Kissing Lanai
 

After four trips down in the last year we bought a pre-owned ranch that we are set to close on in two weeks. It does have a screen lanai at this time and backs up to the neighbors lanai as well. There is some landscaping but would like to add more. Interested in more tropical rather than a hedge. Any ideas, names of fast growing plants to look at? Also what types of blinds, roll-ups, drapes, etc are used for privacy that are weather tolerant? Thanks for any suggestions! Exciting times!

Congratulations on your new home! We have a similiar home and put in ligustrum trees, bottle brush trees , and pampas grass. The variety of ligustrum we have is a type that only grows to 8-10 feet, because we didnt' want to deal with pruning down the road. Our neighbors behind also put in Queen palms. They make a nice rustling noise when the tropical breezes blow, but they grow tall, and in the future will require pruning as well. The bottlebrush have orange blossoms at certain times of the year which give nice color. We bought ours at Walmart = it was about 2-3 feet tall, and 3 years later it is 7 feet tall. I fertilize about 3 times per year. We bought larger ligustrum plants, 6-7 feet, because we wanted instant privacy, but the shock of transplanting them caused them to gradually lose their leaves the first year. By the second year they were looking very good, but I'm not sure it was worth the extra money to get large trees. I think I'd buy 4 foot tall trees and wait a couple years for them to grow. The ligustrum stay green and keep their leaves all year long, so are great for privacy. Both the ligustrum and bottle brush are competely frost proof. Many people put in Robellini palms, but I wouldn't recommend them. They really got nailed by the frost last year. I think they're only good down to around 30 degrees, and we typically get some frosts dowin in the low 20's or high teens. Robellilni hardiness zone is 10A-11. The Villages is hardiness zone 9A. If you cover them really well each night you might be able to keep them looking good, but its a lot of work. There is also some nice clumping bamboo that looks good. I believe there are clumps in front of the Mallory restaurant. Its hard to get started - I think it takes around 3 years for it to take hold but I like the looks of it. Do not get the running bamboo - it will take over your lawn and ruin your neighbor's lawn as well. They say to buy clump bamboo from a certified grower. There is one near Orlando and one in Rutland Florida. There are many varieties, and some will grow very tall, so do your research to find what best suits your lot.

For shades, we bought koolaroo shades over at Home Depot and Sam'sClub. They are a sort of plastic mesh that is easily washed, and lets the breeze blow through while at the same time give you shade and privacy.

Good luck!

Welcome to TV. :welcome: This is an incredibly exciting time for you.

We're also looking for tropical ideas to give us INSTANT privacy in our new birdcage. We're avoiding bottlebrush because they attract wasps.
We back on a golf course, but we need side privacy.

We're thinking of getting fat palms that are frost hardy. That will grow to 6 or 8 feet and then stop. We're not sure the best kind to get. We'll probably rely on recommendations from a landscaper. But it would be nice to hear some suggestions from members so we can research them on the net. :024:

We've never had any wasps on our bottlebrush trees. That's something I haven't heard about. I do notice that the bottlebrush attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Perhaps the variety of bottle brush makes a difference. We have the orange colored bottlebrush, vs. the white.

Before planting Queen Palms read this:
http://collier.ifas.ufl.edu/CommHort...en%20Palms.pdf

I had two for years. They finally grew to a point where I had to hire help keeping them looking presentable. I had them removed.

There are better palm tree choices in my opinion.

I have lots of bottlebrush trees and have not seen a wasp. They also did well in the cold from last winter.

Are there different types of queen palms? We have 7 and none of ours have experienced any of the things mentioned in your reference.

Army Guy

Do you have any recommendations for those of us new to the palm world?

Palm trees
 

We've been here for 2.5 years and have had mixed luck w/palms. A previous post mentioned the winter tenderness of Robellinis...TRUE! I have 2 and both have survived the past 2 winters...but last winter took all the fronds. They did rebound this summer and look great again...but I did cover them during the freezing nights.

I've had 2 Queens die...one from new Queen Palm disease and one from the cold last winter. Replaced the first with a Yucca (not a palm) which does well in the winter, but is kind of "dangerous". The leaves are serrated and end in a very sharp point....BE CAREFUL with these or you will get cut/poke your eye out!

The second Queen we replaced w/a Sabal Palm which is just starting to re-frond (they cut them back in a hurricane cut when they transplant them...so they look like a huge stick w/very little green on top). These are indigenous to our area so they do well.

We also have 2 Pindo palms which are wonderful! The first one we planted bore edible fruit this summer (paid a nursery $225 for the 1st one 3 yrs. ago!)! The other, we bought at Wal-Mart for $6...looked like a "Charlie Brown" tree...was maybe 2 feet tall. Well the fruiting one is now about 5' and the $6 (it's been in the ground 2 years) is over 8' tall! No fruit on this one (yet) but it is younger.

Most of the Fan Palms are great too. We have a European, Mediterranean and a Windmill Fan palm. All three wintered beautifully.

We also have a Canary Island Palm. Think we paid a nursery $400 or so to plant it for us when we had the first Pindo put in 3 yrs. ago. WELL! The Canary started out about 4' tall and it's "trunk" was maybe 6" in diameter. After only 3 years in the ground it's crown is about 10-12' wide, it's about 10' tall and the trunk has a diameter of at least 2'. It wintered very well.

We also have a couple Bottlebrush trees. Our one larger one that blooms has dark red blooms and DOES attract wasps and hornets....as well as hummingbirds and hummingbird moths and a variety of birds! It's an upright variety. Our weeping Bottlebrush (another of my bargain bin buys for $8) is still struggling and doesn't bloom yet.

When you're new to FL the best way to learn about palms/plants is to research them online and talk to your neighbors. Good luck in your new home(s) and with your landscaping! Have fun with it!

Great advice!
 

debzaranti, thanks for the advice! I love gardening (maybe this should be in the landscaping forum?) but have NO experience with tropicals outdoors (all of mine are now indoors for the winter :sad: ) I will DEFINITELY be saving this thread for reference when we move down full time and add/change the landscaping put in by the builder.

Cheryl

Google "Florida Palm Trees" and you will find a lot of info. Also try some local nurseries. Maybe someone here can recommend a reliable nursery.