There are a few quick-growing shrubs that will provide privacy, but which ones are best for your property? Here’s a look at the Arborvitae, North Privet, and Willow hybrids. They are low-maintenance and fast-growing, and they will grow to be about three to five feet high with an equal spread. Yews require little pruning and are easy to grow and maintain.
Willow hybrids
If you want privacy in your yard, willow hybrid trees are ideal. Their deep green foliage is a perfect backdrop for colorful flowers or plants. Willow hybrid trees can grow up to 75 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide on their own. Keep them at least 5 feet apart. They also require a medium amount of water. Willow hybrids prefer medium to wet soil. However, they can tolerate wetter areas better than other trees.
When choosing willow hybrid trees for privacy, you need to consider the time of year. In northern climates, they may have a shorter lifespan than tropical varieties. They may begin declining after just 18 years. Willow hybrids can be difficult to handle if their roots are exposed. For this reason, some nurseries ship them with their roots exposed. Moreover, you will need to perform additional work to replace them.
If you want privacy and want to keep your neighbors out, you can plant willow hybrid trees near your home. However, if you live in a neighborhood with a homeowners association, you should follow the rules of the HOA. Also, you need to survey your property to ensure that your trees will not interfere with underground utilities. Willow hybrid trees grow quickly and are often a good choice for privacy. But there are some drawbacks to these trees.
North Privet
If you are looking for a fast-growing privacy shrub, consider the Japanese maple. This tree will grow quickly and will block the sound of neighboring homes. It grows best in zones five through eight and will produce tiny white blossoms in May. When pruned into a tree, it creates a stunning focal point in a garden or backyard. You can purchase euonymus at Home Depot or other home improvement stores.
The aforementioned plant is among the fastest growing hedges in America. This fast-growing shrub can reach a height of 3 feet per year. Its dense glossy green foliage makes it an excellent privacy screen or hedge. It tolerates shearing well, and if done early enough, will develop thick layers of branches. As with most fast-growing plants, privet requires pruning to stay healthy and attractive.
Another fast-growing privacy shrub is the columnar Norway spruce. This low-maintenance evergreen grows at a moderate rate. Its height reaches 30 feet and its spread is ten feet. It is ideal for areas with partial shade or sunlight. It is fast-growing and requires a space of approximately five feet between each tree. You can plant up to five trees at a time.
Mountain laurel
This shrub grows to over 30 feet in the wild, but tends to be much smaller in cultivation. It is a fast grower that can be propagated through cuttings or seed. However, many people opt to buy mountain laurel from nurseries. You can collect the seeds before they develop a hard seed coat and then start the germination process. Once you have collected the seeds, it will take about five to ten years before the plant blooms.
If you want privacy from neighbors, mountain laurel is the best choice for you. It is a fast growing shrub that does not require much pruning, though it may need a bit more space for sunlight and circulation. If you want to trim the shrub, cut it off after the first spring bloom. If you want to make it a little more aesthetically pleasing, you can prune it anytime. Always remember to use sterilized gardening tools when pruning mountain laurel. You should also prune off damaged or large branches.
Although mountain laurel is generally pest-free, it can be susceptible to fungal diseases. It is best planted in well-drained acidic soil to avoid fungal diseases. Be sure not to overcrowd the shrub if you want it to grow to its maximum potential. It is an excellent choice for privacy in the garden landscape, especially if you have children and don’t want the neighbors to know it’s there!
Arborvitae
If you want to plant an evergreen hedge, you should choose an arborvitae. There are several varieties of arborvitae, but not all of them grow at the same rate. Choose the ‘Emerald Green’ or ‘Green Giant’ varieties if you want a fast growing privacy hedge. They grow fast and maintain a compact conical shape. Depending on their size, an arborvitae may take up to 30 years to reach its mature height.
Another great choice for privacy is the arborvitae. Arborvitaes are fast growing evergreens that are very cold-hardy, which is great for the Northern US. They’re also drought-tolerant and require little maintenance. Arborvitaes look great in all kinds of spaces, and they’re available in various sizes at The Home Depot. They’re a great choice for people who want privacy without the hassle of trimming or caring for a hedge.
Other options for privacy plantings include yew. While it’s not as tall as arborvitae, yews are a good choice for privacy. Although they grow fast, they’ll be in the shade for a while. While they’re still fast-growing, they will provide privacy and interest throughout the year. For added privacy, consider planting an emerald green arborvitae. They reach about 10 to 15 feet tall and expand to four feet wide.
Mock orange
Mock orange is an excellent choice for fast privacy. They grow to around 3 meters and a width of 2.5 metres. They have attractive textured foliage, ranging from green to gold to variegated. Unlike other fast privacy shrubs, the Mock orange does not flower freely, instead producing a dense, fragrant scent. They are a fast privacy shrub but they may be invasive. For that reason, you should use mock orange shrubs only in areas where you want privacy.
Mock orange plants are generally sold as container-grown shrubs, but they can also be planted at any time of year. Winter is the best time to plant them because they are dormant. Make sure you plant them at the same depth and with equal soil to their container. When planting mock oranges, you should also plant them at the same depth as the container. Then, water the plants thoroughly every few days until they reach the size you need.
Mock oranges are easy to care for and moderately fast-growing shrubs. The resulting hedge or fast-growing shrub is attractive, fragrant, and provides privacy without causing much work. Country Living suggests planting them in zones five to nine. Other fast-growing shrubs for privacy are butterfly bush, hydrangea, and lilac bushes. Mock oranges can also be pruned to shape and height, with the aim of leaving about one third of the plant bare.
Twig dogwood
If you’re looking for a fast-growing hedge or tree, you should consider the red twig dogwood. With its red twigs, it creates a wall of crimson stems. They look great during winter and spring and bloom in summer. During winter and spring, they bear bright red berries and display a beautiful red bark. As a bonus, this shrub is low-maintenance and affordable, making it a good choice for privacy plantings.
Red twig dogwood is another fast-growing shrub, with a distinctive deep red bark and white blossoms in spring and summer. In fall, its foliage turns spectacular colors, including red and yellow. The bark on many varieties is distinctively red. Red twig dogwoods are fast-growing trees and shrubs in USDA zones three to seven. Twig dogwood ‘Sibirica’ is a striking addition to any landscape.
The red twig dogwood is a deciduous plant that displays a blaze of red twigs in autumn. The tree grows to nine feet tall and ten feet wide, and requires only occasional watering until its root system has established itself. Despite its reputation, it is not poisonous. Once it has established itself, the tree can be pruned to create a dense hedge or fence.
Beautyberry
A beautiful, low-maintenance plant, Beautyberry is ideal for the privacy and informality of a garden. Its low-maintenance nature makes it perfect for naturalized areas and is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 10. It grows from three to six feet tall and wide, and requires a medium-drained soil. Its flowers have four petals. In warm climates, it is easy to prune back to a smaller size.
Another fast-growing shrub, Beautyberry requires aggressive pruning early in the spring to avoid overgrown branches. It will quickly cover your garden and provide a good level of privacy within a few seasons. It also tolerates light and is an ideal choice for shady areas. Fast-growing shrubs such as Beautyberry are great for privacy gardens, as they reach maturity within a few seasons. To get the most benefit, plant them close to your house wall or windows.
When planting a beautyberry, choose the variety with the most compact form possible. Its blooms start several weeks earlier than other beautyberry varieties, allowing you to enjoy the berries throughout the shorter growing season. Its berries are small (eight-tenths of an inch across) and deep purple. The flowers appear early in summer, and then turn bright purple in the fall. Beautyberry’s fruit display has won awards since its introduction.