Question
I have another question re: a shrub I bought that's new to me.  I bought 3 variegated privits.  My intent is to use them as a screen around some hvac equipment in my yard.  I bought the biggest ones I could find (4' tall) but unfortunately they're barren of leaves on the lower 18" of the branches but full of leaves on the top.  Can this shrub be pruned (when and how do I do that?) so that not only will they be more shapely but leaves will re-grow on the lower portion of the branches as well as the upper portion and "fill out"?  I hope so because otherwise I won't be hiding too much hvac equipment w/ these "see through" shrubs!  Thanks again.

Teresa

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Followup To

Question -
Thanks Marc.  That's a big help.
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Followup To

Question -
I live in Raleigh, NC and have several maple trees, redbud and river birch to plant in my otherwise treeless yard.  I've never done this before and want to do it right the first time.  

My problem is determining how "close" I can space them.  My goal is to achieve several "clusters" of trees in different areas of my yard, not a straight row of trees or just a single tree here and there, so I need to know whether I really must follow the "mature spread" dimensions in determining where to plant each tree.  Seems to me that if I want to achieve a "natural", clustered look that the canopies should "overlap" at full maturity, not be totally separate from each other.  So how do I determine how close I can space them w/o causing damage or problems to them?  Or maybe this is a bad idea?

I believe that I should follow the "mature spread" dimensions in determining how far to space the tree from my home though, is that correct?  So if the tree has a 40' spread, it should be planted no closer than 20' from my home?  Or is it ok to have some of the branches contacting the house?

Thanks for your help.


Answer -
If nature were so neat & tidy...spreading a tree seed every "x" feet apart.

There is no set rule.  Maples will get from 20 to 45 feet wide, depending on species.  River Birch will get 20 to 30 feet, and Eastern Redbud will get 25 to 35 feet wide.  

I plant street trees from 25 to 50 feet apart, depending on the design and site conditions.

Birch actually look better when "crowded" together, or planted in clusters with 3 & 5 leader branches, and as close as 5 feet apart...with no harm to the tree's ultimate size.

Fully mature pread will take many years to achieve, so being closer to a house give you time to "train" the growth habit away from the house.  Just prune back those branches that begin to get too close to your home.  It is also usually the roots that do the most damage, with broken foundations & clogged pipes.  

As you also get the occasional stray hurricane track, so I'd think about what I want wacking against my house in a stiff wind.  I wouldn't get closer than 10 feet, in any case.  

And I'd probably prefer the Birch (though they may have invasive roots if you have sewer/septic pipes nearby) than the larger Maple.  

Also, if possible, place these decidous trees on the SOUTHERN side of your house, to help shade the house from summer sun, but allow solar heat-gain in the dead of winter.

If you want to cluster the Maples or Redbuds, I would suggest planting them in groups of 3 & 5 (odd numbers!), no closer than 10 feet from each other, depending on how much land you have to work with.  You will do no harm planting them closer, but don't expect much to grow under this heavy shade...

Oh, wait, you live in North Carolina!  Hostas & shade-loving ferns abound.  

-Marc


Answer -
All the best!  Enjoy the beautiful fall season. -M

Answer
There are about 14 different kinds of Privet/Ligustrum.  The generic privets found at Lowes/Home Depot are usually the evergreen L. japonicum (bush) or L. lucidum (small tree), both of which can take heavy sheering/pruning into a hedge...and yes, they should fill out over time.  Left unsheered however, and they can get to be 10 feet tall!

If you purchased the L. 'Vicaryi' (Golden Privet), it is the LEAST tolerant of hedge sheering.  The L. ovalifolium (California privet) is the most greedy for abuse, and you can sheer this one aggressively. (I think this is probably the one you got - IF your nursery tag says L.o.'Aureum', or L.o.'Variegatum')

Here is a generic page telling you about some of the horticultural needs of this plant and suggestions on pruning:  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG022

I personally would plant them close together, then sheer the tops off (not too much off the top - say, no more than 6 inches, max.), to encourage lower leaf formation.  Over time it should fill in the lower portion, given a good dose of fertilizer.

Enjoy! -Marc