1/5/08

Best Hedges for South Florida

For the most part, I agree with this list.

Your South Florida "Best Hedge" List
Ilex Pics #1 #2 #3 #4 #5
Podocarpus Pics #1 #2 #2
Podocarpus Pics #4 #5
Orange Jasmine
Lakeview Jasmine
Indian hawthorn
Ixora coccinea
Ixora Maui
Cherry
Cocoplum
Snow on the Mountain
Fire on the Mountain
Viburnum
Pittosporum, variegated
Silver Buttonwood
Night-Blooming Jasmine
(list from http://mgonline.com/hedgelist.html)

I don't like Night-blooming Jasmine at all. I think it stinks, but I know many people who consider it among their favorite plants.

I ordered a bunch of landscape and native plant books from the local libraries because we are going to do a fairly large hedge in the next month. Our friend and landscaper, Doug suggested we plant Variegated Schefflera. Sometimes schefflera can look ratty...sometimes it looks full and lush. If we pull off the second look, I'd be very happy.
Labels: at 1/05/2008 10:06:00 AM

7 comments:

  1. Nice list for your tropical climate. Much of this list is also appropriate here in Santa Barbara.

    One word of design advice. Don't fixate on the appearance of the hedge if there will eventually be other plants in front of it. Look at it as a stage backdrop to enhance the rest of the composition. One typical problem with designing one plant at a time is that you almost literally "paint" yourself into a corner and limit your design options. So try to think ahead.

    Hope this helps. Have fun!
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  2. If hedge cutting is no problem, you will be OK with all of them...my Mom has had a 6 ft. high podocarpus hedge all around her home for 50 years, and it has had to be trimmed all these years! A LOT of work! Good luck with your choice.
    ReplyDelete
  3. I love night blooming jasmine but could see how it would not be good if you dont like the smell. I noticed you mentioned Schefflera. We live in Hawaii and it is an incredibly invasive tree. My husband used to manage a huge restoration project in a beautiful valley that has been completely overtaken by Scheffleras. Hi job along with many other hard working men was cutting them down, poisonning them and planting native Hawaiin trees and plants which dont grow in this invasive way. they are also known as octopus trees as you probably know and plenty people think they are pretty but once they get going...they can completely take over!ENTIRE FORESTS!! its kinda sad to see how much land has been overtaken by them actually. Some variegated ones might have different growth habits (especially if you are thinking for a hedge) but I would say be aware! we say bad! aloha
    ReplyDelete
  4. schefflera is not the octopus tree
    ReplyDelete
  5. Schefflera farinosa (variegated schefflera) is not the same plant as the octopus tree. I too live in Hawaii. I am a fan of Schefflera Arboricola ( dwarf Schefflera). S. Farinosa would make a nice hedge and is more like Arboricola than the terrible "octopus".
    ReplyDelete
  6. *Borring overused choices...many of which dont even bloom much....choose Ixora of those choices (but only if u live in zone 10B (coastal southern most florida) cuz cold kills or serverly damages it!
    *Silver buttonwood is a great tree but doesn't work well as hedge because it gets leggy with empty bottom area and it hates being manicured!!...so its a horrible long term choice as a hedge.
    ReplyDelete
  7. Top (15) almost year round flowering hedges for south florida:

    Tecoma 'gold star' (6-8' hedge)
    Cestrum newelli (8'hedge)
    Allamanda Nerifolia (6'hedge)
    Yellow Geiger cordia lutea (8-12')
    Firebush (orange or red) (6-8')
    Turks cap (Malvaviscus arboreus) (8'+)
    Jatropha 'compacta'---'Compacta' only!! (6-10')
    Patotoe Tree (Solanum macranthum) (8'+hedge)
    Thunbergia erecta 'Fairy Moon' (6'+hedge)
    Polygala Myrtifolia or Iochroma (might work?)
    Royal Robe (Solanum rantonnetii)
    Oleander or Ixora or Bougainvillea (All 3 are overused)

    Note: Use www.plantfinder.com to locate plants...not all are always available or easily located :(
    ReplyDelete

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