I grew the dwarf variety. Note the word 'grew'. I couldn't keep it moist enough and it fried like bacon.

I have one that is growing in rather tight quarters and is now growing up through some hydrangea bushes. Might be difficult to transplant. Mine have spread some so there are bits here and there. Easy to pull up though if you don't like it (which may happen for me since the hydrangeas have got big). I think mine is about 4.5 feet but I can't remember for sure. I didn't have problems with water, but I have drip irrigation in this area and run it once a week unless we have rain.

I think hot and dry would be a problem. Why not plant a shrub? A physocarpus would get about 10-12 ft tall and wide and the cultivar 'Diablo' has purple foliage and is very handsome and tough.

Mine were over 4 feet tall, but they were floppy and leaned on neighboring cosmos and hibiscus for support. A very pretty plant, but a shrub is probably better for screening than an herbaceous plant.

I grow these in moist, rich soil. They get five feet tall and would be taller in full sun. They are not at all suitable for your conditions, unfortunately. They need moist soil, as previous posters have mentioned.

I grow it and I love it! It does like moist soil so if you don't have adequate rainfall you have to water it. By the time is gets hot and dry here, I find that it has already finished blooming. It does fall over and sometimes has to be tied or staked. I don't think it would make a very good screen, a shrub sounds more appropriate.

{{gwi:198527}}

Thanks so much for the replies! Fried like bacon! lol
I looked up physocarpus, what a beautiful shrub. The spot I want the height is in the middle of a long row of roses planted along a chain link fence. The previous owners planted the roses and I'm replacing them as they go back to Dr Huey root stock. I have Giant hyssop planted there right now and thought I'd like the queen of the prairie there better, if it gets taller than the hyssop and more dense. I have a soaker hose along the fence so maybe they would do OK water wise as the roses get watered once a week, overnight. I'm thinking I'll plant them between the hyssop until their big enough, then take the hyssop out? Flopping wouldn't be a problem as they'd be against the fence. I can't express how much I appreciate this resourse for asking and receiving answers to gardening questions! Thanks to all of you!
Marcy

You might try Joe-Pye-Weed....AKA Queen-of-the-Meadow...Eupatorium purpureum is the one I have.
They prefer moist conditions, but if you work in organic matter, mulch well and water on a regular basis they'll do fine....they do adapt to drier conditions but will do best with moisture. My wintersown one's bloomed 1st year (last year) but didn't get taller than 16". Should get about 7'-10' this year:D

Vera

Here is a link that might be useful: Google Images....JPW

Thanks for the picture Reginaz, that's what I want! Vera it's nice to hear from eastern WA. and know that you grow it. I looked at my receipt for the seeds I'm waiting for and it says 'boneset' and I looked on the link you sent and I don't see pink blooms on boneset! I ordered the Eupatorium purpureum too and have it WS'd and am glad to hear it gets so tall.
Thanks so much for the info!
Marcy

Good that I have seen the beautiful pciture posted, now I know which plant we are talking about. Flipendula rubra can get tall but mostly frower stalks, leaves stay bushy and about 2 feet tall in my garden. I have shady woodland type of garden and they do great for me, grown some from seed. I have grown variegated one and wish it had more presence in the garden. It does likes good rich organic moist soil. Last year I got golden leaved so we will see how it looks this year.

I thrown mine away because it attracts Japanese bettle. Both flower and leaf looked miserable under bettle attack.

It grows and blooms well for me in a not very moist spot but I wish someone had told me how it spreads because it is now a weed and I'm using Roundup on it. It's one of my resolutions for this spring - get rid of it before it takes over the whole garden.

I grow it (Filipendula rubra) in a garden on a slight hill, where most of the other plants like dry conditions; since this area is raised above grade, it's fairly dry and quick draining. The F. r. does fine there in nearly full sun with no supplemental watering; the flower stalks are about 5' tall. I've never had any problem with Japanese beetles damaging this plant, though I've had them on some other plants in my yard. It self sows modestly, and the seed is less far-ranging than with Joe Pye Weed - love them both, but JPW is a little more of a thug, in my garden anyway.

If you are interested in a year-round solution for privacy that won't cost much, consider Euonymous 'Manhattan' - it roots very easily, grows very fast, and will get to about 8 feet in a few seasons unless you'd rather trim it shorter, which gives you more cuttings to root and doesn't bother the plant in the least. It's *not* one of the invasive, self-sowing types of euonymous, and is evergreen. It loves to get support from chain link fences, and does an admirable job of hiding them, too. I've got it along several of my borders, all grown from rooted cuttings. Sun or shade, makes no difference to this plant; supplemental water is needed only while it's establishing itself, after that it can take whatever nature provides.

I love this plant and pair it up with a white "David" Phlox. It needs moisture and it's not a rapid grower unles it loves where it's at. It grows only 5 ft.

Why not try a grass? Some are over the 6 - 8ft range and can provide neighbor blockage even in the winter. It would grow much denser than the Filipendula.

You guys are great, giving me a lot to think about. I pictured Oueen of the Prarie as a taller Joe Pye and don't like that it's white. I haven't seen Joe pye either except in pictures. I'm looking out at the Hyssop in front of their back door and it's about 10 feet tall. Maybe I'll just plant something in front of it that will fill in the bottom of the Hyssop. I'm on a long lot domiinated by the back of their house, almost on top of the fence, maybe 8 feet away. I planted a Royal Palewena [sp] tree between us a few years ago and looking at it's bare branches it's going to block their house from my veiw out the front window this year. Thank God. It would help it they were friendy people and didn't have a nasty little dog that does nothing but bark and growl at me. I'm not sure what I'll do with the Joe Pye I've started, maybe plant it along side the hyssop and cover the fence where I'm taking out some sorry looking roses that offer no cover at all. Thanks for taking the time to offer me ideas and suggestions.
Marcy

Queen of the Prairie is pink, not white. It looks a bit like a very, very tall astilbe. If it is happy, it will colonize an area. In ordinary soil, it's not hard to keep under control. There are other Filipendulas--same genus, different species--that are much shorter and can be white or pink.

"I looked at my receipt for the seeds I'm waiting for and it says 'boneset'"

Eupatorium perfoliatum
{{gwi:198528}}

A nice plant indeed but probably not for what you are trying to do.

I finally got my seeds and their the same as the Joe Pye I already got! It says Joe Pye Weed, Eupatorium Purpureum, Purple Boneset, Queen of the Prarie. So i'm guessing their one and the same.
Marcy

I live in eastern WA. Filipendula will fry. It isn't just the watering, it's the humidity in the teens and the 40 degree day/night temperature differences in July, August, and September that will do it in. I don't know about the Joe Pye weed.

As many have suggested, shrubs are better than tall perennials as a barrier. If you are set on perennials, I would suggest Persicaria polymorpha. This is a spectacular tall perennial that does great in alkaline soils that are periodically dry.

Another consideration- eupatorium Joe Pye does not get very tall untill mid close to the end of summer so it is not an efficient fence cover IMO

Lindalana that is a consideration! Thanks for all the replies, at this point I don't know what I'm going to do.
Marcy