Hide Any Backyard Eyesore With This Evergreen Shrub That Makes A Perfect Privacy Fence

Does having to see a fellow neighbor's messy yard make you cringe and take away from your otherwise picture-perfect backyard? The relaxing space that you want can easily be interrupted with unsightly views. Eyesores like mechanical equipment or a lack of privacy around closely built homes can completely kill the whole chill-garden vibe. And no, you don't have to endure these inconveniences like a Superbowl commercial that you cannot skip. There are some lovely green ways to create privacy in your outdoors. Enter Florida hobblebush (Agarista populifolia): This evergreen shrub with an upright growth habit and some Southern charm can be grown into a natural privacy fence to transform your backyard back to the haven you always wanted it to be. 

Florida hobblebush, as the name suggests, is a perennial shrub native to the state of Florida, alongside other Southern states like Georgia and the Carolinas. In these states, the plant grows mostly around woodlands, swamps, and riverbanks, which gives a clue as to the kind of soil the plant likes –- acidic, moist to wet, with high organic matter. Florida hobblebush is usually grown to stabilize river banks because of its spreading nature. However, the shrub also makes a great choice for naturalistic landscapes that mimic local ecosystems, as well as formal gardens that rely on symmetry and a sense of order. In an urban setting, its dense and evergreen foliage makes Florida hobblebush one of the best yard hedges you can plant for privacy. Just keep in mind that its leaves can be highly poisonous to both humans and pets. Florida hobblebush is hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9.

Florida hobblebush thrives in spots with partial shade (from two to six hours of sun a day) to deep shade. However, you can also grow them in full sun as long as you provide supplemental watering to avoid draught stress. One of the features that make this plant a great option as a hedge is the height it reaches — around 12 feet tall, with the potential of reaching a towering 15 feet. At the same time, this woody shrub can also grow 6 feet wide. Nonetheless, grown as a hedge or a privacy screen, you can have complete control over the size of this shrub with proper pruning. Florida hobblebush also has the ability to form interwoven thickets with its arching branches, which make it difficult to walk through or penetrate — adding some structural strength to your screen. 

Showing off its smooth, glossy leaves throughout the year, the Florida hobblebush stays green throughout winter and those leaves keep free from pests or diseases. They emerge reddish-bronze when young, turn light green with time, and eventually mature to green. During late spring and early summer, particularly in May and June, Florida hobblebush will also reward you with beautiful, creamy-white, bell-shaped flowers along the underside of its branches. Just make sure that you do not prune the shrub before the flowering season if you want it to bloom, since it flowers on old wood. Otherwise, you should keep removing old stems from the base of its multi-stemmed crown at regular intervals to maintain an open growth habit.