Tree for privacy and protection

I am looking for some fast growing evergreen tree to grow by the fence for some privacy and blocking off some wild life jumping into our food forest zone. Will grow shrub hedge vine and ground cover to make it foresty layering too.

What would you suggest for Lytle Creek, CA. Zone: 8b 9a we are by the national forest and near creek, snow 1-2 day each year

Thanks!

What about clumping bamboo? It would grow up fairly quickly, and if you managed it properly you could have tons of stakes for your garden and other projects.

Black Locust might be a good choice, it grows vigorously and has thorns. It also fixes nitrogen, which is a bonus, and has very hard and rot-resistant wood. However... it has a tendency to become invasive. You probably wouldn't want to use this unless you are willing to commit to long term ongoing maintenance.

Love bamboo! How do you keep from being invasive? I like to make a variety of different plants to keep polyculture going!

The trick is to use *clumping* bamboo. It spreads only very slowly, and is easy to control. The running bamboo is what gets invasive.

What trees grow in your area naturally? those will be the ones best suited to growing well for you with very little care.

Bamboo, clumping (tends to stay within the planting area until it needs more space) or runner (what most people see as those thickets of bamboo, long reaching rhizomes that spread pretty fast) types are best kept in pots to be non-invasive or escaping their confines.
If you want bamboo in ground, you need to make a 3' deep barrier (this is the minimum) and this barrier needs to extend out of the soil around 8 inches so the rhizomes don't find their way into places you don't want any.
I had a bed of bamboo once, my barrier was 3.8" thick and extended underground 4' deep, stuck 8 inches above the ground and I still had to prune rhizomes monthly to keep it from getting away.

It is usually best to use trees and plants that are normally found in your area, importing usually means extra work to either keep them alive or to make them thrive.
Forest means closed canopy, all shade with little growing under the trees. Savanna is clumps of trees with open spaces between and areas of large open spaces, better suited to growing vegetables and bushes.

Up here in Washington I'm planning on planting shore pine to create a privacy screen along a road that goes near my house. Shore pine is fast growing native pine that does not get too tall which is important for me since the area is near my house. In between the shore pines I'm going to plant snowbrush which is a nitrogen fixing, evergreen shrub that gets really nice white fragrant flowers and is also native to this area. I'm also going to pick out other plants that can fit with these two core species to help meet the overall goals I have for this barrier - privacy and wildlife habitat with a focus on pollinators. Also my front window looks out that way and I want nice looking flowers in that area. I'm not sure if the same species would work for you but perhaps you could find similar species in terms of functions to use.

For another area that I need to put in a privacy screen I'm going to be growing clumping bamboo and some sea berries as the core plants for the screen. Does anyone know of some good drought resistant edible clumping bamboo?

We have lots of willow and pine, crazy blackberry bush that is growing like weed at our area.

Willow is another fast growing tree or shrub depending on the variety.  They can easily be coppiced or pollard or woven into a living fence.

I have 20' x 3' of clumping bamboo. Thick, woody canes (1-2 inches in diameter) with lush, evergreen canopies. Ideal for decorative privacy screens.

I understand the value of this bamboo, but it is of no value to me and just want it gone.

Please email for photos

cathy.miller.jd@gmail.com
West Hollywood, CA