Any Arborist’s in the group?

Wanting a tree that can tolerate ‘ditch embankment’ right close to the drop.
Prefer something that keeps leaves/needles year round.
Must tolerate lower branches being trimmed back or off(6ft up from ground)
Max height at maturity 20ft.
Zone 7-8.
Wanting these trees to be used in addition to privacy fence.

There's a lot more to it, is the area shady now, or out in the clear?  what is the slope and exposure of the area (does it face N S E OR W)? I always recommend looking around the neighborhood, seeing trees that look like what you want, and doing well, asking the owners what they are.  Also, you might have an arboretum (tree nursery or museum) near you that may be worth visiting. HTH, good luck!

The area is currently overgrown with a variety of trees, a few oaks, a few other scrubs, all about 15-20ft tall, there is a fence right at the edge of the ditch. The drainage ditch basically runs south to north, so my property is on the east side of the ditch. The neighbor property across the ditch is a mowed lawn, so my side is facing west, hence strong afternoon sun. I’m thinking possibly a pine, or cedar of some sort that can tolerate being ‘topped’ if it gets close to 20ft high. Need a variety that you cannot see thru, when planted in 1 single row.

Can offer a choice have made in the past if is a wetish zone. Bald Cypress, massive root structure searching for water almost not quite as bad as a Willow. Look more as a pine but go brown dormant in winter.
Brother In Law planted several along a drainage ditch pond bank to control erosion and it worked. Was near to funny as over a few years could see the trees that found consistent water almost double the size of those only slightly drier.

What you want is a shrub. Not a tree. I would recommend a species of arbor, or cedar bush. There are very few, if any trees that will survive being topped at 20'. That is a young tree. Wenget customers that request this all the time. And every time I tell them the same thing. Get a shrub row planted and shape it as it grows




Luke

jaybmiller wrote: hmm.re.. Must tolerate lower branches being trimmed back or off(6ft up from ground) How much privacy can you get with no leaves at ground level ??? For year round, plant young 'swamp cedars' every foot. I've trimmed mine for 3 decades for a FULL hedge, about 6' tall, roadside(faces west). They grow fast. Might be a semi temporary 'screen' until you get the perfect trees ?

The plantings will be about 10 ft west of a current 6ft high privacy fence. What my objective is to gain privacy above the current cedar privacy fence.

Just going to throw this out there. Do you have deer in the area? If you do you won't have to worry about the bottom of certain plants as they will take care of that. Arborvitae seem to be one of their favorites. Check with a county forester or maybe someone in the landscape business and find out what seems to work in your area. Evergreens would work best all year but what about road salt etc(assuming it's by the road). Something in the deciduous group may be better. Good luck.