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Advice on replacement for frozen plants. #739840

Asked March 19, 2021, 4:54 PM EDT

The recent freeze seems to have killed my well established podocarpus gracilior and sweet viburnum that I have consulted about previously. The site gets full sun from about 11 AM till almost sundown as it faces almost due west. The current viburnum were blocking the view of an electrical transformer on a concrete pad so I want something at least 4' to 8' tall to conceal the transformer. The attached pic is from 2018 and the plants were much larger when they froze in Feb. I want to replace the viburnum and podocarpus with something that can tolerate low temps but also tolerate the summer heat and am thinking about Japanese Yew or similar, some variant of Holly or perhaps Sweet Olive. I don't want to use myrtle, ligustrum, photinia or any of the "usual suspects".  Thank you.

Montgomery County Texas

Expert Response

Thanks for the submission.  I believe your selections would be work.. Burford hollies are very dark green and you could use that in place of the podocarpus.   Other possibilities... just a short list.  Elaeagnus (Hardy to 6), Sweet viburnum.(cold hardy to 7a)

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