do you know the name of this shrub

[mamabell]

My grandmother had a hedge of shrubs along the back of her home on the beach in southeastern North Carolina. It was evergreen and had a silver cast to the leaves, to my knowledge it did not flower. I think she called it alliagnus. Does anyone know the name of this shrub? Thank you.

[Newt]

Hi Mamabell,

I'll bet it's one of the olives - Elaeagnus.* These are considered invasive pests.* :(
Thorny olive - Elaeagnus pungens
http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/elpu.html
http://www.floridata.com/ref/E/elaeag_p.cfm

Autumn Olive aka Silverberry -
http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/elum.html

Another is Elaesgnus multiflora
http://www.floridata.com/ref/E/elaeag_m.cfm

You can look at this Duke University site and scroll down at the links for the different counties.* Then scroll down for the native shrubs and the invasive ones and start clicking.* Wish I could offer more but without a better name or picture...
http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/index.html

Please let me know if that's it.
Newt

[mamabell]

Wow, Newt, I think you found it. Thank you. It is Thorny Olive. I had no idea that it was invasive. People use it all the time in this area for a hedge and that is what I was needing it for. Invasive could be*good in what I am wanting it for (baaad neighbors). I also thought of pyracantha. Thought the thorns would add an extra touch! Thanks for your help. Mamabell

[Newt]

Wow, so glad I was able to do that since it's an invasive.* It was your spelling that gave me the clue though.* :)

For n@sty neighbors I like th0rny plants like holly.* There aren't any thorns on the plant but the leaves aren't very neighborly, there are wonderful natives that will feed the wildlife and some are evergreen.* How does that sound?*

Pyracantha has also become invasive in some areas as the birds spread the seeds into the environment.* I remember you are zone 8, but I don't know your state.* It would be most helpful if you added it to your profile like I have.* Then I won't have to keep looking up your posts or asking.* Here's a site from Texas that talks about pyracantha.* I can't use the cached version so you can easily find the highlighted name as the link is too long.
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/growgreen/invasive.htm


Newt

[mamabell]

We actually have holly trees growing wild on our property and the neighbor cut his down because he didn't like the leaves. Too funny that you would suggest that! I want something that is cheap and will grow fast, we need to hurry they have a gargoyle pointed in our direction! I thought about oleanders but they aren't evergreen and the ones I already bought aren't doing too well. Leyland Cypress grow well in our area but we can't afford them! Wow, I'm glad I went on this forum, I'm learning all sorts of stuff! Didn't know that Pyracantha would spread! I am talking about an area that gets hot afternoon sun but shade in the morning. Is that part sun? Thanks Newt!

[Newt]

Sorry, double post and another 'bleep'!*

Newt

[Newt]

Ha, ha, ha!!* He didn't like the hollies!! Cool, go for it!* If you already have them on the property and they are evergreen, have at it!!* You'll give that gargoyle something to look at.* What an awful thing for him to do.*

Leyland cypress grows HUGE!!* You will be pulling your hair out before you finish pruning.* How about junipers?* They aren't exactly soft.

Full sun is 6 hours or more and afternoon sun is hotter, as you already stated.*

Plants that come in 1 gallon containers grow just as quickly as those in 3 gallon containers, sometimes even better.* You end up paying more for the nursery potting up to a larger size and keeping them an extra year or two.** After two years in the ground, the one gallon will catch up as it wasn't as stressed in the nursery.* See, I've saved you m0ney already!* :D

Newt

[mamabell]

Newt, you are the greatest!! I'm glad I found this forum, are you an encyclepedia or what? A friend of mine suggested laurapedlum (unsure of the spelling), she said they grow fast and are pretty. I need to check them out. Thank you again and good luck with the yard sale and the company!!

Mamabell

[Newt]

Was doing the laundry and came across some berries from our serviceberry tree and thought of you.* The berries reminded me of our native privet, not to be confused with the invasive European privet.* Our native privet is swamp privet - Foresteria lugustrina.* Not sure you'll find it in nurseries.*
http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioima...ecies/foli.htm

PLEASE don't plant European privet - Ligustrum vulgare or Chinese privet - Ligustrum sinense.
http://www.state.va.us/dcr/dnh/fslisi.pdf
http://www.irregulartimes.com/privet.html

From the above site with more helpful info:

"The benefits of a privet hedge can also be achieved with native plants, particularly with native hollies. Two species are of particular use in the South: the American holly and the yaupon holly. American holly looks much like the European Holly that is traditionally associated with winter holidays. It is much easier to control than privet, grows much taller but can also be kept short, and provides an added measure of security with its sharp-tipped leaves. Yaupon holly doesn't look like what we think hollies should look like, with small, round leaves instead of large, pointed leaves. It is a true holly, however, with the small flowers and autumn berries we expect from these plants. The yaupon holly, also called ilex vomitoria because of its use in inducing vomiting by native Americans, takes very well to pruning, but needs much less than a privet, giving its caretakers compact growth without much care. Of course, it looks just great without pruning too. Yaupon hollies come in various forms, from a stately 20-f0ot variety that grows handsome trunks in its maturity to a mid-sized weeping variety to a small version that grows only to about 3 or 4 feet."

More interesting info on privet.
http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/p...derations.html

Newt

[Newt]

Isn't this awful, I just can't stay off the computer today. :?** I have the computer just outside the laundry room door!* I missed your last post when I posted as I was only thinking of the berries and the privet.* I sometimes feel like an encyclopedia!* My hubby always says I'm a walking one when it comes to gardening.* :shock:

Your friend mentioned "laurapedlum" spelled Loropetalum aka Chinese witch hazel aka Chinese fringe flower.* Yup, they sure do grow fast and faster, and faster and...* :shock:* With this one you have to choose the cultivar VERY carefully.* They are lovely though.* They are shallow rooted, and if you choose carefully enough, you might be able to replace the rose of sharon with it.
http://www.paghat.com/fringeflower.html
http://www.vickishome.com/index.html...ropetalum.html
http://www.al.com/hg/mobileregister/...050.xml&coll=3

We really haven't discussed how high and wide you want this hedge to be and how you want to prune (shearing vs selective pruning) and how often you are willing or wanting to prune it.* That might be a good idea at this point.* So, what is it you want from your hedge, other then to screen the gargoyle and put some distance between you and your neighbor?

Newt