
Privacy is a must for any homeowner wanting to enjoy their outdoor space without feeling like they're in a fishbowl. But finding trees that provide privacy without turning your yard into an unmanageable jungle can be tricky. Fast-growing privacy trees offer the perfect solution when you need screening sooner rather than later.
The right privacy trees create natural boundaries while enhancing your landscape. They filter noise, block unwanted views, and create cool, shaded retreats. These 11 fast-growing options deliver the privacy you crave without taking over your entire property.
1. Leyland Cypress

Leyland Cypress trees are the superheroes of privacy screens, growing an impressive 3-4 feet per year. They form a dense, emerald-green wall that can reach heights of 40-60 feet if left unpruned. Their soft, feathery foliage creates an elegant backdrop for any landscape.
These adaptable trees thrive in USDA zones 6-10 and prefer full sun to partial shade. They're drought-tolerant once established and can handle a variety of soil conditions. Regular trimming keeps them at a manageable width of 8-12 feet, making them perfect for property lines.
Maintaining Your Leyland Cypress

Pruning is essential to keep Leyland Cypress trees from becoming too wide for smaller yards. Annual trimming in late winter or early spring helps maintain their columnar shape. Light shearing of the sides creates an even denser privacy screen.
These trees rarely need fertilizer when planted in reasonably good soil. They're generally pest-resistant, though they can occasionally suffer from bagworms or canker in humid climates. A healthy spacing of 6-8 feet between trees provides good air circulation to prevent disease issues.
2. Thuja Green Giant

Thuja Green Giant arborvitae rockets upward at a rate of 3-5 feet annually in ideal conditions. This evergreen marvel reaches 20-40 feet tall while maintaining a relatively slim 12-20 foot width. Its rich green color holds strong year-round, never bronzing in winter like some other varieties.
These vigorous trees adapt to most soil types and are remarkably resistant to deer browsing. They perform best in USDA zones 5-9 and require minimal maintenance once established. Their natural pyramidal shape rarely needs pruning to stay attractive.
Thuja Green Giant Spacing Tips

Proper spacing is crucial for creating the perfect Thuja Green Giant privacy screen. For a solid privacy wall, place trees 5-6 feet apart. This allows enough room for healthy growth while ensuring their branches will eventually interlock for maximum screening.
For a more open, natural look, increase spacing to 7-8 feet between trees. They'll still provide substantial privacy but with a less formal appearance. Their root systems are non-invasive, making them safe to plant near patios, foundations, and other landscape features.
3. Italian Cypress

Italian Cypress trees create dramatic vertical statements with their tall, slender profiles. These Mediterranean natives grow 2-3 feet yearly, eventually reaching heights of 40-60 feet while staying remarkably narrow at just 3-5 feet wide. Their dark green foliage forms a dense column that needs no pruning to maintain its shape.
These drought-tolerant trees thrive in USDA zones 7-11 and love full sun exposure. They're ideal for hot, dry regions and actually prefer poor, well-drained soil. Their minimal width makes them perfect for tight spaces where other privacy trees would overwhelm the landscape.
Italian Cypress Design Applications

The distinctive columnar shape of Italian Cypress makes it a versatile design element in the landscape. When spaced 3-4 feet apart along property lines, they create stunning living fence posts. Their formal appearance works beautifully in both contemporary and traditional garden styles.
These architectural trees also excel as focal points flanking entries, gates, or driveways. Their vertical emphasis draws the eye upward and adds a touch of Mediterranean elegance to any outdoor space. Their slim profile means they won't block windows or views when strategically placed.
4. Eastern Red Cedar

Eastern Red Cedar offers native beauty with practical privacy benefits, growing 1-2 feet per year. These resilient evergreens reach 40-50 feet tall with a 10-20 foot spread at maturity. Their dense, aromatic foliage ranges from blue-green to dark green, sometimes with a slight purple tinge in winter.
These adaptable trees thrive across USDA zones 2-9, making them suitable for nearly any climate in the continental US. They withstand drought, poor soil, pollution, and harsh weather conditions that would stress other privacy trees. Their natural pyramid shape requires minimal maintenance.
Wildlife Benefits of Eastern Red Cedar

Eastern Red Cedar trees provide crucial habitat and food sources for local wildlife. Their dense branches offer protected nesting sites for songbirds and shelter for small mammals during harsh weather. The blue, berry-like cones produced by female trees are a vital winter food source for many bird species.
These native trees support over 30 species of birds including cedar waxwings, which were named for their fondness for the tree's fruits. Planting these cedars contributes to ecological balance while simultaneously creating your privacy screen. It's a win-win for both your landscape and local wildlife.
5. Emerald Green Arborvitae

Emerald Green Arborvitae delivers privacy in a compact package, growing 6-9 inches annually to a manageable height of 12-15 feet. This slower but steady growth rate makes it ideal for smaller properties where massive trees would be overwhelming. The vibrant emerald foliage maintains its rich color year-round.
These hardy evergreens thrive in USDA zones 2-8, handling cold northern winters with ease. They prefer full sun but tolerate partial shade, and need regular watering when young. Their natural columnar shape stays just 3-4 feet wide without pruning, perfect for tight spaces.
Creating Privacy Hedges with Emerald Green

Emerald Green Arborvitae makes an excellent formal hedge when planted 2-3 feet apart. This spacing allows the trees to grow together into a seamless living wall within a few years. Their dense foliage extends all the way to the ground, eliminating gaps that would compromise privacy.
These manageable trees respond well to light trimming, which encourages even denser growth. A simple annual shearing in late spring keeps the hedge looking neat and tidy. Unlike larger privacy trees, these won't outgrow their space or require extensive maintenance to stay in bounds.
6. Nellie Stevens Holly

Nellie Stevens Holly combines privacy with year-round beauty, growing at a moderate pace of 2-3 feet per year. These broadleaf evergreens reach 15-25 feet tall with a 10-15 foot spread. Their glossy, dark green leaves create a dense screen while adding elegant texture to the landscape.
Female trees produce bright red berries from fall through winter, creating stunning contrast against the deep green foliage. They thrive in USDA zones 6-9 and adapt to various soil types, though they prefer well-drained, slightly acidic conditions. Their natural pyramidal shape requires minimal pruning.
Nellie Stevens Holly as a Four-Season Privacy Solution

Unlike deciduous trees that drop their leaves in winter, Nellie Stevens Holly maintains complete privacy year-round. The dense foliage creates an effective visual barrier in every season. The attractive red berries add winter interest when the landscape needs color most.
These versatile trees can be planted as specimens or grouped to form a substantial privacy hedge. When spaced 5-6 feet apart, they'll grow together into a continuous screen within a few years. Their moderate growth rate means they provide privacy relatively quickly without becoming unmanageable.
7. American Arborvitae

American Arborvitae creates natural privacy with classic appeal, growing 12-24 inches yearly to heights of 20-30 feet. Their soft, fan-like foliage forms a dense pyramid that's 10-15 feet wide at maturity. The rich green color sometimes takes on bronze tones during cold winter weather.
These native evergreens are incredibly cold-hardy, thriving in USDA zones 2-8. They prefer full sun but tolerate partial shade better than many other privacy trees. Their relatively shallow root systems make them suitable for areas where deeper-rooted trees might cause problems.
American Arborvitae Varieties for Different Needs

Several American Arborvitae cultivars offer solutions for specific landscape requirements. 'Nigra' features exceptionally dark green foliage that resists winter bronzing. 'Techny' grows more slowly but maintains better winter color and density in cold climates. 'Holmstrup' offers a more compact form for smaller spaces.
These adaptable trees can be planted individually or as privacy hedges. For a continuous screen, space them 3-4 feet apart. They respond well to pruning, which can help maintain their desired height and width. Their longevity means your privacy solution will last for decades with proper care.
8. Bamboo

Bamboo offers the fastest privacy solution of all, with some varieties growing an astonishing 3-5 feet in a single growing season. This woody grass creates a lush, exotic screen that can reach 15-40 feet tall depending on the species. The graceful canes and delicate leaves add movement and texture to the landscape.
Clumping bamboo varieties like Fargesia provide privacy without the invasive tendencies of running types. They stay in neat clusters that expand slowly outward, perfect for controlled privacy screens. Most bamboos thrive in USDA zones 5-9, preferring partial shade and consistent moisture.
Containing Bamboo Growth

Running bamboo varieties offer the quickest privacy but require containment to prevent them from taking over. Installing a proper bamboo barrier is essential when planting these types. High-density polyethylene barriers should be at least 30 inches deep and extend 2-3 inches above ground level.
For easier maintenance, consider planting bamboo in large containers or raised beds with solid bottoms. This naturally limits the spread while still allowing the plants to reach impressive heights. Regular pruning of new shoots that appear outside your desired growing area keeps bamboo well-behaved.
9. Green Giant Arborvitae

Green Giant Arborvitae lives up to its name with impressive height and rapid growth of 3-5 feet per year when young. These majestic evergreens can reach 50-60 feet tall with a 12-20 foot spread. Their rich green foliage forms a dense, pyramidal shape that needs minimal shearing to stay neat.
These versatile trees adapt to various soil types and moisture conditions once established. They thrive in USDA zones 5-8 and resist most pests and diseases that plague other arborvitae varieties. Their vigorous growth makes them an excellent choice when privacy is needed quickly.
Green Giant vs. Leyland Cypress

Green Giant Arborvitae offers several advantages over the similar-looking Leyland Cypress. Green Giants generally live longer and suffer fewer disease problems in humid climates. They also stand up better to heavy snow and ice loads thanks to their stronger branch structure.
While both trees grow quickly, Green Giants maintain a more naturally attractive shape with less pruning. They're also more resistant to deer browsing, which can devastate Leyland Cypress plantings in some areas. For most homeowners seeking fast privacy, Green Giants represent the more sustainable long-term choice.
10. Skip Laurel

Skip Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus 'Schipkaensis') provides broadleaf evergreen privacy at a growth rate of 1-2 feet per year. These versatile shrubs reach 10-18 feet tall with a similar spread. Their glossy, dark green leaves create a dense screen year-round, with the added bonus of fragrant white flowers in spring.
These adaptable plants thrive in USDA zones 6-9 and perform well in full sun to partial shade. They tolerate a wide range of soil conditions but prefer well-drained sites. Their naturally rounded form can be left natural or shaped into formal hedges with regular pruning.
Skip Laurel for Shaded Privacy Areas

Skip Laurel excels in locations where many other privacy plants struggle; partial shade. They maintain dense growth even with reduced sunlight, making them perfect for creating privacy screens on the north or east sides of properties. Their broad leaves collect available light efficiently even in dappled shade.
These versatile shrubs can be maintained at almost any height between 4 and 18 feet through regular pruning. This makes them suitable for both tall privacy screens and lower hedges that won't block desirable views. Their moderate growth rate provides privacy relatively quickly without becoming unmanageable.
11. Japanese Cedar

Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) combines rapid growth with distinctive beauty, adding 1-2 feet of height annually. These elegant evergreens reach 30-40 feet tall with a 15-20 foot spread. Their soft, spirally-arranged needles create a fluffy texture unlike any other privacy tree.
The foliage color ranges from bright green to blue-green, sometimes taking on bronze or purple tones in winter. They thrive in USDA zones 5-9 and prefer moist, well-drained soil and full sun to light shade. Their pyramidal shape stays attractive with minimal pruning.
Japanese Cedar Varieties for Different Spaces

Several Japanese Cedar cultivars offer solutions for different landscape needs. 'Yoshino' grows quickly to form a substantial privacy screen. 'Black Dragon' provides a more compact form for smaller spaces, reaching just 10-12 feet tall. 'Elegans' features soft, feathery foliage that changes to bronze-purple in winter.
These versatile trees work well as specimens or grouped for privacy screens. When planting for privacy, space them 6-8 feet apart to allow for their mature spread. Their unique texture makes them stand out from more common evergreens, adding distinctive character to your landscape.
Choosing the Right Privacy Tree for Your Space

Selecting the perfect privacy tree involves matching the plant to your specific conditions and needs. Consider your available space, climate zone, soil type, and how quickly you need privacy. Narrower varieties like Italian Cypress work for tight spaces, while broader trees like Thuja Green Giant create more substantial screens for larger areas.
Your maintenance preferences also matter when selecting privacy trees. Some varieties need regular pruning to stay in bounds, while others maintain their shape naturally. Be realistic about the time you're willing to dedicate to tree care. The best privacy tree is one that thrives in your conditions with the level of maintenance you can provide.