The Best Trees for Privacy in Your Yard
Looking for trees that provide privacy from the wrong kind of neighborhood watch?
Planting a natural privacy fence is a sustainable, eco-friendly alternative to a hardscaped privacy fence , and that’s not the only positive, according to Alex Kantor of Perfect Plants Nursery:
“The benefits of using trees for privacy are endless. They have low-maintenance qualities, help seclude you from nosy neighbors, provide lush green landscape year-round (especially if they are evergreen), shield your property from wind and noise, create shade and offer beautiful scenery to view.”
Alex Kantor | Perfect Plants
There are a lot of options and factors to keep in mind when planning to build a tree fence . “While traditional fences can be installed almost anywhere, a ‘green fence’ needs sunlight and water to thrive,” says Missy Henriksen of the National Association of Landscape Professionals .
Find the right trees to block your neighbors with this full breakdown of the most popular privacy tree options.
Top 10 Trees for a Natural Privacy Fence
1. Eastern Redcedar
For a large, rugged privacy tree that provides full coverage, the Eastern Redcedar is the conifer for you. “Evergreen plants like broadleafs or conifers are generally a good choice for year-round effectiveness,” according to Henriksen, making this durable juniper a great tree fence option. Its red, aromatic wood and thick foliage will give your backyard an earthy fragrance and attract local birds and other wildlife.
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2. Hybrid Willow Tree
The Hybrid Willow has a growth rate of 6 to 10 feet per year, and this disease-resistant plant typically reaches its mature height in just five years. They were bred to quickly form a thick wall that blocks out neighbors and noise. These privacy trees grow well even in cold environments, and their dense foliage makes them great windbreak trees. They’re also great for drying out swampy soil.
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3. Leyland Cypress
One of the most popular trees for privacy, the Leyland Cypress is a beautiful, fast-growing evergreen that is great for solid, full coverage in large backyards. They have been known to reach heights of 50 feet in just 15 years. When planted in a row, they create an impenetrable mass of branches that make them great trees for screening wind, snow and even noise.
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4. Spartan Juniper
If your yard can’t accommodate some of the larger privacy fence trees, the Spartan Juniper is a great option for mid-sized backyards. Planted in a row, Spartan Junipers provide a stately, uniform look to any backyard, and their compact foliage makes them effective windbreak trees.
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5. Sky Pencil Holly
Looking for trees that provide privacy while taking up very little space? The Sky Pencil Holly is the right plant for you. With a mature height between 8 to 10 feet tall and a width of just 2 feet, Sky Pencil Hollies act as the ultimate space-saving privacy fence trees while still providing solid protection from wind, noise and wandering eyes.
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6. Green Giant Thuja (Arborvitae)
The Green Giant Thuja is widely considered one of the best trees for privacy, making it a fan favorite in many backyards. “Thujas are one of our most popular trees,” says Kantor. “They are extremely fast-growing, provide privacy quickly and are also cold hardy. They can survive in a multitude of climates and are not affected by many pests or diseases.”
Their uniform, cone-like shape and consistent annual growth rate of 3 to 5 feet make for a polished tree privacy fence that requires very little pruning to maintain. You can trim the tops regularly for a classic, French Renaissance feel or leave them alone for a more natural look.
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7. Emerald Green Thuja (Arborvitae)
With a mature height of just 12 to 14 feet, the Emerald Green Thuja offers the classic beauty of its giant cousin at half the size. Their controlled growth rate of just 6 to 9 inches per year makes them a great choice for landscaping areas that are limited on space.
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8. Flowering Dogwood
Flowering Dogwoods are great privacy trees for those looking for seasonal coverage with a pop of color. Dogwoods come in a variety of colors including white, pink and red, and their ornamental berries will make your backyard popular with local robins, cardinals and blue jays.
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9. Weeping Podocarpus
These fast-growing, woody evergreens are a popular privacy tree choice in places like Florida and California. Weeping Podocarpus trees have plush, billowing foliage and work well as spot privacy trees or in a full natural privacy fence.
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10. Goldspire Ginkgo
For privacy trees that are as beautiful as they are functional, try lining your yard with Goldspire Ginkgo. These unique trees take on a narrow, pyramidal shape with their deep green summertime leaves giving way to stunning golden hues each fall.
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What are the Best Privacy Trees for Your Backyard?
“When selecting plants for a fence, it’s important to take into consideration the specific region of the country where you live,” says Henriksen. If you’re ever unsure about a tree’s fit, just ask a nearby landscape expert . They have extensive knowledge of trees that provide privacy and that will also thrive in your local climate.
Take measurements and have a few pictures of your backyard on hand so they have some idea of the space you’re working with. And always remember that good tree fences make good neighbors.
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