Drought Tolerant, Evergreen, Fast Growing Shrubs Wanted.

[lifegardener]

We have a sunny, hilly area behind our home - zone 10a - which we want to plant up with drought tolerant, evergreen and fast growing shrubs.

We were thinking of something like Laurel, which can also handle heavy winds.

Looking forward to any suggestions.

 

[nemodot]

What comes to my mind right away is Myoporum laetum, but Im not sure if it can withstand too much cold. Here it thrives well but never goes below -10ºC (14F).
Otherwise I would recommend Some Ligustrum like L. japonicum.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

People associate privet with suburban hedges, but given its head it makes a very attractive large bush and has strongly sweet scented flowers, the 'golden' variety is good.

 

[lifegardener]

People associate privet with suburban hedges, but given its head it makes a very attractive large bush and has strongly sweet scented flowers, the 'golden' variety is good.

Thankyou.

 

[lifegardener]

Thankyou. Unfortunately, this plant does not seem suitable for our planting region. Zone 10A.

 

[Colin Hardiman]

People associate privet with suburban hedges, but given its head it makes a very attractive large bush and has strongly sweet scented flowers, the 'golden' variety is good.

Agree, privets are hardy as anything and easy to train, shape and manipulate. A bit of effort in maintenance can give you a spectacular result.

 

[Steve @ Celtic Farm]

For a sunny, hilly zone 10a area that’s also windy, here are some drought-tolerant, evergreen, and fast-growing shrubs -

1. Laurel - Offers dense growth and excellent wind resistance.
2. Oleander - Vibrant flowers, very wind-resistant, but note it's toxic if ingested.
3. Juniper - Tough, comes in various sizes, and withstands wind well.
4. Texas Ranger - Blooms with purple or pink flowers and extremely hardy.
5. Pittosporum - Fast-growing with lush foliage.
6. Wax Myrtle - Fragrant, fast-growing, and adapts well to different soils.

 

[cpp gardener]

Rosemary
Westringia
Photinia
Lantana
Toyon
Nandina
Tecomaria
Euonymus

 

[Anniekay]

Oleander is highly poisonous, so if you have children, avoid it. It's bitter so they'll usually spit it out but they can still become ill from it.