Anonymous
Post 07/29/2021 21:45     Subject: Good, attractive, hardy, privacy screen plants for city that grow over 5 feet?
Are you sure it is truly clay soil? Did you test it? Not a lot of DC area soil is clay. Here is a soil map:

https://dcgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/minimalist/index.html?appid=b915693dbad84839ac3ea5f4a3c1aa9b
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2021 21:38     Subject: Good, attractive, hardy, privacy screen plants for city that grow over 5 feet?
It's late to grow to eat, but still might grow tall enough. And you could leave dead plants as a harvest thing and still have some privacy.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2021 21:37     Subject: Good, attractive, hardy, privacy screen plants for city that grow over 5 feet?
Corn might grow 6 feet by September. Plant it behind bushes, hopefully bushes will be big enough in a year or 2 so you won't need corn.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2021 21:37     Subject: Re:Good, attractive, hardy, privacy screen plants for city that grow over 5 feet?
Anonymous wrote:Morella cerifera wax myrtle - they grow super fast and smell great



+1 excellent choice. Also Cherry laurel does well here and has fragrant flowers.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2021 21:33     Subject: Good, attractive, hardy, privacy screen plants for city that grow over 5 feet?
Anonymous wrote:OP I am not in your area but IF this plant is good for your zone, I highly recommend it. It's ficus nitida, variety is "Green Gem."

It's dense to provide total privacy, and most importantly, stays dense whether in sun or shade. Green Gem is a variety that is resistant to thrips.

I've researched a few hedge plants, because when we bought our house it came with a hedge of Carolina Cherry which only works in full sun; when some shade enters into the picture, it gets too airy (see-through).

But my real advice to you is to drive around and see what works in your area, then take a sprig of it to the garden store to find out what it is. This is because there are always microclimates and you want what works in your area. For example, my favorite tree grows in my area, and I was all excited to plant one, but I noticed that in my neighborhood they all look sickly and leggy. But in my brother's neighborhood they are fantastic and majestic. Turns out that this tree hates a sea breeze or fog, and my brother is inland enough to negate the problem.


Ficus nitida is not hardy in the DMV area. Starts in Zone 9 (and also is considered invasive in Florida).