Trees for fencing in Austin

[thomas2029]

where can you find Arizona Cypress near austin?

[rookie_buyer]

I have seen some good arizona cypress in green n growing in plugervile...

Thank you everyone for suggestions... i decided to go with 1 bradford pear in one corner, 2 wax mrytles in the middle and 1 crape mrytle in the other corner for fencing my backyard...

please let me know how good/bad is my selection...

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by rookie_buyer

I have seen some good arizona cypress in green n growing in plugervile...

Thank you everyone for suggestions... i decided to go with 1 bradford pear in one corner, 2 wax mrytles in the middle and 1 crape mrytle in the other corner for fencing my backyard...

please let me know how good/bad is my selection...

I reckon you've weighed the pros and cons of the Bradford Pear. I'd say years 3-9 are great for them; but after that, 'things' can happen. For example, one neighbor had a balanced pair of pears in the front yard...looked great until one of our central Texas wind events split one in half. That tree was about 8 years old. Back in Atlanta, Bradfords that reached the 8-9 year range were easily damaged by one snow event or wind event....again, splitting and essentially killing the tree. On the other hand, another neighbor has three that are 25' tall or thereabouts...beautiful trees...shed like crazy twice a year, blossoms then leaves. They are bare in the winter. Also, when properly trimmed, they won't offer any 'screening' below the fence tops...that is, they have real trunks(or two or three) up to 6-8 feet in height before any screening limbs.

[CptnRn]

Bradford Pear and Crape Myrtle both loose their leaves in winter, so if you want privacy screening, you need to look for something else. I'd stick with the Wax Myrtles & Yaupon's or Arizona Cypress if you want green all year round.

Bradford Pear is a pretty tree in blossom and in fall, but it is structurally unsound. They grow with a tight upward angle on the branches, which as the branches get larger results in weakness at the crotch between them. Rain funnels in and rots out the inner core of the tree resulting in drastic failures in anytime there is a significant wind storm. Two in my front yard practically split in half, with branch clusters weighting hundreds of pounds falling across the driveway. Cost over $1200 to remove one badly split tree. In the same 8-10 year range numerous Bradford Pears in our neighborhood suffered the same fate with huge branches crashing to the ground.