Tall, "Soft" Shrub/Plant
Hello,
I am looking for a shrub that gets TALL (10 feet would be nice) and also somewhat wide (6 feet) -- but taller than it is wide. I want to plant it in front of a bay window for screening, so it should have dense leaves. Here's the catch -- I want it to be deciduous so that we can have light in room in the winter. It should also have "soft" stems (not too woody) because it'll be close to the house and the window. It doesn't have to be neat in terms of dropping things (berries, etc.) since it'll be in the garden area right outside the bay window. I live in zone 6 (lakefront Cleveland, OH) and the area gets full sun. I've been looking at garden centers and am not having much luck. Any ideas would be appreciated! -- -- pelirojaroja ----------------------------------------------- |
Tall, "Soft" Shrub/Plant
"pelirojaroja" wrote in message
.. . Hello, I am looking for a shrub that gets TALL (10 feet would be nice) and also somewhat wide (6 feet) -- but taller than it is wide. I want to plant it in front of a bay window for screening, so it should have dense leaves. Here's the catch -- I want it to be deciduous so that we can have light in room in the winter. It should also have "soft" stems (not too woody) because it'll be close to the house and the window. It doesn't have to be neat in terms of dropping things (berries, etc.) since it'll be in the garden area right outside the bay window. I live in zone 6 (lakefront Cleveland, OH) and the area gets full sun. I've been looking at garden centers and am not having much luck. Any ideas would be appreciated! -- -- pelirojaroja Give some consideration to an althea (rose of sharon). I have a couple double flowering ones that seem to fit what you want. Lucy, a reddish-purple double, and Morning Star. a double white with a red throat are really nice shrubs. They're deciduous, have attractive flowers, like hot sun, and bloom on new wood. The one problem with Lucy was that I was too nice to it initially with water and fertilizer. It bent almost to the ground the second year under the weight of blossoms and water after a rain. After some yearly pruning, which shapes it, I have an ideal shrub. As a bonus, it doesn't produce seeds and receives almost no insect damage. John |
Tall, "Soft" Shrub/Plant
"pelirojaroja" wrote in message ...
Hello, I am looking for a shrub that gets TALL (10 feet would be nice) and also somewhat wide (6 feet) -- but taller than it is wide. I want to plant it in front of a bay window for screening, so it should have dense leaves. Here's the catch -- I want it to be deciduous so that we can have light in room in the winter. It should also have "soft" stems (not too woody) because it'll be close to the house and the window. It doesn't have to be neat in terms of dropping things (berries, etc.) since it'll be in the garden area right outside the bay window. I live in zone 6 (lakefront Cleveland, OH) and the area gets full sun. I've been looking at garden centers and am not having much luck. Any ideas would be appreciated! Look at Vitex, nice aromatic foliage, nice blossoms. Might winter kill to the ground in a severe zone 6 winter but will make 5-6' of growth following a die back. Otherwise look into other members of the viburnum famiily or perhaps Philadelphis (mock orange) |
Tall, "Soft" Shrub/Plant
I can't imagine any shrub that will get that tall that does not have a woody
structure. Variegated Dogwoods are really pretty but I don't think they get that large quickly or at all (they also have some berries) I don't know if crape myrtle is hardy enough for your area but it would get that tall (it is woody however). http://www.organicgardening.com/library/shrubs.html http://www.ivillage.com/home/experts...adid=6 283138 "Beecrofter" wrote in message m... "pelirojaroja" wrote in message ... Hello, I am looking for a shrub that gets TALL (10 feet would be nice) and also somewhat wide (6 feet) -- but taller than it is wide. I want to plant it in front of a bay window for screening, so it should have dense leaves. Here's the catch -- I want it to be deciduous so that we can have light in room in the winter. It should also have "soft" stems (not too woody) because it'll be close to the house and the window. It doesn't have to be neat in terms of dropping things (berries, etc.) since it'll be in the garden area right outside the bay window. I live in zone 6 (lakefront Cleveland, OH) and the area gets full sun. I've been looking at garden centers and am not having much luck. Any ideas would be appreciated! Look at Vitex, nice aromatic foliage, nice blossoms. Might winter kill to the ground in a severe zone 6 winter but will make 5-6' of growth following a die back. Otherwise look into other members of the viburnum famiily or perhaps Philadelphis (mock orange) |
Tall, "Soft" Shrub/Plant
"dkat" wrote in message . net...
I can't imagine any shrub that will get that tall that does not have a woody structure. Variegated Dogwoods are really pretty but I don't think they get that large quickly or at all (they also have some berries) I don't know if crape myrtle is hardy enough for your area but it would get that tall (it is woody however). Shrub tends to rule out the non woody request. Maybe they should plant castor beans every spring. |
Tall, "Soft" Shrub/Plant
That is a good idea. Don't some calla lilies get very tall? Elephant ears?
What is that plant - begins with an A... is a wheat supstitute in part of the world... very pretty and very tall.... (red fuzzy flowers). "Beecrofter" wrote in message om... "dkat" wrote in message . net... I can't imagine any shrub that will get that tall that does not have a woody structure. Variegated Dogwoods are really pretty but I don't think they get that large quickly or at all (they also have some berries) I don't know if crape myrtle is hardy enough for your area but it would get that tall (it is woody however). Shrub tends to rule out the non woody request. Maybe they should plant castor beans every spring. |
Tall, "Soft" Shrub/Plant
"D Kat" wrote in
: That is a good idea. Don't some calla lilies get very tall? Elephant ears? What is that plant - begins with an A... is a wheat supstitute in part of the world... very pretty and very tall.... (red fuzzy flowers). "Beecrofter" wrote in message om... "dkat" wrote in message . net... I can't imagine any shrub that will get that tall that does not have a woody structure. Variegated Dogwoods are really pretty but I don't think they get that large quickly or at all (they also have some berries) I don't know if crape myrtle is hardy enough for your area but it would get that tall (it is woody however). Shrub tends to rule out the non woody request. Maybe they should plant castor beans every spring. Here I go painting a big target on my back but ... What about bananas? Too far north? You could plant some elephant ears nearby. Because elephants like bananas. The only wheat substitutes I can think of are asorghum and amillet. Don't know what color the flowers are. - S |
Tall, "Soft" Shrub/Plant
In article , "D Kat"
writes: What is that plant - begins with an A... is a wheat supstitute in part of the world... very pretty and very tall.... (red fuzzy flowers Amaranth Em |
Tall, "Soft" Shrub/Plant
That was it! I don't think it would work for them though on looking at it.
If it grows like corn they would only have a couple of months where they would have screening... Same with Sunflower seeds which I thought of. DK http://www.jeffersoninstitute.org/pubs/amaranth.shtml "MLEBLANCA" wrote in message ... In article , "D Kat" writes: What is that plant - begins with an A... is a wheat supstitute in part of the world... very pretty and very tall.... (red fuzzy flowers Amaranth Em |
Tall, "Soft" Shrub/Plant
Thanks for all suggestions. We have tried sunflowers as a full-sun
bay window screen, which worked for a month or so and then started leaning and looking ratty. (I love sunflowers, but not in this instance). I thought "non-woody" might be needed due to the proximity to the house (avoid scratching the screens, etc.), but maybe I can find something more "fan-shaped" that can still be woody. I'm considering some of the taller vibernums, as well as the althea (rose of sharon) suggested by another poster. Key is getting 10+-ft of height (but not higher than 15-20 ft.). Winter interest is very desirable, living here on the North Coast of Cleveland (about 1/4 mile from Lake Erie). I may not get everything I want in one plant. Another option I am considering is constructing a thin trellis of that height, in front of the bay window I want screened, with possibly morning glory, clematis, or some full-sun other climbing non-ivy vine. Thanks again -- peliroja-roja "D Kat" wrote in message ... That was it! I don't think it would work for them though on looking at it. If it grows like corn they would only have a couple of months where they would have screening... Same with Sunflower seeds which I thought of. DK http://www.jeffersoninstitute.org/pubs/amaranth.shtml "MLEBLANCA" wrote in message ... In article , "D Kat" writes: What is that plant - begins with an A... is a wheat supstitute in part of the world... very pretty and very tall.... (red fuzzy flowers Amaranth Em |
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