Amazing Evergreen Trees for Privacy

The neighborhood watch is good for the community, but not when it’s from nosy neighbors. There’s a time and a place for privacy, and your backyard is one of them. Luckily, there are many amazing evergreen trees for privacy to give your yard just what it needs all year round.

A living fence is not only an ideal way of creating privacy, but it shields your property from wind and noise and provides a lush, green landscape of beauty.

Since evergreens do not lose their leaves in the winter, they are the perfect choice for a natural fence for year-long privacy. Natural screens also attract different species of birds, small mammals, and other pollinators to the yard.

Evergreen Trees for Privacy Screens

While browsing for fast growing trees to plant in your yard, you may discover that there are a vast number of different species to choose from. Before you start to feel overwhelmed by the idea of trying to figure out which privacy trees are best, allow us to answer a few of your questions and help guide you to the perfect trees.

Why Should I Choose Evergreens for a Privacy Screen?

There are several reasons that evergreens are a great choice when creating a privacy fence. Unlike deciduous trees, evergreens do not shed their leaves seasonally. Since these trees have year-round foliage, they provide continuous privacy through every season.

Not only that, but creating a landscape of evergreens adds value to your property. They also act as a windbreak and reduce noise, which is especially useful if you live near a busy road. Evergreens form a natural, living fence that attracts a variety of critters to the yard, such as chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, and birds.

Are Evergreen Trees Easy to Grow?

Evergreens are easy to grow as long as you take the right steps when choosing your trees. Choosing the right tree for your area goes a long way in creating a privacy fence that requires a small amount of effort on your part, and is the difference between a thriving fence and a dying fence.

The first step is to make sure that you choose a tree that thrives in your hardiness zone. Some evergreens are finicky and only grow in some regions of the United States. Once you determine this, it is merely a matter of finding the right location in your yard for placement.

Which Type of Evergreen Tree Should I Use for Privacy?

The type of evergreen you chose for your fence depends on how quickly you need that fence to grow. Some evergreen varieties, such as Leyland cypress and Thuja green giant, are fast growers and grow up to five feet a year, making them an excellent choice for a fast-growing fence. Other evergreens, such as American holly and boxwood, produce seasonal flowers and berries which add colorful appeal to the screen.

How Do I Maintain Evergreen Trees?

While evergreens require very little maintenance, there are a few steps to take to ensure they grow healthy and strong. Evergreens require watering during dry periods, and it is necessary to help them withstand winter. Mulching around the base of the trees slows evaporation of the soil.

Many evergreens trees have a strong central branch leader and do not require pruning. The only time an evergreen needs trimming is to increase branch density and control the height.

Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja plicata)

This large and vigorous evergreen tree is fast growing and shoots up as much as 3 to 5 feet a year. Thuja green giant has a natural pyramid shape with rich, dense green foliage that gets a bronze tone in the winter.

The green giant grows best in zones 5 through 7 and reaches a mature height up to 60 feet with a width up to 20 feet. Full to partial sun is best for this tree, and it tolerates most soil types except for poorly drained areas.

Use these attractive shrubs for making hedges along your property line for a natural border.

Privet Hedge (Ligustrum ovalifolium) – Attractive Evergreen Tree that Blooms

If you are looking for fast growing hedges, consider the privet. This popular evergreen has lustrous green foliage that blooms with honey-scented, white flowers in late spring to early summer, which give way to black berries in the fall that birds love to eat.

The privet hedge is easy to grow and reaches a mature height up to 20 feet with a width up to 8 feet. This low maintenance evergreen grows in zones 5 through 9 and is drought tolerant. It enjoys full to partial sun placement and is perfect for creating a private outdoor space.

Emerald Green Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)

This arborvitae has shimmering emerald green foliage and keeps its lustrous color throughout the entire year. It has a classical narrow and pyramidal form and is one of the best trees for a privacy hedge.

While the emerald arborvitae is a slow-growing tree, it reaches a mature height of 15 feet with a spread of 4 feet and has a growth rate of one foot per year. It grows well in zones 3 through 7 and prefers full to part sun.

American Holly (Ilex opaca) – Amazing Evergreen Trees for Privacy

This unique evergreen is grown as a tree or trimmed as an attractive hedge. It keeps its bright foliage year-round and produces red berries that attract birds. This ornamental tree adds visual interest and makes an appealing privacy screen.

American holly grows to a mature height of 50 feet with a spread up to 40 feet. It has a growth rate of one to two feet per year and grows best in zones 5 through 9. It prefers partial to full sun and tolerates most soil types.

Yew (Taxus baccata)

There are many varieties of yew, including varieties that grow fast and tall, as well as small dwarf trees. It is an extremely long-lived plant that is tolerant of most conditions, making it ideal for most areas of the country. This hardy shrub has fragrant blue/green and chartreuse/gold foliage and attracts birds.

Yew evergreens thrive in both shady and sunny locations and grow best in zones 4 through 7. This low maintenance shrub reaches heights up to 20 feet and spreads from 4 to 20 feet, depending on the variety.

Italian Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) – Amazing Evergreen Tree with Striking Element

If you want to add a focal point to your yard while creating a privacy fence, then the Italian cypress is perfect for you. This fast-growing evergreen makes a bold statement with its striking columnar shape.

It grows best in zones 7 through 10 and is adaptable to most soil types. It has a fast growth rate and reaches a mature height of 60 feet with a 5-foot spread. This cypress enjoys full sun and requires no pruning to achieve a straight and robust appearance.

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

This hardy evergreen has clusters of soft, blue/green needles and is an ideal windbreak and privacy screen. As fast growing pine trees, this specimen provides year-round color and fragrance and attracts birds of all types.

The Eastern white pine grows best in zones 3 through 8 and thrives in full sun to part shade. It has a mature height of up to 80 feet tall with a spread up to 40 feet. This fast-growing tree has a growth rate of more than two feet per year so it works quite well if you need privacy in a hurry.

Leyland Cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii) – Incredible Evergreen Tree for Privacy

The Leyland cypress has a slender shape and grows well in a variety of climate and soil conditions, making it one of the best privacy trees you can plant in your yard. It provides a dense barrier of vibrant dark bluish-green foliage to your yard 12 months of the year and works excellently in boundary lines for the driveway or the backyard.

Expect this evergreen to grow well in zones 6 through 10. It thrives in full sun and has a growth rate of more than two feet annually. It has a mature height of 70 feet and a spread of 25 feet.

Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

This wonderfully textured, native evergreen conifer has aromatic wood with reddish-brown bark. The foliage is silvery-blue to dark green and produces tiny berry-like cones that are a valuable food source for birds of all types. The foliage turns to a purplish color in the fall and winter months.

The Eastern red cedar is a sturdy and durable tree that is drought resistant and widely adaptable. This tree grows in zones 3 through 9 and has a fast growth rate. The evergreen reaches a mature height of 60 feet and a spread of 20 feet and enjoys full to partial sun.

Boxwood (Buxus) – Formal Garden Evergreen Tree for Privacy

Boxwood bushes are well known for their ability to take shapes of many sizes by pruning. It is common in formal yards with its elegant, glossy green leaves and dense branching. While boxwood grows in a natural round shape, they are easy to trim into living statues.

This evergreen grows best in zones 5 through 8 and enjoys full sun to partial shade. It has a slow growth rate and reaches a mature height and width of 20 feet. Boxwood grows well in most soil types and is common as a hedge, privacy screen, and topiary.

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

This is one of the fastest-growing of the spruces, and it makes a great windbreaker and privacy tree. It has graceful branches covered in dark, green needles and a characteristic pyramidal outline. This long-lived spruce is an elegant, hardy evergreen that attracts birds.

Norway spruce is deer resistant and grows well in zones 3 through 7. It thrives in full sun and has a growth rate of up to two feet per year. It reaches a mature height of 60 with a spread of 30 feet and grows in most soil types.

Spartan Juniper (Juniperus Chinensis) – Fast Growing Evergreen Tree for Privacy

The Spartan juniper is a tall, strong juniper that grows quickly and makes an excellent privacy screen. It has a tidy appearance with its natural pyramidal form and has dense green foliage. The Spartan juniper creates structure in the yard with even spacing and is ideal for use as a windbreak.

This evergreen enjoys full sun and thrives in zones 4 through 9. It has an extremely fast growth rate and reaches a mature height of 18 feet and a spread of 5 feet. While it is easy to grow, Spartan juniper requires well-drained soil.

Myrtle (Myrtus)

Myrtle has vibrant green, glossy leaves that bear small, white flowers in the spring. These flowers give way to edible, purplish berries that birds love. This fragrant shrub grows well on its own or pruned for a decorative touch.

This evergreen grows best in full to part sun and thrives in zones 8 through 11. It is low maintenance and drought tolerant. Expect these evergreen shrubs to reach a height of up to 20 feet and a width of 6 feet.

Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) – Amazing Evergreen Tree with Flowers and Berries

This broadleaved evergreen has glossy, oval leaves that give it an elegant appearance. It is one of the shrubs and trees for hummingbirds with fragrant flowers in the early spring. The flowers later develop into dark fruit that other birds enjoy eating.

Cherry laurel grows best in zones 6 through 9 and enjoys full sun to partial shade. This fast-growing evergreen reaches a mature height of 15 feet and a spread of 10 feet. It makes an excellent privacy screen and windbreak with its soft edges and showy flowers.

The many benefits of using nature’s elements to create a fence go beyond privacy. Not only do you create a private oasis in your backyard, but you provide birds with a place to call home while attracting evergreen pollinators. A natural privacy screen creates a lush, green backdrop to your yard that is more attractive than an unsightly man-made fence.

Using amazing evergreen trees for privacy not only creates a natural border around your home but reduces noise and wind, so why not share our privacy evergreen trees with your family and friends on Facebook and Pinterest?