Creating landscaping privacy doesn’t have to mean waiting forever or shelling out for a pricey fence. Fast growing privacy plants can be a surprisingly effective (and beautiful!) way to block nosy neighbors and are often considered the best plants for natural fence solutions. With the right privacy bush ideas, you could have a lush, secluded retreat after just a couple of seasons.
Whether you are looking to plant a formal bush hedge or establish a dense privacy tree wall, these varieties shoot up and fill out much faster than traditional slow-growing plants. Selecting low maintenance privacy shrubs or tall growing bushes depends on your climate, space, and how much you want to handle upkeep.
You can use tall shrubs for landscaping to create effective shrub fencing, choosing between evergreen options for year-round cover or deciduous tall growing shrubs that change with the seasons. From vines to thickets, you’ve got plenty of fast-growing options to weigh for your specific privacy needs.
1) Bamboo
Bamboo is hard to beat if you want a privacy screen that goes up in a hurry. Some types can shoot up several feet in a single season, so you won’t be waiting long for a thick, green wall between you and the world.
Clumping bamboo is the way to go for most yards, as it grows in neat clusters instead of running wild all over your lawn. Bamboo’s pretty adaptable, thriving in different climates and soils, and once it settles in, it barely needs you. Plus, it’s green all year, which is always a win.
2) Leyland Cypress
The Leyland Cypress is a classic for privacy, as it’s one of the fastest growing evergreens out there, with growth rates of 3 to 5 feet a year. That dense, soft foliage stays green all year and naturally forms a thick, pyramidal shape that blocks out unwanted views and noise.
This tree can handle a range of soil types and even puts up with drought once it’s settled in.
3) Arborvitae
Arborvitae, especially Green Giant Arborvitae (if you want BIG!), is another rapid-growing evergreen for privacy. In good conditions, expect 3 to 5 feet of growth each year; pretty impressive for a tree.
They develop a tidy, pyramidal shape, usually without much pruning. Mature trees can hit 50 to 60 feet tall and spread out 12 to 20 feet. The deep green foliage gives you a solid screen year-round, and it’s tough enough to handle different soils and even serve as a windbreak.
4) Italian Cypress
Italian Cypress shoots up 3 to 5 feet a year when it’s happy, so it’s a favorite for instant vertical privacy. With their tall, skinny shape (approx. 40 to 70 feet tall but only 6 to 10 feet wide) they’re perfect along driveways or property lines if you’re after that Mediterranean vibe.
They thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, and once they’re established, you barely have to think about them. Their drought tolerance and dense blue-green foliage mean you get year-round coverage without a lot of fuss.
5) Privet
Privet shrubs are a go-to for quick privacy hedges. They’re tough, grow fast, and if you plant them 2 to 4 feet apart, they’ll merge into a solid green wall in just a couple seasons.
They’re easy to shape with a little trimming, and after an initial period of regular watering, they don’t ask for much. Once mature, they’re pretty low maintenance.
6) Wax Myrtle
Wax Myrtle is a speedy evergreen that fills in fast for privacy. It’s adaptable, handles poor soil, and shrugs off drought once it gets going.
The aromatic leaves naturally repel pests. Maintenance? Not much. Wax Myrtle is especially handy in coastal areas, and its bushy growth quickly closes gaps without much pruning.
7) Red Tip Photinia
Red Tip Photinia can shoot up to 10-15 feet tall and 5-8 feet wide, making it a solid choice for privacy. The new red leaves in spring are a nice bonus before they turn a shiny green.
Space them 4 to 6 feet apart in well-draining soil for best results. They’re pretty flexible about sunlight and soil, and they grow fast enough to get your screen up in a reasonable time.
8) Forsythia
Forsythia is a real overachiever, often adding a couple feet in height each year. Its dense branching and wide leaves make for a good seasonal screen.
Early spring brings a riot of yellow blooms before the leaves even show up. If you want privacy and a jolt of color, forsythia delivers both.
9) Carolina Cherry Laurel
Carolina Cherry Laurel is an evergreen with thick, shiny green leaves. It grows fast, 15 to 25 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide, so it’s a good candidate for hedges or borders.
It thrives in full sun to partial shade and puts out fragrant white flowers in spring, then black berries in fall. Not just a privacy plant, but a bit of a show-off, too.
10) Nellie Stevens Holly
Nellie Stevens Holly is a tough, fast grower (2 to 3 feet per year!) and makes a dense evergreen screen. It tops out around 10 to 20 feet tall, and you don’t have to do much to keep it looking great.
The glossy, dark green leaves look sharp year-round, and the bright red berries are a nice bonus for both you and the birds. Plant them along property lines or as a formal hedge for privacy and wind protection.
11) Eastern Red Cedar
Eastern Red Cedar is a native evergreen that gives you solid privacy all year. It grows about 1 to 2 feet per year and can eventually reach 40 to 50 feet tall, with a spread of 10 to 20 feet.
The dense, aromatic foliage is a natural pest deterrent. It adapts to a wide range of soils, and once it’s established, it pretty much takes care of itself. Plus, being native means it supports local wildlife and fits right in with the ecosystem.
12) Monte Casino Aster
Monte Casino Aster is great for low privacy borders, growing up to 3 feet tall and forming a dense, bushy shape. The small white daisy-like flowers appear from summer through fall, making for a soft, natural screen.
It likes full sun and regular water but isn’t too picky about soil, even clay or alkaline soils are fine. After blooming, cut it back and it’ll come back from the base. Hardy to zone 5 and a magnet for pollinators.
13) Japanese Maple
Japanese maples bring elegance and color to privacy screens. Depending on the variety, they can grow 10 to 25 feet tall, so be sure to pick upright types like ‘Fall’s Fire’ if you want faster coverage.
They prefer slightly acidic, well-draining soil and do best in partial shade to full sun. Plant in spring or fall, keep them watered while young, and mulch to hold in moisture. They’re not the fastest on this list, but the payoff in beauty is worth it.
14) Indian Hawthorn
Indian hawthorn is a compact evergreen shrub, usually 3 to 7 feet tall, with a dense, rounded shape. It sports glossy leaves and clusters of flowers in spring, so it looks good all year.
This plant handles drought, salt spray, and coastal conditions with ease. Use it as a low hedge, a divider between garden areas, or group several together for privacy in warmer climates.
15) Eastern White Pine
Eastern White Pine is a native North American evergreen that grows fast (~ 1 to 3 feet a year) and can reach 50 to 80 feet tall when mature. That’s some serious screening power.
The soft, blue-green needles grow in bundles of five, giving the tree a softer look than most evergreens. It’s self-mulching, too, so it’s not much work once established.
16) Thuja Occidentalis (Eastern Arborvitae)
Eastern Arborvitae is a classic needled evergreen, native to eastern Canada and the northeastern U.S. Its dense, conical shape makes it a favorite for hedges and windbreaks.
It grows steadily and doesn’t need much from you. This tree tolerates a range of soils, including clay (yep, even clay), and its evergreen foliage keeps your screen looking good all year. A solid, reliable choice for privacy.
17) Loropetalum
Loropetalum, or Chinese fringe flower, is a pretty option for privacy screens thanks to its dense evergreen leaves. It grows fast enough to create a barrier, and some varieties have deep burgundy or purple foliage for extra flair.
Spring brings wild pink fringe-like flowers. Loropetalum is adaptable, thriving in full sun or partial shade, and doesn’t demand much upkeep (low maintenance is always good!). Great for busy folks who still want a bit of style.
18) Winterberry Holly
Winterberry holly grows between 3 and 15 feet tall and spreads out to form a natural screen. It’s deciduous, with dark green leaves in the growing season and bright red berries that stick around through winter.
For berries, you’ll need one male for every five female plants. It handles wet soils and doesn’t need much attention once it’s established. Prune in late winter before new growth kicks in, but don’t go overboard, removing about a third is plenty.
19) Nandina Domestica (Heavenly Bamboo)
Nandina domestica, better known as heavenly bamboo, is an evergreen shrub with slender, cane-like stems and delicate-looking leaves. Despite what the name suggests, it’s not actually bamboo, but it does pull off that bamboo vibe if you need some privacy in your yard.
The plant produces white flowers in spring, and then those eye-catching red berries stick around through winter. Its leaves change up their color as the months go by, sometimes green, sometimes red, sometimes with a purplish tint, so it never feels dull.
Heavenly bamboo doesn’t ask for much and seems happy in all sorts of spots. It works for borders, mass plantings, or just as a standout screen in the landscape if you want something a little different.
20) Cherry Laurel
Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is one of those go-to evergreens if you want privacy fast. It tends to put on a couple feet a year, so you won’t be waiting ages for a dense hedge to pop up.
The leaves are glossy and deep green, and honestly, they look good no matter the season. What’s nice is, it doesn’t mind whether it’s in full sun or tucked into a shadier spot, so you’ve got options for where to plant it.
This plant’s pretty handy as a privacy screen, or even a sound barrier if you’re dealing with street noise, and it makes a solid visual border for the yard.
