Is this it? Is this the Holy Grail I've been searching for? I briefly mentioned Euonymous japonica 'Chollipo' in Narrow Screening Part I, but I have a couple of photos now and more thoughts on this plant. Here's one of the plants I bought recently:
Here is an established screening hedge of the same plant that I spotted in the neighborhood. I think it was planted about five years ago, though it was dense, solid, and tall in much less than five years:
Sadly, for some reason this property owner wanted to extend the hedge a little farther, but extended it with variegated Syzygium paniculatum instead of Euonymous. I wonder how that will work out:
Euonymous japonica 'Chollipo': dense enough, narrow enough, tall enough! Drawbacks are a potential for scale infestations, and it's variegated, which some people don't like (though I do). As you can see from the picture, once trimmed up into a hedge the effect is more gold than variegated gold/green, which some people don't like at all ("Is that shrub chlorotic or something?") But fairly drought-tolerant once established. Wow! This may be The One.
Here is an established screening hedge of the same plant that I spotted in the neighborhood. I think it was planted about five years ago, though it was dense, solid, and tall in much less than five years:
Sadly, for some reason this property owner wanted to extend the hedge a little farther, but extended it with variegated Syzygium paniculatum instead of Euonymous. I wonder how that will work out:
Euonymous japonica 'Chollipo': dense enough, narrow enough, tall enough! Drawbacks are a potential for scale infestations, and it's variegated, which some people don't like (though I do). As you can see from the picture, once trimmed up into a hedge the effect is more gold than variegated gold/green, which some people don't like at all ("Is that shrub chlorotic or something?") But fairly drought-tolerant once established. Wow! This may be The One.
Thanks for these "Narrow Screening" posts! I've just read them all to create some division from neighbors. We're also in SoCal, and as such are very interested in hearing your particular luck, experience, and observations.
ReplyDeleteHow have your Chollipos done over the past year since this post? Is this truly "the one?"
Hi Jim!
ReplyDeleteMy four copies of 'Chollipo' are happy, healthy, beautiful...and not much taller than they were when I planted them.
Jury remains out, but Luke Skywalker or Harry Potter, or Neo they are not, at least not yet.
Monrovia is just introducing a new Pittosporum, 'Tasman Ruffles', that is supposedly fastigate or at least conical. I'm awaiting that one. The search contines. Pittosporum 'Emerald Wave' is shaping up nicely. I'll have to re-photograph that one showing it's progress. Keep in mind the farther away from the coast you are, the more difficult Pitts get...
Oh shoot. I was really hoping to hear that they grew to 10–12 feet high already. I guess the "fast-growing" part isn't necessarily always the case.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this and all other info! If you do find "the one," please do let us know (and I'll do the same).
Will do, Jim. I'd appreciate hearing about any discoveries you make, too.
ReplyDeleteI have realized, though, that the slower growing plants are usually the best. Fast plants are so often weedy and coarse, and at worst, aggressive garden thugs.