You didn't mention this, but do you need an evergreen screen/hedge? What are you trying to block with your screen ie how high and thick does it need to be? Red tip photinia's do pretty well down here. Other common native hedges are youpon holly and southern magnolia but they would be borderline a little further north. Juniperus virginiana is another native that is good hedge material as well as being great for wildlife. A beautiful non native is Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum and would probably be my choice if I were you. Edit: It seems L. chinense may be borderline hardy in NWA, too. Look at Ilex 'Nellie R Stevens' instead This post was edited by j0nd03 on Mon, Jan 6, 14 at 16:58

"My saying] >But I also suspect people rating it USDA 7 haven't grown it long enough to know the real story[Was answered with] >I've grown Loropetalums for 15 years or soMy point exactly. We're talking about a shrub here." Not to be difficult bboy, but I don't get your point. In the southeast, these shrubs have quite a few years behind their use. No, we don't have 100 years of statistical data behind them, but they are ubiquitous here because of their colorful foliage, drought tolerance, tolerance for sun/shade, and few pest issues. As growers have developed dwarfer forms, they've been readily adopted by homeowners and commercial landscapers alike. You cannot go anywhere without encountering them used in all types of landscaping situations (shopping centers, office parks, home landscapes). I have experienced no hardiness problems (even when the temp gauge dipped to -5 degrees a few years back) nor heard of any from other gardeners. This does not indicate to me that are in any way unreliably hardy (at least in my area of the southeast). "19 years ago we had the coldest winter in 30 years here. Shrubs killed during that winter could have grown for 30 years beforehand. New shrubs planted soon afterward and grown for the years since will not have been tested by another such a winter - yet. 3 defoliations during that short period I would definitely take as a warning sign." Defoliation does not indicate to me a hardiness issue. There are many shrubs that also defoliate during the winter, yet are perfectly hardy. Of course, if we have the coldest winter on record next season and everyone has to replace their loropetalums, feel free to remind me of this post. (-: BTW, the OP did not say that they required an evergreen hedge. And, to be clear, Loropetalums can be more accurately described as semi-evergreen during cold winters (below 15 degrees). They drop some, but not all their leaves. I have one (Loropetalum chinensis var rubrum 'Burgundy') that never defoliates (and this winter it got down to 5 degrees), but I wonder if it's because it's in the shade. Anyway, interesting discussion.

I have grown loropetalums for ten years or more, and they are one of my top rated shrubs. Yes, their leaves change color seasonally, which is why I love them so much. In the spring, new growth is a very deep red-violet to nearly black, depending on the variety you grow. In the summer, the purple fades and the leaves are a gorgeous blue green. In the fall, it has many red orange leaves scattered throughout the bush, which just makes it blend into the fall riot of foliage color. Then in winter, it rests, but will bloom anytime there is a run of several warm days. In our area, they often bloom twice: once in the spring and again in the fall with masses of color that rival azaleas. I have heard that if they are in an area that is a bit colder than they like, they may de-foliate some. Perhaps that is why yours lost alot of leaves. I have never noticed mine shedding, though nearly all evergreens will lose leaves along the way as they grow "old". Depending again on the variety, they can grow tall enough to be trained into multi-stemmed trees (10 to 12 feet). There are new varieties being introduced this year that are small enough to be used in a hanging basket (Purple Pixie), or that top out at four feet (Purple Diamond). Of the large growers, "Plum Delight" is a personal favorite of mine because it holds its color longer and has almost a silvery sheen to the leaves. I also grow Ruby. It lends itself well to hedging at about 4 feet, though it's leaf color is not as intensely purple as I would have liked. These shrubs will grow in full sun to part shade. They can be used as specimens, espalier, standards, or hedges, though espalier and standards would involve an awful lot pruning, I would think, for they grow pretty vigorously. Do read the tag and be sure to give them enough room. They are at their loveliest when they can grow in their natural airy form. If they are hardy in your area, you should try them! You will like them.

snicker- you'd be dead before a daphne odora got that big. daphnes are great, but they have a habit of dying right around year 5-8, and they normally top out at about 3-4'. they grow slowly, to say the least, and are pricey, though the big boxes carry them for reasonable amounts compared to nurseries. do pop one in, just for the fragrance & looks, but put it in front of something taller. they need excellent drainage. another thought- hellebores would be nice to have a t the feet of some of your bigger stuff. they have long lasting flowers, can take poor soil and shade and thrive on neglect. they ain't cheap, and grow slowly, but they are worth it. if you can find someone who has them already, ask for seedlings- they self sow abundantly - and start that way. it'll be 3-4 years before you see blooms, but you won't regret it, and you'll forget they're there til then. camellias are easy. not high maintenance at all here. just pick the type you want based on the bloom you want and when (some bloom late fall & some spring) and the size, and be patient and let it grow. they'll do that faster with some sun and good soil, but will grow in shade; it just takes longer. if you can improve your soil, a 1 gallon plant, which would probably be about 12- 18" high, would probably get to 3-4 feet in a couple years. most camellias are going to get much larger than that though and you'll want to be careful in picking ones that match the size you want eventually to avoid trimming chores (most get bigger than what you're wanting). camellias have an nice shape naturally and shouldn't need too much fussing, unless you plant the wrong thing and it gets too big. i'd consider mixing and matching rather than doing all one thing. that way if you do have disease or insect problems, it doesn't wipe out everything. or if one dies down the road, you aren't stuck buying a huge one so you don't have a hole. a little variety in shapes and forms is much more dynamic in design, too. you can get a better range of color and scent and times of color as well. have fun with it!