If you cherish your privacy and want to ward off noise pollution from your street, planting evergreen privacy trees and shrubs around your yard is a great way to create a barrier between your home and the outside world.
A line of evergreen trees or shrubs can provide year-round seclusion even better than a fence, because there are no municipal restrictions on how high they can grow. (Towns usually require permits for a fence over 6 feet tall.) However, if there are power lines above your screen, you don’t want trees so big that they’ll grow into the wires. Also pay attention to their width at maturity; the spacing between trunks when you plant should equal mature width.
While the ideal growing conditions vary by species, one thing all these evergreens have in common is a love of the sun. Give them at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day and their foliage will remain full and keep your privacy intact.
Read on to learn about some of the best evergreen trees and shrubs that are low maintenance, beautiful and easy to plant in your yard.
Shown: For more information on the Green Giant arborvitae shown here, see the next image.
Evergreen Plants For Privacy
Plant an Evergreen Screen
How to do it: Plant an evergreen privacy screen on the north side of your house to block winter winds. Arborvitae ‘Green Giant’ can climb 3 feet in one year.
Estimated cost: $92 for two; Jackson & Perkins
Leyland Cypress
(x Cupressocyparis leylandii)
Foliage: Taking a broad to tapering form, this dense hybrid has smooth bark with dark green to grayish fans of foliage.
Dimensions at Maturity: Grows up to 70 feet high and 15 feet wide in planting zones 6 to 10.
Spacing: 15 feet
Rocky Mountain Juniper
(Juniperus scopulorum ‘Wichita Blue’)
Foliage: Bright blue-gray needles cover this shrub, which takes a pyramidal form with exfoliating red-brown bark.
Dimensions at Maturity: Grows up to 30 feet high and 6 feet wide in planting zones 3 to 7.
Spacing: 6 feet
Italian Cypress
(Cupressus sempervirens)
Foliage: A tall, narrow conifer, it forms a dense column of gray-green to dark green needles and upright branches.
Dimensions at Maturity: Grows up to 70 feet high and 20 feet wide in planting zones 7 to 10.
Spacing: 20 feet
White Spruce
(Picea glauca)
Foliage: This narrow, conical-shaped tree has stiff blue-green needles and gray-brown bark.
Dimensions at Maturity: Grows up to 60 feet high and 20 feet wide in planting zones 3 to 6.
Spacing: 20 feet
Hicksii Yew
(Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’)
Foliage: The soft needles form a dense, dark green barrier, but can brown with exposure to winter winds.
Dimensions at Maturity: Grows up to 20 feet high and 12 feet wide in planting zones 4 to 7.
Spacing: 12 feet
American Holly
(Ilex opaca)
Foliage: A narrow shrub with a pencil-like form, it has multiple stems covered in glossy dark green leaves. Small green-white flowers show up in spring.
Dimensions at Maturity: Grows up to 10 feet high and 3 feet wide in planting zones 6 to 8.
Spacing: 3 feet
Japanese Holly
(Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’)
Foliage: A narrow shrub with a pencil-like form, it has multiple stems covered in glossy dark green leaves. Small green-white flowers show up in spring.
Dimensions at Maturity: Grows up to 10 feet high and 3 feet wide in planting zones 6 to 8.
Spacing: 3 feet
Western Red Cedar
(Thuja plicata)
Foliage: A large tree with reddish-brown bark, it grows in a conical shape that broadens with age.
Dimensions at Maturity: Reaches up to 70 feet high and 25 feet wide in planting zones 5 to 7.
Spacing: 25 feet
Techny Arborvitae
(Thuja occidentalis ‘Techny’)
Foliage: This dwarfed, compact arborvitae keeps its color all winter.
Dimensions at Maturity: Grows up to 15 feet high and 10 feet wide in planting zones 2 to 8.
Spacing: 10 feet
Emerald Green Arborvitae
(Thuja occidentalis ‘Smargd’)
Foliage: This semidwarf shrub forms a compact, narrow pyramid of bright green foliage in flat fans.
Dimensions at Maturity: Grows up to 14 feet high and 4 feet wide in planting zones 2 to 7.
Spacing: 4 feet
Eastern Red Cedar
(Juniperus virginiana)
Foliage: Broad, conical tree with horizontal branching covered in dark blue-green scale-like foliage and gray to reddish-brown exfoliating bark.
Dimensions at Maturity: Grows up to 65 feet high and 25 feet wide in planting zones 2 to 9.
Spacing: 25 feet
Nigra Arborvitae
(Thuja occidentalis ‘Nigra’)
Foliage: A conical or narrow pyramidal tree with flat, dark green needles.
Dimensions at Maturity: Grows up to 30 feet tall and 10 feet wide in planting zones 3 to 7.
Spacing: 10 feet
Smooth Cypress
(Cupressus arizonica var. glabra)
Foliage: This drought-tolerant conifer has smooth, reddish-purple bark and pointed blue-gray needles.
Dimensions at Maturity: Grows up to 50 feet high and 12 feet wide in planting zones 7 to 9.
Spacing: 12 feet
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Evergreen Privacy Trees and Shrubs
The article discusses the benefits of planting evergreen privacy trees and shrubs to create a barrier between your home and the outside world. These plants provide year-round seclusion and can be more effective than fences, as there are no height restrictions imposed by municipalities.
Ideal Growing Conditions
To ensure the health and privacy provided by these evergreen plants, it is important to provide them with the ideal growing conditions. One common requirement among these plants is direct sunlight for at least 6 hours a day. This will help keep their foliage full and maintain your privacy.
Choosing the Right Evergreen Plants
The article mentions several evergreen trees and shrubs that are low maintenance, beautiful, and easy to plant in your yard. Here are some of the plants mentioned, along with their characteristics:
- Leyland Cypress (x Cupressocyparis leylandii): This dense hybrid has smooth bark with dark green to grayish fans of foliage. It can grow up to 70 feet high and 15 feet wide .
- Rocky Mountain Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum ‘Wichita Blue’): This shrub has bright blue-gray needles and takes a pyramidal form with exfoliating red-brown bark. It can grow up to 30 feet high and 6 feet wide.
- Italian Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens): This tall, narrow conifer forms a dense column of gray-green to dark green needles and upright branches. It can grow up to 70 feet high and 20 feet wide.
- White Spruce (Picea glauca): This narrow, conical-shaped tree has stiff blue-green needles and gray-brown bark. It can grow up to 60 feet high and 20 feet wide.
- Hicksii Yew (Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’): This shrub has soft needles that form a dense, dark green barrier. It can grow up to 20 feet high and 12 feet wide.
- American Holly (Ilex opaca): This narrow shrub has glossy dark green leaves and small green-white flowers in spring. It can grow up to 10 feet high and 3 feet wide.
- Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’): This narrow shrub also has glossy dark green leaves and small green-white flowers in spring. It can grow up to 10 feet high and 3 feet wide.
- Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata): This large tree has reddish-brown bark and grows in a conical shape. It can reach up to 70 feet high and 25 feet wide.
- Techny Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Techny’): This dwarfed, compact arborvitae keeps its color all winter. It can grow up to 15 feet high and 10 feet wide.
- Emerald Green Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Smargd’): This semidwarf shrub forms a compact, narrow pyramid of bright green foliage. It can grow up to 14 feet high and 4 feet wide.
- Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana): This broad, conical tree has horizontal branching covered in dark blue-green scale-like foliage and gray to reddish-brown exfoliating bark. It can grow up to 65 feet high and 25 feet wide.
- Nigra Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Nigra’): This conical or narrow pyramidal tree has flat, dark green needles. It can grow up to 30 feet tall and 10 feet wide.
- Smooth Cypress (Cupressus arizonica var. glabra): This drought-tolerant conifer has smooth, reddish-purple bark and pointed blue-gray needles. It can grow up to 50 feet high and 12 feet wide.
These are just a few examples of evergreen trees and shrubs that can provide privacy and beauty to your yard. It's important to consider the specific growing conditions in your area and choose plants that are suitable for your climate and soil type.
I hope this information helps you in creating a private and serene environment in your yard! Let me know if you have any more questions.
