DURANTA GOLDEN DEW DROP TREE

Question

Do you have to trim this tree? My husband does not want to have to trim the tree. We live in Leesburg, Florida and I believe it is zone 9b, not sure. We have a 6ft. fence at the back of our yard, which we are actually trying to hide the RV Storage Lot behind our house and the fence does not hide the tops of all of these campers. Very ugly view. Is there another short tree you would recommend that would grow and hide our view. We do not like evergreen bushes or trees. We did have cedar trees which got to large and started splitting on the trunk. The trees will receive all day sun. Fred doesn’t want to have to trim or get on a ladder if possible. We are getting up in age. Thank you for taking the time to help us. Sincerely, Louan Warner

Answer 1

Duranta Golden Dewdrop doesn’t necessarily need to be pruned, but it does get quite large if it isn’t pruned, and pruning can improve its appearance:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/duranta/care-of-duranta-plants.htm

There are many options for privacy screen plants for Florida, that can hide the view of the storage lot. The following articles will provide some options:
http://craven.ces.ncsu.edu/files/library/25/Plants%20for%20Screens%20and%20Large%20Hedges.doc

A row of clumping bamboo might be a good option, because they don’t need to be pruned. Clumping bamboos are the types that don’t spread underground- avoid running bamboo varieties, because they do spread aggressively and require a lot more maintenance:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/bamboo/caring-for-bamboo-plants-in-your-garden.htm