17 Fast-Growing Privacy Trees to Plant in Your Yard (2024)

Gardening

Trees

Add privacy and aesthetics to your landscape with these trees

Ashlyn Needham

Ashlyn is a freelance writer with 6 years of experience covering home-related content. She holds an English degree from Appalachian State University, and loves blending her passions of writing and home decor into compelling, helpful reads.

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Published on 03/28/24

Tree Selection Tips for Beginners

Before selecting any fast-growing privacy tree to plant in your yard, remember to choose a type that aligns with your hardiness growing zone while also considering the full size when the tree is done growing.
Some homes—specifically, those in an HOA neighborhood—have to adhere to certain regulations regarding sizing and yard placement.
Some privacy trees get bushy and extend outwards, so you don't want a tree that's too close to your home or underground utility lines.

17 Fast-Growing Privacy Trees You Should Plant in Your Yard

01 of 17
Hybrid Poplar

Hybrid poplars make excellent privacy trees for their fast growth and ease of maintenance. When they reach full maturity, these deciduous trees sit up to 50 ft. tall and produce an oval shape that does wonders for the visual interest in your yard's landscape.
One of their most notable features is that they're disease-resistant and able to grow in a variety of hardiness zones. Just give these babies full sun (at least 6 hours a day) and watch them grow a few feet every year.
- USDA Growing Zone: 3-8
- Growth Rate: 5-8 ft. per year
- Mature Height: 40-50 ft tall.; 30-35 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Full sun; partial shade
02 of 17
Green Giant Arborvitae

With their Christmas tree-like shape, it's no wonder why the green giant arborvitae is a favorite for privacy trees. These evergreen trees provide the ultimate view block from your yard with their lush branches that can reach between 12-20 ft. wide.
See Also
12 Cheap Fast Growing Privacy Trees, Hedges And Shrubs The Best Privacy Hedges: Shrubs and Trees for Privacy (Pictures) » Golden Spike Company 15 of the Best Native Trees and Shrubs for Privacy The 15 Best Trees and Shrubs to Grow for Backyard Privacy
They're very adaptable to soil types and easy to maintain as they can tolerate nearly any kind of weather. All they require is full sun to partial shade and to sit at least 5-6 ft. apart from others in its row.
- USDA Growing Zone: 5-8
- Growth Rate: 3-5 ft. per year
- Mature Height: 40-60 ft. tall; 12-20 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Full sun; partial shade
03 of 17
Eastern Red Cedar

Eastern red cedars have a similar pyramid shape as the green giant arborvitae but with branches that extend upwards instead of out.
Evergreen and in the cypress family, they don't grow as tall, but still grow tall enough to serve as an excellent natural fence around your home while adding subtle color from the blue-green leaves.
To grow properly, make sure to plant these trees in an area where they can get full sun to reach their 30-40 ft. tall mature size quickly.
- USDA Growing Zone: 2-9
- Growth Rate: 1-2 ft. per year
- Mature Height: 30-40 ft. tall; 8-20 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Full sun
04 of 17
Leyland Cypress

Notable for their fast-growing time and tall height, the evergreen leyland cypress is a popular pick for privacy trees. They're low maintenance and drought-tolerant, but do require pruning at the beginning of spring to keep them from overgrowing. We particularly love the extension of the branches that adds texture to the look of your yard, and the lush greenery.
- USDA Growing Zone: 6-10
- Growth Rate: 3-5 ft. per year
- Mature Height: 60-70 ft. tall; 10-15 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Full sun
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05 of 17
Emerald Green Arborvitae

Technically a shrub, the emerald green arborvitae still makes our list of the best fast-growing privacy trees. They're prefect for smaller yards if you're limited on space or want a tree option that doesn't grow as tall while still getting little maintenance needs and strong durability.
These evergreen shrubs sport a glossy appearance to spruce your yard fence further and love being in the full sun though they can handle partial shade.
- USDA Growing Zone: 3-8
- Growth Rate: 1-2 ft. pet year
- Mature Height: 10-15 ft. tall; 3-4 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Full sun; partial shade
06 of 17
Wax Myrtle

The wax myrtle is another evergreen tree that is beloved for privacy screens. These trees contain dense foliage and grow just as fast as others on our list without reaching an enormous height.
While others on our list sport only lush greenery, these shrubs combine olive green leaves with a hint of color from the flowers it produces in the spring. The only special maintenance needs for these trees is regular pruning to keep it at your specific height.
- USDA Growing Zone: 7-10
- Growth Rate: 3-5 ft. per year
- Mature Height: 20-25 ft. tall; 8-10 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Full sun; partial shade
07 of 17
Areca Palm

Create a beachy look outside your home with the easy-to-care-for Areca palm tree. These leafy evergreen trees are whimsical and fun, plus they reach between 15-40 ft. tall to give you the perfect height privacy.
Though Areca palm trees are easy to grow and care for, they do have one specific requirement: bright areas with indirect lighting to keep their leaves from crisping and browning.
- USDA Growing Zone: 9-11
- Growth Rate: 2-3 ft. per year
- Mature Height: 15-40 ft. tall; 3-4 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Bright, indirect light
08 of 17
Dawn Redwood

The dawn redwood, a deciduous tree, provides more for your yard than complete blockage and noise reduction qualities. These trees are wonderful for natural life like birds and deer and also makes the area look full with the extended brands of green foliage.
Plus, for even more yard visuals, these trees turn a beautiful shade of red in the fall for natural seasonal decor.
- USDA Growing Zone: 4-8
- Growth Rate: 2-4 ft. per year
- Mature Height: 50-60 ft. tall; 20-25 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Full sun
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09 of 17
Chinese Tallow Tree

We love the idea of utilizing a Chinese tallow tree as a natural privacy screen along the edge of your yard or the back corner away from the house (unless you want to constantly sweep up fallen flowers throughout the year).
These quick-growing deciduous trees also change colors in the fall but produce full foliage throughout the spring and summer for seclusion. The only maintenance request these trees have is to be in the full sun and moist soil from consistent watering.
- USDA Growing Zone: 8-11
- Growth Rate: 7-13 ft. per year
- Mature Height: 24-35 ft. tall; 3 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Full sun; partial shade
See Also
18 Best Privacy Shrubs and Fast Growing Privacy Plants You Don't Know
10 of 17
Yellow Oleander

How joyful would this tropical, evergreen shrub by in your yard? Sporting dark green foliage with tiny yellow trumpet flowers, these trees give your yard the privacy you're wanting while adding a subtle splash of color. The best part is that they grow rather quickly and is low maintenance.
- USDA Growing Zone: 8-10
- Growth Rate: 1-2 ft. per year
- Mature Height: 8-12 ft. tall; 8-12 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Full sun; partial shade
Warning
Yellow oleander trees are toxic to humans and some animals, so remember to use caution when planting this tree.
11 of 17
Italian Cypress

The slender form of the evergreen Italian cypress trees is one of our favorite aspects of this plant. Not only are their mature height perfect for a privacy screen, these trees also add visual interest to the landscape of your yard year round. Since they prefer to grow in rather dry conditions, these trees are drought-tolerant and don't require much maintenance other than regular pruning to preserve their slender shape.
- USDA Growing Zone: 7-10
- Growth Rate: 1-3 ft. per year
- Mature Height: 50-115 ft. tall; 3-10 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Full sun
12 of 17
Bald Cypress

If you live in a wetter climate, then the bald cypress is a great pick for your fast-growing privacy tree since their wetter adaptability makes them able to withstand insect infestations or diseases. These deciduous trees turn a striking shade of fiery orange in the fall, but lose their leaves early into the season.
- USDA Growing Zone: 4-11
- Growth Rate: 1-2 ft. per year
- Mature Height: 100-120 ft. tall; 3-6 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Full sun
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13 of 17
Lombardy Poplars

If you want to still have privacy during the winter, we recommend going with a Lombardy poplar. These fast-growing deciduous trees hold up to wind very well and have extensive branches with dense foliage for year-round coverage.
The only downside is that they're high-maintenance. Be ready to plant this tree in a full-sun area with well-drained soil that gets consistently watered and pruned twice a year.
- USDA Growing Zone: 3-9
- Growth Rate: 6-12 ft. per year
- Mature Height: 40-70 ft. tall; 10-12 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Full sun
14 of 17
Japanese Pagoda Tree

The Japanese pagoda tree is a deciduous plant that contains all the elements of a great privacy tree: bushy foliage and tall height. These trees add extra color in with the light flowers that bloom in the summer. Drought-tolerant, these trees are easy to maintain and grow.
- USDA Growing Zone: 4-8
- Growth Rate: 25 cm. per year
- Mature Height: 50-75 ft. tall; 50-75 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Full sun; partial shade
15 of 17
Tulip Tree

The tulip tree sure makes our best fast-growing privacy tree list with its bountiful coverage and tiny orange and white tulip flowers that bloom in the late spring through early summer. On top of the vibrant color this tree produces, this deciduous tree grows easily as long as it's in full sun and well-drained soil.
- USDA Growing Zone: 4-9
- Growth Rate: 2-3 ft. per year
- Mature Height: 60-150 ft. tall; 2-5 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Full sun
16 of 17
Lemon Bottlebrush

The lemon bottlebrush is an evergreen shrub that, unlike the name, does not sport bright yellow colors. Instead, it showcases red blooms that resemble the shape of a bottle brush (hence the name), and is perfect to grow in areas that are hotter and dryer since it's drought and heat-tolerant.
- USDA Growing Zone: 8-11
- Growth Rate: 25 cm. per year
- Mature Height: 15-25 ft. tall; 15-20 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Full sun
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17 of 17
Southern Catalpa

Southern catalpa are stunning perennial deciduous trees perfect for privacy in a backyard. With their abundance of full branches (and tall height) comes an excellent shade spot underneath the foliage. We love the white flowers that blossom between May and July. Just don't forget to prune these trees in the late spring once leaves have started to fall.
- USDA Growing Zone: 5-9
- Growth Rate: 1-2 ft. per year
- Mature Height: 30-60 ft. tall; 20-40 ft. wide
- Sunlight: Full sun; partial shade

FAQ

What are some common, fast-growing privacy trees?

A few common selections for fast-growing privacy trees include hybrid poplars, silver maple, giant arborvitae, and Leyland cypress.
What tree has the fastest growth rate?

One of the fastest-growing trees is thePaulownia tree(Paulownia elongata or Paulownia fortunei) They can grow up to 10 feet in one year under the right conditions.

10 DIY Privacy Screen Plans

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3004167/#:~:text=The%20Yellow%20Oleander%20contains%20at%20least%20eight%20different%20cardiac%20glycosides.&text=All%20parts%20of%20the%20plant,poisoning%20worldwide%2C%20particularly%20among%20children.

17 Fast-Growing Privacy Trees to Plant in Your Yard (2024)

Tree Selection Tips for Beginners

17 Fast-Growing Privacy Trees You Should Plant in Your Yard

Hybrid Poplar

Green Giant Arborvitae

Eastern Red Cedar

Leyland Cypress

Emerald Green Arborvitae

Wax Myrtle

Areca Palm

Dawn Redwood

Chinese Tallow Tree

Yellow Oleander

Warning

Italian Cypress

Bald Cypress

Lombardy Poplars

Japanese Pagoda Tree

Tulip Tree

Lemon Bottlebrush

Southern Catalpa

References