It's red-tip photinia (Photinia fraseri_. Pretty common, they do get big and dense so it might work for you.

Being obsoleted in the Southeast (and recently my area) by leaf diseases which make the leaves become spotted or blotchy and drop early, resulting in a gaunt and stunted-looking specimen (same as with powdery mildew of rhododendron, another real spoiler).

Hmm. While it seems to be working for my neighbor, thus far, I think I'd prefer something that isn't prone to disease. Something that requires little or no maintenance would be ideal. Thanks for help with the identification. I may post a "what would you recommend" type thread in the appropriate forum.

Wildflower.org has recommendations for native plants for all areas of the U.S.

I've used natives extensively, and I recommend them very highly. Where I am, local nurseries mostly carry crape myrtle and loropetalum and non-native azaleas. I was fortunate in that I could dig small trees and shrubs out of my woods and transplant them (once I started learning what things were), and wildflowers growing in the ditches. Probably the only person not in snow country who carries a shovel in my car trunk, lol.

Get permission to dig on "waste" land, though. Everything is owned by somebody. I figure since the ditches are mowed by the local gov, *I* own those.

Here is a link that might be useful: Recommended natives by state/area

Another drawback to Fraser photinia, in addition to larger growth than appears to have been desirable in many planting situations here is that the flowers stink.

The only native I can think of that might match Photinia's dense growth would be Juniper/cedar. There's different species depending on where you are in Texas.

Yes, there are the junipers. Also, depending on where in Texas:

Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria)
Wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera)
Texas mountain-laurel (Sophora secundiflora)
Several of the sumacs

I have all but the mountain-laurel in my landscaping. Yaupon can grow quickly and make a beautiful hedge, or be limbed up into a small tree. Wax myrtle is more spread out with multiple trunks, and mine was quite thick until I thinned it out. These are both evergreen, and Yaupon has a number of cultivars that might suit the situation, if the common native variety doesn't.

The link below might be helpful.

Here is a link that might be useful: Texas native shrubs