best plantings/shrubs for security?

2020

Active member
Apr 10, 2012
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Las Terrenas
Any landscape experts out there?

Besides planting Bougenvillas, does anyone know what type of native plantings - or shrubbery - works best in the DR to inhibit or thwart property intrusion?

We have a walled area in the rear of our villa that could be susceptible to a robber climbing over..:cross-eye
 

arrugala

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Nov 7, 2010
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First off go to a plant nursery if you live near one and ask them .... Mixing bougenvilia and spiky dracenas that have Very sharp tips are great combinations .to help with walls , window areas too. There is also a plant the has very thorny stems on avg 3/4 "thick , blooms are generally red , and much more rare are yellow . They can grow quite high too . Any decent plant nursery will sell these .. yucca type plants have very spiky for ground in front of wall too. bougenvilia is the only vine i can think of that climbs with thorns ....sure others on this site will have more info. You need multiple security measures . i found lots of spiky plants growing naturally close to beaches...
21drlhc.jpg
 

arrugala

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Nov 7, 2010
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ruclxi.jpg
. Here is another picture of possibilities , however the ones that have red flowers and yellow in limited quantities have nice flowers , have square as opposed to rounded stems are great ( wicked thorns) and also Took many of the stems and secured them on top of fence so grabbing the top of wall would be lethal ( like broken glass , butt u cant see them when horizontally secured on. Top
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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solid cement block wall with motion sensors.

oh, you waz asking about nature? ;) i have the thing in the post #4, it breeds like crazy, grows high and fast. good thing but only along the wall, not instead.
 

arrugala

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Nov 7, 2010
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Crown of thorns. What i referred to above with red flowers ,sometimes yellow . Peterinbrat above post nailed it namewise excellent. As stated above you , depeding on wall ,fence etc you can place the stems secured on top and they will last along time and sometimes grow ! They are tough and brutal on hands and face when slipping !
 
May 29, 2006
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There are many kinds of Euphorbia that are effective barriers. These are not cactuses. I've worked with them and I've found the only way to handle them is with thick pot holders. The thorns go right through most gloves:

7348062016_2c4e303214_z.jpg
 

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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your best plant is what I use, its anti theft and beautiful...trinitaria, comes in an assortments of colors

Yes, it's beautiful. We planted 30 of them across the front wall last year, tiny little things that cost us about 35-40 pesos each. They're already huge and to the top of the wall.
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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What are those cactus type ones - like a small cactus with a gazillion arms and they get very thick.

You see them along farm fences often.

But the trinitaria is the easiest and fastest solution, IMO
 

AlterEgo

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What are those cactus type ones - like a small cactus with a gazillion arms and they get very thick.

You see them along farm fences often.

But the trinitaria is the easiest and fastest solution, IMO

Those thick cactuses are great - we had them along our frontage when we bought our property 30+ years ago. We decided we wanted a wall for a couple of reasons: privacy and to cut down on the dust/dirt from the unpaved road mostly. What a nightmare pulling them out to put up the wall.
 

Drake

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Jan 1, 2002
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There are many kinds of Euphorbia that are effective barriers. These are not cactuses. I've worked with them and I've found the only way to handle them is with thick pot holders. The thorns go right through most gloves:

7348062016_2c4e303214_z.jpg

Beware: the sap to this plant can cause burn like injuries and rash. Dont get it on your skin. This plant is used allot in semi desert regions for fencing.
 

jilly777

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Jul 17, 2013
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We too are looking at plants to use along our wall....so thanks to all posters as this is really usefull.
I would be interested in how you all manages to PURCHASE the plants????
We went to a local Garden Centre....choose 20 tall and suitable plants...the owner would not sell them to us as it would RUIN his display!!!!!
Next day we returned and he agreed we could buy then....BUT...this time he added a further 200 onto the price for each of the thin plastic crap tubs they were in lol.
However that's our problem.
 

pelaut

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Aug 5, 2007
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www.ThornlessPath.com
A high wall with trinitaria (bougainvilla) both sides and Spanish bayonet (dunno the Spanish for it) at the bottom.
A bonus is you never have to paint the wall again.

gate.jpg


Absolutely impenetrable!

driveway.jpg
 

gonzo two

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Jan 13, 2010
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bourganvillias are the best option , but you have to check the variety, some will only stay small others are rampant

couldnt I just climb over the gate on the above pic though
 

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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We too are looking at plants to use along our wall....so thanks to all posters as this is really usefull.
I would be interested in how you all manages to PURCHASE the plants????
We went to a local Garden Centre....choose 20 tall and suitable plants...the owner would not sell them to us as it would RUIN his display!!!!!
Next day we returned and he agreed we could buy then....BUT...this time he added a further 200 onto the price for each of the thin plastic crap tubs they were in lol.
However that's our problem.

Where do you live jilly?

Look for signs that say "vivero", small private places, sometimes in the middle of nowhere.