It does look like the Hog Plum described by Susanc, look at the following info. If that matches, especially the smell of the crushed leaves, then it is most likely is ximenia americana. If not, then it could be one of the wild plums native to Florida. Leaves are oval shaped, bright green and have a strong smell of almonds. Flowers are pale in color. Fruits are lemon-yellow or orange-red.

well ... back to the growth rates .... plant some trees the will grow fast for the screen .. and start a collection of slower growing stuff that in 50 years... will still be under your height demands ... and then just hire some punk with a chainsaw to take out the bigger ones ... no garden is planted today ... perfect today ... and neither will it be in 50 years ... lets be realistic about your age [i wont ask] ,... what you want to accomplish .. and how pretty you want to make it.. before we worry about what you are going to do about it all when your teeth fall out ... lol ... DO WHAT PLEASES YOU NOW .... wonder about what it will be like in 10 or 20 years .. but really now... are you really going to be that fixated on it all in 50 years ... i mean really .. even if you are only 20 ... are you going to go cut down trees at 70 .. just becasue they got too big.. i bet not ... you cant worry about EVERYTHING in life ... so clarify what you want to do now... here is 3 pictures of beds to hide the neighbors houses ... i dont really care what it will look like in 50 years ... nor 10 .. if somethink irks me .. i will cut it down .. hopefully while i can still do it with my chainsaw.. and dont have to hire out the job ... maybe you shouldnt be thinking of a straight line either ...... each of the below beds hides one house ... good luck ken

Well, I just happen to have a list ... I do include a few evergreen trees that have dwarf or narrow forms that might be suitable for some needs. If someone knows of others, please add them on. Kalmia latifolia, Mountain Laurel: large shrub/small tree but dwarf forms are available (Elf and others). Shiny, handsome leaves and beautiful flowers that are attractive even in bud, extending the "bloom" time. No berries. Blooms in late spring. Morning/early afternoon sun with protection from hot afternoon sun is best. Shade tolerant but needs some sun to bloom best. Illicium floridanum, Florida Anise: medium shrub up to 10 feet tall but can be pruned for a smaller height. Aromatic foliage, red blooms and attractive star shaped seed pods. Handsome, glossy leaves that resemble rhododendron. Shade tolerant. Illicium parviflorum, Anise Tree: large shrub/small tree up to 20 feet tall but can be pruned to maintain smaller height. Aromatic foliage, white blooms and attractive star shaped seed pods. Handsome, glossy leaves that resemble rhododendron. Accepts more sun than itÂs cousin, Illicium floridanum. Rhododendron catawbiense: large shrub up to 10 feet. Pinkish/purple blooms in late spring, many cultivars available, including a white one (ÂAlbumÂ). Large handsome leaves. Shade tolerant but needs some sun to bloom best. Morella cerifera (used to be Myrica cerifera), Wax Myrtle: large shrub/small tree but dwarf forms are available (ÂDonÂs Dwarf is one, 4-6 feet). Aromatic foliage, small grey berries which birds eat. Tolerates full sun and partial shade. Leucothoe axillaris: medium shrub up to 6 feet but slow growing. Foliage is glossy and emerges reddish in the spring and bronzes in the fall. Tolerates moist, shady conditions like streambanks but is also at home in the garden. White flowers in late spring, no berries. Agarista populifolia: formerly considered to be part of the Leucothoe genus, this shrub is larger than Leucothoe axillaries, fast growing up to 10-12 feet eventually. Tolerates shade and accepts heavy pruning, even when used as a hedge. White flowers in late spring, no berries. Good candidate for shady evergreen screen when a tree is too much. Ilex vomitoria, Yaupon Holly: Tree and shrub forms, including a weeping tree specimen, ÂPendulaÂ. Several dwarf forms are available, including ÂNana and ÂSchillingÂs DwarfÂ. Small leaves, no spines, red berries which birds eat. Hollies are dioecious, requiring male and female plants for berries (can cross pollinate with other hollies that bloom at the same time, even if the plants are in your neighborÂs yard). Partial shade to full sun. Ilex glabra, Inkberry Holly: Medium shrub up to 8 feet, but slow growing. Cultivars such as ÂShamrockÂ, ÂCompacta and ÂDensa are available. Bigger leaves than Yaupon holly and no spines; blue/black berries which birds eat. Tolerates wet soil. Hollies are dioecious, requiring male and female plants for berries (can cross pollinate with other hollies that bloom at the same time, even if the plants are in your neighborÂs yard). Partial shade to full sun. Ilex opaca, American Holly (technically a tree): one dwarf form is available, ÂMaryland DwarfÂ. Typical holly leaf, red berries which birds eat. Hollies are dioecious, requiring male and female plants for berries (can cross pollinate with other hollies that bloom at the same time, even if the plants are in your neighborÂs yard). Partial shade to full sun. Prunus caroliniana, Carolina Cherry Laurel (technically a tree): can be a large tree (20-40 feet), but this plant is popular for screening and the cultivar ÂBright N Tight is widely available. Small white flowers and glossy leaves 2-3 inches long. Leaves should not be eaten by livestock. Tolerates partial sun. Magnolia grandiflora ÂLittle GemÂ: smaller than the species tree, this dwarf still grows up to 20-25 feet at maturity, 8-10 feet wide. Full sun for best performance, but this will tolerate partial sun. Flowers at an early age. Mahonia aquifolium, Oregon grape holly: native to the western parts of the US, this is not a holly, it is actually a member of the barberry family. It can grow 7-10 feet tall in time. Looks best in partial shade. If you are planting this, be sure that you get M. aquifolium and not the imported Mahonia bealei which is naturalizing itself into unwanted areas. Evergreen shrubs that are not native include nandina and ligustrum/privet. These have become naturalized over time in the Southeast.

Blueberries are a thought, esh ga; I do love the foliage. The last time I had highbush blueberries was a good many years ago (at least 10), before the deer got bad. As for lowbush blueberries, I planted 5 of them about 5 years ago, and I now have one plant left. The deer pulled the other 4 out of the ground with their constant munching (much like they do everytime I try to plant anything in the carex species -- next time I try to plant either of these, I think I'm going to make a chicken wire cage to cover them until they have a chance to establish a good root system.). In rethinking the issue, the deer may not be a big problem in this area because the planting bed is pretty deep. The deer usually content themselves with dining along the edges of the borders around the house. I've never known them to move beyond the first plants in a border to get to what's behind. That could change, of course, as they seem to get bolder every day. Loris, I just happened to discover UCONN's plant selector search engine yesterday while doing some research. I know it's a site I'll use often. Plugging in my light/soil requirements for this site yielded nannyberry and blackhaw viburnum as results. I have a blackhaw in my front border at the edge of the house, and I love it, but has only been there about 4 years and would already be too tall for the site I'm looking at now. From what I've read, nannyberry gets even bigger. The problem is that my son's only bedroom window is directly above my planting site, so the height of whatever I plant there needs to top out at 10 ft. at the most; 8 ft. would probably be better. I frequently refer to the MD Native Plant Society's plant lists, especially because I'm really trying to have all my new plantings consist of plants that are native to the Maryland piedmont, not just to Maryland in general. As for William Cullina's book, I have seen that book referenced so many times, that I finally decided to order my own copy. The book I use most now for natives is Donald J. Leopold's Native Plants of the Northeast, which is a very good reference, too. I'm now also considering a mapleleaf viburnum for the spot. Although it would only reach 5 ft. in height, according to Leopold's book, it prefers dry soil and shade. I'm going to keep looking and mulling over the possibilities for a few more weeks. Whatever I decide on, I'm hoping to get it at 50 percent off when the local nurseries start having their fall clearance sales.