Linchat, it's not edible, but what about Florida anise? It makes a great screen and is very pretty. I've never had it in my yard, but the ones I've seen are deep green, tolerate a lot of shade, and I think reach that height pretty easily. If it is shade, wild coffee might be another option. It is edible for the birds, anyway! Beautyberry is another one, but goes deciduous in winter.

Anna

I like to use this website to help find florida plants

Here is a link that might be useful: floridayards

How about Jamaican Caper?

How about Coco plum- very common, but grows great down here in extreme south FL, its native, dark leaves, and edible. They can get 12+ ft tall- can be trimmed.

Sorry for being lazy in my original post, I was exuding Beauty Berry, Firebush and Cocoplum (I abbreviated instead of typing out) because I have them already in a number of places. And looking for something new.

Also have to be careful of toxic for Dogs and Children. Said the Florida Anise was poisounous.

Jamaican Caper, I was reading about in Waterwise, mmm, could be interesting. Looks like might fit criteria.

Thanks for the link to Florida Friendly landscaping , I forget about that site and tend to come across by accident frequently.

Will the Jamaican Caper take to be grown as a squared hedge?

I don't think the Jamaican Caper would hold a tight manicured look, if that's what you are wanting. But, it has a very nice natural shape, with really no maintenance required.

the gigantic ironweed is a good one. it gets to about 6'.

i've got mine in a pot and its doing very well.

-chris

What about golden dewdrop? There are folks here who don't like it, but when it's flowering, I just love mine. And it's hardy as can be. DH mowed one down a year ago and it's five feet high and bushy now. The leaves are light green, so maybe not what you're looking for, but I love their lacy look and they make a nice contrast against my dark jasmine.

White stopper. Dark green leaves, white flowers, edible berries which birds also love. Vertical growth habit.

Gary

Marlberry - Ardisia escallonioides

Myrsine - Rapanea punctata

Shiny leaf wild coffee - Psychotria nervosa

Velvet leaf wild coffee - Psychotria sulzneri

Citharexylum fruticosum Fiddlewood can be shrubbed to just about any height over 30". The leaves are medium green and are from the ground up. Plus, most of the year you get a very fragrant white flower and this is a Florida native that will grow in your zone.

Here's a great website for further information on Fiddlewood. I have three in our garden: one that's a multi-trunked tree with the tallest lead well over 12' tall, the second is from a three-gallon shrub, leftover from a landscape job several years ago. It's in the ground as a foundation plant and I keep it windowsill height. Unfortunatly, it's in too much shade, so I don't get flowers. The last one is a cutting from a sterile hybrid, originally grown as a standard. That tree died - poor location - however, the cutting is now a multi-trunked small tree, topping off at around 10'.

This is one shrub that just doesn't get used enough in the landscape despite it being one of the best choices for hedging, small tree, formal shrub, focal point, you name it.

I can highly recommend the Jamaican Caper. I have that mixed with White Indigo Berry and Firebush. They make a nice native screening hedge. I love the flowers on the Jamaican Caper.

I'll throw another option into the ring. How about a locustberry, Byrsonima lucida?