16 Fast-Growing Trees for Privacy

Do you have a backyard, side yard, or front yard that faces a road, is closer than you would like to your neighbor's yard, or simply isn't as private as you would like it to be? With the growing number of housing developments with homes that are situated barely a foot away from each other, there is also a growing demand for some extra added privacy. Trees are a great way to create a living wall or privacy screen so that you can feel a little more at home in your own space. Whether you aim to block an undesirable view, drown out some street noise, or shield your windows from your neighbor's prying eyes, we have a list of 16 trees for privacy that will help!

1. Blue Arrow Juniper

Blue Arrow Junipers (Juniperus scopulorum 'Blue Arrow') are fast-growing, narrow, and upright. Their foliage is a bright blue-green color and they produce silver berries in the winter. Their mature size, which takes around 10 years to reach, is approximately 12-15 feet tall and around 2 feet wide. Their dense branching makes them perfect for adding privacy to any outdoor area. They are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9, are easy to care for, low maintenance, drought tolerant, and native to North America.

Attributes: Attracts Birds, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Easy Care, Native, Winter Interest

2. Moonglow Juniper

Juniperus scopulorum 'Moonglow' have an upright, pyramidal shape with silvery-blue foliage. They have dense and compact branching and reach a mature height of approximately 10-15 feet and a mature width of approximately 4-6 feet. They are hardy to zone 3-7 and are very adaptable to a variety of climates and soil conditions. They are also native to Northern America, are drought tolerant, and will grow best in full sun.

Attributes: Attracts Birds, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Easy Care, Native

3. Skyrocket Juniper

Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' or Skyrocket Junipers have a stately, columnar growth habit that stands out and makes a statement. They are hardy to zones 4-9, grow to be 15-20 feet tall, are approximately 3-4 feet wide, have a blue-green color, and prefer to grow in full sun to partial shade. This type of evergreen tree is ideal for arid environments as it is drought tolerant. It is perfect for mass plantings and privacy screens. Be sure to plant in slightly acidic, well-draining soils for best results.

Attributes: Attracts Birds, Deer Resistant, Easy Care, Native, Winter Interest

4. Taylor Juniper

Juniperus virginiana 'Taylor' is an elegant and handsome juniper variety with a narrow, columnar form. Their dense growth makes them ideal for adding privacy to any outdoor space, and their growth habit makes for a dramatic statement wherever they are planted. These evergreen trees grow to be 25-30 feet tall and up to 3 feet wide. They are fast-growing and perform best in full sun conditions. Being hardy to zone 3-9, Taylor Juniper trees are great for cold, arid environments that experience harsh winters.

Attributes: Attracts Birds, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Easy Care, Native, Winter Interest

5. Wichita Blue Juniper

Juniperus scopulorum 'Wichita Blue' are more broad and pyramidal junipers with a beautiful silver-blue color. They are shorter varieties, only reaching 10-15 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide at maturity. The foliage of this evergreen maintains its silver sheen all year long, making it a beautiful hedge, privacy screen, background plant, or accent tree. Wichita Blue junipers are hardy to zones 3-7 and are drought tolerant, making them an excellent option for landscapes throughout Colorado and the Front Range.

Attributes: Attracts Birds, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Easy Care, Winter Interest

6. Maypole Apple Tree

Malus 'Maypole' apple trees are columnar apple trees that grow tall and skinny with many narrow side branches. They produce vibrant pink flowers in the spring and tasty edible fruit later in the season. Their fruit is generally used for cooking. The unique form of these trees allows for them to be planted in the smallest spaces. Their mature height usually falls between 8 and 10 feet tall and they are approximately 2-3 feet wide. These trees create a beautiful privacy wall, adorning any edge of your yard with vibrant spring color and attracting wildlife to the area. They grow in hardiness zone 4-8.

Attributes: Attracts Birds, Edible Fruit

7. Columnar Blue Spruce

Picea pungens 'Iseli Fastigiate', or Columnar Blue Spruce, is very similar to the popular Blue Spruce, with the main difference being its more narrow and upright form. The standard Blue Spruce tends to grow nearly as wide as it is tall, which makes this columnar variety desirable. The striking steel-blue foliage holds its color all year and they are hardy to zone 3-7, being able to withstand some of the harshest of winters. Once mature, these evergreen trees can reach up to 15-25 feet tall and 3-6 feet wide. They prefer full sun to partial sun, are drought resistant, and are able to adapt to a number of different soils.

Attributes: Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Easy Care, Winter Interest

8. Columnar Norway Spruce

Picea abies 'Cupressina', or Columnar Norway Spruce tree, is a hardy and upright evergreen that is rich in color and the perfect tree to use as a privacy screen due to its dense and narrow form. Their growth is neat, never requiring pruning, and it grows well in a variety of soils including clay heavy soils. While it is not as drought resistant as many other evergreen trees, it is very hardy, being able to withstand down to -40 degree temperatures. Columnar Norway Spruce trees reach 20-30 feet tall and 6-10 feet wide at maturity. Columnar Norway Spruce are hardy to zones 3-8.

Attributes: Fast Growing, Urban Tolerant, Deer Resistant, Easy Care

9. Blue Totem Colorado Blue Spruce

Picea pungens 'Blue Totem' is very similar to the Columnar Blue Spruce. These evergreen trees add vertical interest to any landscape and feature the coveted silver-blue foliage that Blue Spruce trees are so well-known for. This variety is tall and narrow, reaching approximately 15 feet tall and 3 feet wide at maturity. These trees are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 2 and can grow in full sun to partial shade. Their tall and narrow growth makes them an ideal selection for living privacy walls, accent trees, and more!

Attributes: Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Easy Care, Winter Interest

10. Tannenbaum Mugo Pine

Pinus mugo ‘Tannenbaum’ are highly adaptable evergreen trees that can tolerate a number of different environments and climates. They are hardy to zone 3, meaning that they are able to survive temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit. They feature dense growth and have a nice Christmas tree shape to them. Often times they are nearly as wide as they are tall, having an approximate mature size of around 15 feet tall and 12 feet wide. This type of pine tree is considered small when compared to other evergreen varieties, making it great for limited spaces or smaller yards. Its foliage is a rich green color with a slight hint of blue/grey. They are commonly used as decorative accents or as privacy screens and grow best in full sun to partial sun.

Attributes: Drought Tolerant, Easy Care, Cold Hardy

11. Hick’s Yew

Taxus x media 'Hicksii', or Hick's Yew, is an excellent evergreen shrub for a variety of uses. Its upright and narrow growth makes it perfect for tall hedges and living privacy walls as well as decorative accents. These plants can grow to be 10-12 feet tall and generally stay around 3-4 feet wide. Their foliage is rich and green year-round, and they produce little red berries in the fall which add to the decorative aspect of this evergreen. They can tolerate heavy pruning, though very little pruning maintenance is required. Hick's Yew will grow in full sun to part shade, are hardy to zone 4-7, and are drought tolerant once established. Their fast growth rate also makes these plants desirable for hedges and privacy walls.

Attributes: Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Drought Tolerant, Easy Care, Salt Tolerant, Winter Interest

12. Javelin Flowering Pear

Javelin pear trees (Pyrus ‘NCPX1’) get their name from their tall, columnar growth. The foliage emerges purple and turns to a glossy dark green as the foliage matures, and the tree produces showy white flowers in the spring. Fall colors consist of vibrant orange-red leaves. Fruit production can be rather inconsistent, and these trees are often used for ornamental purposes. It is not uncommon to see this tree along narrow streets or medians due to its narrow growth and beauty and its exceptional tolerance to urban pollution. Once they reach maturity, these trees reach approximately 35 feet tall and 10 feet wide. This also makes them great for blocking unsightly views and creating living privacy screens. Javelin flowering pear trees are fast growing and grow best in full sun conditions. They are not extremely drought tolerant and their roots should never be allowed to dry out entirely. They are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 4 and do require regular seasonal pruning and maintenance.

Attributes: Ornamental, Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Edible Fruit

13. Standing Ovation Serviceberry

This deciduous shrub (Amelanchier alnifolia ‘Obelisk’) can reach heights of 12-15 feet and grow to be 3-4 feet wide at maturity. Planted next to one another, they add privacy and beauty to any outdoor area. Their foliage is bright green and they produce clusters of little white flowers in the spring, followed by vibrant purple-red edible berries that resemble blueberries in the late spring to early summer. Their leaves turn red and orange in the fall, bringing new color to your yard as the seasons change. These shrubs are hardy to zones 4-8, should be planted in full sun, require very little pruning or maintenance, and are drought tolerant once established. Serviceberry bushes can be sensitive to constant moisture and clay soils, so be sure to amend any native Colorado soil for better drainage.

Attributes: Hedge, Edible Fruit, Attracts Birds, Bees, and Butterflies, Ornamental, Deciduous, Drought Tolerant, Easy Care

14. Ivory Spear Flowering Crabapple

This type of flowering crabapple tree (Malus 'JFS KW214MX' PP 31076) has a narrow, columnar growth habit that makes them a wonderfully ornamental tree to use in privacy screens and living walls. Their foliage is dark green and they produce an abundance of white flowers in the spring, followed by bright red fruit in the summer. The foliage turns yellow in the fall, bringing you seasonal interest regardless of the time of year. These trees are wonderfully disease resistant. They are hardy to zone 4, grow approximately 18 feet tall, and have a spread of around 7 feet. Plant Ivory Spear flowering crabapple trees in full sun for best growing results.

Attributes: Attracts Birds, Bees, and Butterflies, Ornamental, Deciduous

15. Ivory Pillar Japanese Lilac Tree

Syringa reticulata, or Japanese Lilacs, display breathtaking beauty. They feature large foliage and huge clusters of creamy-white flowers that bloom in the spring and last through the beginning of summer. They stand 20-25 feet tall and 15-20 feet wide and are often used as accent or background plants. They are hardy to zones 4-7, should be planted in full sun to partial shade, are quite drought tolerant once they are established, and attract all sorts of pollinators and other wildlife. Japanese Lilac trees are generally easy to care for and tolerant of a number of different growing conditions, making them a simple and easy option for any yard.

Attributes: Attracts Birds, Attracts Hummingbirds, Drought Tolerant, Easy Care

16. Peking Cotoneaster

Cotoneaster acutifolius are deciduous shrubs that display beautiful red and yellow leaves in the fall. They are very useful as a natural hedge or privacy screen due to their dense growth. They produce pinkish-red flowers in the spring followed by small but long-lasting black ornamental berries. These shrubs are ideal for problem areas as they thrive in poor soil conditions and require little maintenance. They can be allowed to grow naturally or can be sheered for a more intentional shape. Peking Cotoneaster shrubs prefer to be planted in full sun, though they can tolerate part shade and are somewhat drought resistant once established. Growing approximately 6-8 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide, these bushes are deer resistant and hardy to zone 3.

Attributes: Attracts Birds, Deer Resistant, Easy Care, Winter Interest, Deciduous

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No matter what you are looking for, whether it is fast growing privacy trees, blooming privacy trees, evergreen privacy trees, and more, we have tons of suggestions for you and are here to help make your space more comfortable. If you are in need of some trees for privacy, check out our online store and get delivery to your home! Contact us today or come into the Garden Center if you need help finding the perfect trees for your space.