"small tree" - not. I've planted dozens of them in the ground here in South Florida. The smallest one is around 25' tall. The largest, at the house next door to me that I landscaped around 10 years ago, is well over 40 feet.

They, like all Ficus, will do well in just about any growing condition except standing water.

Thanks Fawnridge for the info! I think I can manage 25ft. Is that due to trimming or a dwarf variety? A 40ft would be too large for the area.

I was planning on planting this next to a mature elm as companion plant.

I have one in Pinellas county. It is about 5 or 6 feet tall. The winter cold seems to "prune" it for me. If it got much taller I'd take it out or prune it myself. It was originally in one of those tiny tropical plant pots at Home Depot. I know they get very large in the tropics and in south Florida as Fawnridge said.

wasps and hornets love 'em, big sturdy leaf to nest under. had two in s. fla., at least thirty foot tall.

Eeeew....wasps & hornets, huh? I already have issues with those buggers! I'm allergic too.

I have to come up with something. I have to block my neighbor's view. I can see directly into their house from my livingroom couch. The house is a rental and these new people don't believe in 'shades'.

It's their bedroom....fyi....I don't think they care.

I have a blinds, but if I shut them in the daytime, my house will be too cave-like as it faces East. I do draw the blinds in the evening.

I'm starting to hate downtown living.....maybe I'm getting too old to enjoy it anymore.

look into surinam cherry as a privacy screen

I really like Viburnium.

Planted a hedge of this to block the view and sound of our neighbor's above ground pool (and to block the view our neighbor will have of my naturist husband on the deck). Nice and thick, totally blocks next door except that:

Wouldn't you know that out of the 12 plants installed, the one that sits in a direct line from John's sun-lounger to the neighbor's patio door was out competed by a bitter melon vine?

Doesn't Viburnium take a while to grow to a mature height? I need a 6-7 ft. height plant and want something quick...not in 3 or 4 years from now.

Also, Viburnam attacts wasps, hornets, etc. too, doesn't it? There's probably just no getting around that so I'm not going to rule plants out because of that component.

I don't know much about Surinam Cherry. I don't want something that will litter fruit and then have a volunteer issue to contend with as well. I'll research it a bit.

Thanks for the suggestions!