Following contributions by Campbell Vaughn
Acknowledging the devastation, loss and ongoing challenges left by Hurricane Helene, we hope to provide a resource for those in the process of rebuilding the landscape of their lives. We reached out to Campbell Vaughn, agricultural and natural resource agent for the University of Georgia, Augusta Richmond County Extension for his suggestions on the fastest growing screen, hedge and canopy options for this area.
— Ashlee Duren
Chindo viburnum
(Viburnum awabuki ‘Chindo’)
This evergreen shrub has dark green medium-sized leaves. They are dense with larger leaves lending to a pyramidal form that is more naturally loose. Normally, Chindos grow 10 – 12 feet tall and 8 feet wide.It isn’t uncommon for them to reach more than 15 feet. The shrub does well in part to full sun.
The plant can be pruned heavily, if needed, but it is not required.
Fortune’s Osmanthus
(Osmanthus x fortunei)
Fortune’s osmanthus is a broadleaf, evergreen shrub with a dense habit. The leaves are serrated and dark but not very glossy. The form is rounded, tending to be more upright than wide. It produces small flowers in the fall that are showy but not fragrant. Fortune’s osmanthus does great in full sun to partial shade and in moist soils with good drainage. Heavy clay soils are tolerated. Once established it is drought-tolerant, but be sure to supply supplemental watering in hot dry months. It responds well to pruning for shape. This is a resilient plant for screening.
Fortune’s osmanthus can be kept 5 – 6 feet tall but can easily reach 15 feet.
Fragrant Tea Olive
(Osmanthus fragrans)
Fragrant tea olive is a broadleaf, evergreen shrub with a dense habit. This plant has small but extremely fragrant flowers blooming heavily in the fall and through spring. Plant this shrub in full sun to partial shade and in moist soils with good drainage. Heavy clay soils are tolerated. Once established, this plant is drought-tolerant, but be sure to supply supplemental watering in hot dry months. It responds well to pruning for shape, but keep in mind that next season’s blossoms will appear on old (current year’s) growth so pruning can diminish the next floral display.
Tea olives are a sturdy plant, but they are not as dense as hollies and other species of osmanthus, especially in more shady areas.
Southern Wax Myrtle
(Myrica cerifera)
Wax myrtle is a broadleaf, evergreen shrub or tree that can grow 20 to 25 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide, but usually is much shorter. It is easily grown in average, medium to wet soils in full sun to dappled or partial shade. Wax myrtles seem to transplant better at smaller sizes of 1, 3 or 7 gallons. Cut back heavily during the spring of the first year. The shrub tends to sucker, sometimes forming sizable colonies in optimum growing conditions. Wax myrtles can be mixed with other screening plants to produce more of an olive-green color, and it can be trained to be small to medium-sized for use in a lot of different circumstances.
Wax myrtles are tolerant of high winds and sterile soil.
Magnolias
There are a lot of varieties of magnolia grandiflora that do well in our area. Magnolias are a little slower to mature, but they make pleasing statements in landscapes for screening due to their durability and course shiny, large evergreen leaves. The magnolia grandiflora varieties range from the very large native Southern Magnolia that line the famous golf course on Washington Road to a medium-sized Brackens Brown Beauty, and a smaller Little Gem that will only reach 25 feet high and 10 feet wide.Magnolia leaves drop on lawns and driveways and can be a maintenance nightmare because they are difficult to capture easily.
The more sun magnolias receive, the fuller the canopy will extend.
Loquat
(Eriobotrya japonica)
The loquat is a wonderful fruit tree with large evergreen magnolia-like leaves, although not as shiny. It is more upright than wide, reaching 25 feet tall. The tree is low maintenance and you can initiate growth at any size. Loquats can spread locally by seed and be annoying, but it isn’t usually a challenging issue.
The loquat is fast-growing and can be amassed to create a quick screen.
Holly
(Ilex spp.)
Hollies are fantastic for many reasons. They are tough as nails once established and rarely need much supplemental water. They tend, however, to be slower growers, but they last for a long time. More sun usually means a fuller plant. The form on a holly is nice with many varieties having dense evergreen leaves that can be upright to pyramidal to round. If you initiate pruning, you will most likely have to keep pruning, so think hard about getting out the sheers. A lot of hollies do well in full sun or part to full shade.
Many hollies have decorative red berries for a splash of winter color.
Arizona Blue Cypress
(Hesperocyparis arizonica)
This evergreen conifer has made great strides in the extreme heat of the Savannah River Region’s landscapes. It is fast-growing, drought-tolerant and grows well in masses. Reaching 40 feet tall and 15 feet wide, its tolerance to our hot climate has made it a nice choice for gardens. If you can avoid wet feet, this is a great choice for screening in the right location.
The blue cypress has a unique bluish-gray tint which is a rarity in our area.
Eastern Red Cedar
(Juniperus virginiana)
This native evergreen conifer with a dullish green color does quite well, once established. It grows fairly rapidly. True native Eastern Red Cedars tend to be inconsistent with their form and growth rates. The plant grows a lot fuller with a lot of sun, but it will take a little bit of shade. Reaching heights of 40 feet and 15 feet wide is standard for a mature Eastern Red Cedar.
The blue berries are a welcoming seasonal addition.
Green Giant Arborvitae
(Thuja ‘Green Giant’)
This is a very common upright evergreen needle tree that can be good but finicky. Green Giant needs some room to grow in full sun. The plant will die quickly if planted incorrectly, which happens often. Don’t allow the root system to dry out or sit in wet holes or it will not survive.
When tended well, this tree can reach 30 feet with a 10-foot spread.
Leyland Cypress
(x Hesperotropsis leylandii)
Don’t use Leyland Cypress (x Hesperotropsis leylandii) for a lot of reasons. They are shallow-rooted and very disease-prone.
Regrowing A Canopy
Pine
And don’t forget about reforesting the pines. Loblolly and longleaf pines grow fast and full when they don’t have to compete for sun.
Blackgum or Black Tupelo
(Nyssa sylvatica)
Blackgum is a medium-sized, native deciduous tree that does well as an ornamental specimen because of its beautiful, scarlet-red fall color and shiny, dark green leaves in the summer. The black gum reaches a mature size of 40 to 70 feet tall but typically reaches 20 to 30 feet in cultivation. The tree prefers average, medium to wet soils in full sun. It prefers moist, acidic soils, but is adaptive and tolerates poorly-drained soils and standing water, some drought and some dry soils.
Black tupelo is slower growing, reaching about 12 to 15 feet in approximately ten years, but it will grow faster with irrigation and a consistent fertilizer schedule. The nectar from the flowers is sought after by bees and tupelo honey is highly prized.
Tulip Poplar
(Liriodendron tulipifera)
The tulip or yellow poplar is going to be the fastest grower and provide the largest canopy of any quality native tree found. The leaves are uniquely shaped and large, and the tree is a host for a lot of wildlife as well. Growing naturally in creek and river beds, it can handle wet feet. Poplars will reach as much as 100 feet. When the leaves drop in the fall, plan on taking time off work to rake.
Chinese pistache
(Pistacia chinensis)
For medium-sized trees, try trident maple (Acer buergerianum), Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis), dogwood (Cornus florida), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.), and sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana), which needs a little filtered sun.
Bald Cypress and Dawn Redwood
Bald Cypress and Dawn Redwood are similarly formed large deciduous pyramidal conifers that do well in a host of locations. They have small needles so their use as a shade tree isn’t ideal, but they will offer height to draw vertical attention in a lot of landscapes.
Chaste Tree
(Vitex agnus-castus)
Some choices for smaller trees might include chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus), both the native fringe (Chionanthus virginicus) and Chinese fringe (Chionanthus retusus) trees, star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) and some Japanese maples (Acer palmatum).
Oaks
(Quercus spp.)
Oaks including live, shumard, scarlet, swamp chestnut, white and willow are great long-life trees and fantastic for shade. Planting them with a little bit of size and keeping them fed and watered will afford a lot of growth in a shorter period of time.
Seen in the February/March 2025 issue of Augusta magazine.
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