Juniperus virginiana would be an excellent native choice that meets all of your requirements.

I would protect it with 3 T posts and fairly heavy gauge wire about 4-5' high.

The most important factor of the new transplant game is making sure you are watering correctly while the plant is young and establishing itself.

These trees are cheap and can be started from seed or bought as seedlings. Your state forestry agency might have these for sale in bulk for cheap.

John

John,

Thank you for the information. Most land owners out here try real hard to get rid of all the cedar on their property, so purposely planting something similar seems to go against the grain. :-) I noticed on the Wikipedia map that these don't tend to grow this far west but seem to grow real well in East Texas. Do you have any opinion on the tree tubes I see advertised for protection and fast growth instead of the T posts and wire?

Dave

I don't have any experience with them, sorry. I don't see them discouraging a buck from rubbing the tree before he has already done some damage. That's why I go with posts and either fishing line or wire around the posts.

Junipers are often despised for several reasons, however they are excellent for screening purposes. The best native our area available IMO.

They actually make attractive specimens once they get older. I am starting to appreciate them more, lately, for whatever reason. They have nice shape when they are young and the females look very pretty when they are loaded with blue berries.

John

this is precisely.. within the definition of soil conservation tree lines...

sooo.. just like your other post .... call your COUNTY extension office.. and ask if there is a soil conservation office.. etc ....

as you can see ... we are stabbing in the dark ... with little or no native knowledge ... and that is why i heavily recommend COUNTY experts ...

ken

Ditto on what John has told you. I have 20 of them planted around a 1 1/2 acre yard in McClennan County. Mine grow between 16-28" year depending on rainfall and soil conditions. First year, expect to water them weekly during summer, 5-10 gallons/watering. About twice/month after temps drop below 80 F.
By second year my watering is usually just twice a month during May-Sept. The more you can water them during hot or dry months, the more growth you will see. They seem to need about 2" rain per month here.

Have also ~ 20 Arizona Cypress planted, both glabra and arizonica. They have similar results and are a very successful evergreen for this area. They should be planted in well-drained areas.

Both of these trees have the potential to reach 60-70', but 30-40' is what you will most likely see. Both will make excellent fence posts with rot-resistant heart-wood.

Great advice guys. Thanks for the feedback!

Osage Orange aka Hedge Apple (Maclura Pomifera) makes a superb hedgerow, screening and windbreak plant. They grow very rapidly from seed and the seed is readily available on line. The old timers on the plains said an Osage Orange hedge was Horse high, Bull strong and Hog thick. They have been planted since at least the Dustbowl days as a windbreak. They have a very deep taproot and are quite drought tolerant when established. They have thorns on the younger branches. Deer don't like them. I have conflicting stories about cattle. Most say they don't like the plant at all but some say that they will eat the softball size fruit the females have. Your local extension or agricultural agent may be able to get you seedlings for large scale plantings such as hedges and windbreaks.
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/maclura/pomifera.htm