Question
Please help, I have a 50' wall 60' pines (spruce? very tiny, hard needles) all that have been cut up to about 8' or more by the previous owner. I have just installed a pool and would like to add some kind of tree or shrub for privacy that will grow in the shade under these pine trees. Is there something that will grow to be around 10' or slightly taller with a spread of about 4' to fill in gaps? I also have two very small dogs and I am afraid of planting something that may drop berries and be poisonous to them. We do have some morning sun, I live in the Chicago area zone 5, do you have any suggestions?

Answer
Hello,

Here is a list of shrubs that should meet your requirements:

Juniper. Juniperus chinensis 'spartan'. Fast growing,columnar shaped,tolerates partial shade. Grows to about 8 feet high with about a 6 feet spread. Evergreen.

Forsythia. Blooms in spring,produces bright yellow flowers. Grows 3 to 8 feet high. Produces a medicinal grade fruit that is harmless to animals. Deciduous (loses leaves in fall).

Spirea. Vanhouttei. Grow 6 to 8 feet high and spreads 6 to 8 feet wide. Tolerates partial shade,drought and poor soil. Deciduous.

Lilac. Grows to 8 feet high. Evergreen.

Holly. Varieties available that grow to 10 feet high. Evergreen. Very shade tolerant.

Arborvitae. 'Emerald Green'. Grows to 10 to 15 feet high. Pyramidal shape. Tolerates light shade. The deeper the shade the less foliage the plant will retain and so,less privacy.


Here is a list of small trees that should meet your requirements:

Crape Myrtle. Dwarf,medium size and large size varieties available. Grows up to 20 feet high. Disease resistant and has an ornamental look. Deciduous.

Sargentii. 'tina'. Smallest of the flowering crab apples. Grows to 8 feet high and has a 15 feet spread. Edible fruit. Deciduous.

Dogwood. Varieties that reach a height of 10 feet are available. Deciduous. Attractive spring blossoms.

Serviceberry. Can grow up to 20 feet high if not pruned. Produces upright stems from multi-stemmed clumps. Edible berries. Somewhat drought tolerant. Deciduous. Ten feet spread.
Tolerates partial shade. This is a swamp plant and tolerates wet conditions.

On a southern exposure,if you would like sun in the winter and privacy is not important,go with predominantly deciduous plantings. Or you could mix deciduous and evergreen plantings.
Although spirea is deciduous,its branches still remain fairly dense in fall and winter. You might consider using low growing shrubs such as juniper under any trees you might plant to fill in gaps that might be created by the branch height of these trees. Good luck. Let me know if I can be of further help.

Mark Harshman
http://www.mahdrafting.com
Email: [email protected]

http://www.scribd.com/markscrib47