2019, 05:39:26 PM »
Reed avocados every 6ft

Haha, good point -- that would work well.  Though they'd be a perfect target for people to pick.

Put a sign out with a camera on it, people will leave it alone.
Brad Spaugh

spaugh

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2019, 05:40:49 PM »
If you just want a good looker and no fruit how about mexican sunflower (tithonia diversifolia)?  It grows really fast and large and makes tons of flowers.  It stays green all year and is completely dense so you cant see through it.

You can start ot from seed and have big 10ft tall plants in a year.


« Last Edit: March 01, 2019, 05:46:40 PM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

barath

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2019, 06:03:02 PM »
If you just want a good looker and no fruit how about mexican sunflower (tithonia diversifolia)?  It grows really fast and large and makes tons of flowers.  It stays green all year and is completely dense so you cant see through it.

You can start ot from seed and have big 10ft tall plants in a year.




Ah, great idea.  I hadn't considered that.

hawkfish007

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #9 on: March 01, 2019, 06:03:45 PM »
How about Acerola (barbados cherry)?

spaugh

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #10 on: March 01, 2019, 06:04:42 PM »
Im very impressed with the mex sunflower.  Everyone comments on it when thry come over.  Now Ive started a bunch from seed to plant more out in the orchard. 
Brad Spaugh

barath

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #11 on: March 01, 2019, 06:10:59 PM »
How about Acerola (barbados cherry)?

I'm growing it and it's fine but doesn't seem that vigorous so far.  Does it have specific soil / climate requirements?

scottsurf

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2019, 06:19:13 PM »
loquat
they grow pretty fast especially the seedling ones  some of the grafted varieties are really good, one of my favorite fruit
i dont think people would eat them either

FMfruitforest

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #13 on: March 01, 2019, 07:00:16 PM »
Maybe Muntingia Calabura




hawkfish007

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #14 on: March 01, 2019, 07:06:19 PM »
How about Acerola (barbados cherry)?

I'm growing it and it's fine but doesn't seem that vigorous so far.  Does it have specific soil / climate requirements?

I am not aware of any special requirements for Acerola, it should take off from beginning of summer.

pineislander

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #15 on: March 01, 2019, 10:09:57 PM »
If you just want a good looker and no fruit how about mexican sunflower (tithonia diversifolia)?  It grows really fast and large and makes tons of flowers.  It stays green all year and is completely dense so you cant see through it.

You can start ot from seed and have big 10ft tall plants in a year.



The Tithonia diversifolia we have here in Florida is close to sterile. I have hundreds and never get any making viable seeds. Strikes very fast from basal cuttings 1" or more in diameter which have adventitious roots. Just stick in the ground during rainy times and they start growing. That is how I made a 350 ft. long hedge. Can cut 3 times/year or more for self-mulching hedge.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tithonia_diversifolia

spaugh

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #16 on: March 01, 2019, 10:42:03 PM »
If you just want a good looker and no fruit how about mexican sunflower (tithonia diversifolia)?  It grows really fast and large and makes tons of flowers.  It stays green all year and is completely dense so you cant see through it.

You can start ot from seed and have big 10ft tall plants in a year.



The Tithonia diversifolia we have here in Florida is close to sterile. I have hundreds and never get any making viable seeds. Strikes very fast from basal cuttings 1" or more in diameter which have adventitious roots. Just stick in the ground during rainy times and they start growing. That is how I made a 350 ft. long hedge. Can cut 3 times/year or more for self-mulching hedge.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tithonia_diversifolia

Im surprised they are sterile.  I just bought red torch seeds from baker creek for 3$ for a pack and get 100% germination.

Also have a yellow one from a local nursery and harvested seeds but havent tried them yet.  Will try soon.

Ive got some low branches also pulled down and covered in dirt to try and air layer into the ground to propogate. 
« Last Edit: March 01, 2019, 10:47:21 PM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

Ulfr

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #17 on: March 01, 2019, 11:23:04 PM »
A sterile Mexican sunflower would be great. They are a weed here and I’ve been scared to use them because of it.

pineislander

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #18 on: March 02, 2019, 04:41:33 AM »
I think Spaugh you are growing Tithonia Rotundifolia. It has softer leaves and seeds prolifically.
This is the diversifolia. Lives for years develops a stump one foot in diameter.
He is exagerrating the nitrogen but it can be 1% and does concentrate phosphorus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L3gcvS0oZQ

BrianL

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #19 on: March 02, 2019, 05:25:44 AM »
Kei Apple or Natal Plum?

Coach62

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #20 on: March 02, 2019, 08:16:52 AM »
I’m getting ready to replace some of my hedges with Arabica Coffe bushes. Attractive and you can harvest the berries if you like coffee.
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spaugh

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #21 on: March 02, 2019, 11:23:02 AM »
I think Spaugh you are growing Tithonia Rotundifolia. It has softer leaves and seeds prolifically.
This is the diversifolia. Lives for years develops a stump one foot in diameter.
He is exagerrating the nitrogen but it can be 1% and does concentrate phosphorus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L3gcvS0oZQ

I have both
Brad Spaugh

shaneatwell

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Re: Fast growing, dense, subtropical/tropical screening plants?
« Reply #22 on: March 02, 2019, 08:05:13 PM »
I had a similar situation and threw a bunch of trees with similar leaf shape at it and sweet java plum has been the most impressive. Also Rose apple and allspice. After 3 seasons the sweet java plum is about 20', and the rose apple and allspice around 15. I'd also consider sapodilla. Not as fast a grower, but it has a growth habit that makes it super easy to prune for narrow spaces. Like a menorah that you can just remove the outermost brances from to make it as narrow as you want. It doesn't shoot branches out horizontal like the others. It'll push a new branch that goes out a few inches and then straight up.
Shane