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

"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

"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)

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)

"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.

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.

"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

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

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

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