Tall, thin screen

fukada@aloha.net writes:
>Dodonea viscosa is indigenous to many places inthe pacific rim (Moria's
>ring of fire).  It is naturally found in Hawaii (known as A'ali'i) and
>known by several other names D. eriocarpa in Australia, India, etc.  It is
>used in Hawaii for lei making, fire wood, diggin implements (very hard
>wood).  There also seem to be many ecomorphs as this plant is very
>variable depending on the environment that it is grown in.  On the slopes
>of Mauna Kea it gets to be a huge tree (30+ feet) further down slope in
>the windswept flaks of the mountains it is a low shrub.  Flowers vary as
>well as leaf shape and color.  It is the host for one of Hawaii's Endemic
>butterflies.  All in all it is a nice plant, but if unpruned can spread
>quite a bit (I should take some photos of the ones in the field).
>
>MTF

It's very interesting to me that D. viscosa is so widespread around the
Pacific rim. Anyway, our neighbors have several of these plants planted
against the chain-link fence separating our yard from theirs. They had to
shear it back because they have become fuller than my neighbors thought
they would. I've seen a couple near an apartment complex in town, and they
have become small trees (about 20 feet high). I even have some seedlings
coming up in my yard.  I think they look nice (we have the purple forms
coming up in our yard). I'm thinking that they might make a good
windscreen against the back fence, but i need to wait 'til we get the yard
cleaned up  (we might instal a wooden fence along the back of the
backyard, but that remains to be seen).


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 The rattan basket criticizes the palm leaf basket, still both are full of
holes.