Sorry, some folks may think I'm on an ealeagnus kick here..

These grow into monster shrubs but can be pruned, hard pruned into something that looks like boxwood hedges, or left natural (when they really get monster-like, up to 15'). Once established, they don't need so much water.

The link indicated they were good for Phoenix area.

Just a thought.

They smell divine when they bloom. Birds love them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Eleagnus pungens

I tried to find any photos of ELEAGNUS PUNGENS used as a screen and came across TyTy nursery. I cannot stop laughing!!! I don't know who designed their web site, but they Photoshoped photos of plants & inserted half-naked models on almost all of them. It looks.... just stupid... What kind of nursery is this?
http://www.tytyga.com/product/Elaeagnus+Shrub

{{gwi:19129}}

Thank you, I will look at all plants you listed and move this question on Arizona forum.

I went and yahooed ficus nitida and came up with the linked GW discussion. You may have already seen it. I am struggling with deciding about two similar trees (indian laurel) in my front yard. They will become gigantic and while the shade will be most welcome there are other factors I need to consider.

In your circumstance I would be concerned that they would take up your whole yard once they begin to mature. How do you plan on using the space? What would your neighbors think of such a large tree invading on their space?

Here is a link that might be useful: ficus nitida discussion

Ah, ficus nitida. Thanks to irrigation, YOUR desert yard can look just like one in Illinois!

First off, move on from Moon Valley. There are many, many better places to look in the area. I've been away for several years now, but talk to the folks at the Desert Botanical Gardens. They offer a desert landscaper course, and may be able to recommend someone who actually understands plants AND the fact that Phoenix is, in fact, in an arid climate.

Oh, and the roots from the ficus? Bad. Forget about doing anything underneath them.

To xoxosmom

Well, I haven't decided on Ficus Nitida yet and I believe I will find some other alternatives. I guess, it's ok to have 1-2 trees, but to have a whole row of Ficus Nitida as a fence is too much for our area. Don't get me wrong, I love how it looks and if not for its thirst for water and gigantic size in 5 years, I would love to have it as my privacy fence. Btw lack of space is not a problem, (it is difficult to say looking at the photos provided, but we do have a pretty long backyard).
Regarding our neighbours... On the sides of our house we have only one neighboring house, and they're not concerned or worried too much about what we feel/think, so I won't even ask them if it's ok to plant tree A or B. Also, people who put children's playground at the corner of their huge backyard obviously didn't care much what their neighbours would think. Besides, we have only 1 bordering corner with them - that's it. I believe it would be only fair for us to block that playground in the future, which at the end will provide shade for their kids - win-win for both. I do care what our neighbors in front of our backyard would think, they are lovely people, but so far I'm not planting anything big on that side of the fence. If I decide to plant some big trees there in the future, I will contact them to see if they mind.

To marcinde

I already checked Summer Winds Nursery, which has a great return policy, but their trees are very small and selection is not that great. Also, I was at Treeland Nurseries, which has a huge selection of local trees of different sizes, but their return policy is 6 months and only 1/2 of the price, considering you bring a dead tree back. If I pay for transporting a dead tree, then transporting a new one back, at the end I will be lucky to get 25%-30% of my initial investment. I figured out only 1 thing after visiting these nurseries - I have to do my research online and come there only when I decide on what I want as people working at the nurseries just want to sell stuff, they don't care much if it will be too big/too small or will take 7 years to grow when I ask for a fast growing trees/shrubs. Also, all 3 nurseries push for Ficus Nitida - their #1 choice.

Thank you, I will check Desert Botanical Gardens' seminars and see if they can give me a good advice on where to shop for plants in the valley.

It's great that you are concerned about the high water use tree moon river recommended to you. With the drought all across the west I'm surprised they aren't pushing thier drought tolerant trees more but a lot of times nurseries are about what is easy to propogate, grows fast, and looks good in a pot. We live in Las Vegas and when the vacant lot next door built a big two story "casita" behind thier new house we too felt the need for some tall screening.

We are using Australian acacias as they are evergreen/evergray, low water use and relatively narrow. We have mulga, A. aneura; willow acacia, A. salicina; weeping acacia, A. pendula and another good screening tree from Australia with the look of an evergreen poplar is the bottle tree Brachychiton populneus. These are also non spiny. Of course we also have some great desert trees from the southwest but these are wider, usually not evergreen and spiny but beautiful. Check out twisted acacia A. Shaffneri, it is ugly in a pot and thorned so nurseries don't push them but after three years with some pruning it is a stunning tree.

Oh, and about the eleaganus that was recommended, it is a beautiful shrub but needs a good spot in the desert, ours fried in the summer so afternoon sun and reflected heat are out as spots for that shrub.

Maria