What type of tree should I plant for privacy?

[bimmerfrk]

I live in an HOA community and we are not allowed to put up fences except around a pool. This is law, I think.

My house already has Christmas tree looking pines around the property to give me privacy. However, my neighbors are selling, and I want even more. I’ll plant shrubs, trees, or whatever someone in the know recommends since I'm not up on my tree game.

What can I plant that's bushy as f*ck, tall, and grows quickly?

Pics to follow in am ‘cause it's dark.

[overcoil]

https://www.lovethegarden.com/uk-en/...hedges-privacy


I had Laurel at my home I liked them very much.

[Sassicaia]

Consider box woods. You can essentially make a wall around your place with them if you want in place of a fence

[2000cs]

laurel grows fast and makes a good year round screen. Theves Poplar (I believe Theves is the correct variety) also grows fast, is taller (columnar tree). Holly makes a better year-round screen and isn’t fun to go through - but the best screen for that is blackberries!

Really lots of good choices depending on your local climate and soil. Go to a good nursery/garden center (not big box) and talk to them about options.

[chassis]

Boxwoods grow slowly and most are not tall.

Where are you located? Can’t see in the mobile interface. Shrub and tree recommendations are highly climate/region/zone dependent.

[smrtypants44]

Ive always heard red tipped photinias are fast growing and good hedge shrubs

[Lucky John]

It depends on what you want for the final look, but I recommend Leyland Cypress. they will grow 2-3 feet a year.

[bimmerfrk]

Originally Posted by chassis

Boxwoods grow slowly and most are not tall.

Where are you located? Can’t see in the mobile interface. Shrub and tree recommendations are highly climate/region/zone dependent.

Thanks guys for suggestions I'm in NJ 45 min south of NYC.

[spazzyfry123]

Originally Posted by Lucky John

It depends on what you want for the final look, but I recommend Leyland Cypress. they will grow 2-3 feet a year.

Another vote. Planted them at a previous house and you can’t see through those things. I’d say they were 25 ft+ tall when we left.

[Alfisti]

I have the same question, birch in my front yard is nearly dead and want to replace it with one or two trees. Not cedars but nice plump trees. Not too tall though, i don't like trees that are a risk to the house.

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I have the same question, birch in my front yard is nearly dead and want to replace it with one or two trees. Not cedars but nice plump trees. Not too tall though, i don't like trees that are a risk to the house.

Where I am in the States local Universities often have an AgriculturaL Extension that recommend trees that are native (as opposed to invasive species) to the area.

[B58 parts]

I have the same problem my deck is exposed to the side street. My landscaper he suggested "a Dawn redwood" is the fastest-growing and will give good privacy and it even grows in the Northeast. He said you can buy them kinda big already, like a couple years old. I haven't looked into it but that's what he suggested. I think I figured out the spots to plant the stuff yesterday

[iminhell1]

Lilac for privacy up to about 7-8 feet.
Arborvitae for anything above that. Most people keep them short but they can grow pretty tall.

[jsf721]

Big green monsters or arbovities

[2000cs]

We have a screen of tall Globe Giants but they really need 6-8 ft all around, so they consume a lot of yard. We had a fence row of Arborvitae but it was a wet area where rainwater collects and they drowned. Arbs like drier soil. We replaced them with Laurel and they are loving it. We have Arbs elsewhere, in dry spots, and they do great.

September is a great month to plant. Roots grow over the winter and the plants start strong in Spring. Inventory is often low at the nursery, however.

[chassis]

Originally Posted by bimmerfrk

Thanks guys for suggestions I'm in NJ 45 min south of NYC.

bimmerfrk In your region, boxwoods hardly grow at all and are often affected adversely by winter. You need to view all of the posts on this thread with caution, because what works in Seattle, or SF or LA, Houston or Atlanta WILL NOT WORK in NYC. People who live in warm climates, and that have never lived in cold climates, have no idea about winter and spring snow, freeze and frost.

I lived for 14 years in southeast PA, about an hour west of Philadelphia. So nearly the same climate as NYC.

Look around your neighbors, and see what grows well.

Suggestions: burning bush (Euonymus alatus) or pussywillow (genus Salix) grow very well. These are shrubs that with proper clearance and mostly full sun, grow relatively densely and in a more or less spherical shape unless pruned otherwise.

The timeless favorite Arbor vitae (cedar) also works in your area, but is not terribly fast growing. You can buy them as tall as you like to address the slower growth, but taller = more expense and more difficult to transport and plant.

American holly is a nice tree with dense foliage. If you go this route, buy them in even numbered pairs and ask for a male and a female tree for each pair.

How much sun does your target spot have? Level ground or sloped? Soil condition (clay, rock, etc.)? Exposed to wind? Adjacent to fences or other buildings? Can you get water via a hose until the plant is established?

Some people say fall/autumn is a good time to plant. I have had better luck planting in spring, just after last frost, or a week earlier.

There is no easy button on this topic. Weeds grow fast. Nice shrubs and trees take time. It's how it is.

[hooligan_G01]

Originally Posted by iminhell1

Lilac for privacy up to about 7-8 feet.
Arborvitae for anything above that. Most people keep them short but they can grow pretty tall.

Yep, arborvitae was my first thought - be warned, though, deer LOVE them.

[383vett]

Wax leaf privets work for us.

[wrickem]

NJ here too.

We did a row of arborvitae to give some privacy from our tenants parking area and our back area. They do their job well and were fast growing, we trim them 1x/yr. They're kind of a pita in the snow when they bend, you've got to brush them off.

The ones in this photo directly behind the carport are "Green Giant" arborvitae, never trimmed and 6 years ago were even with the carport roof. They grow insanely fast and are bushy.

We've got Skip Laurel around our spa, and they're not growing high fast, but they're nice and thick.

I saw somebody mentioned Burning Bush. They're my favorite for a hedge, and there's no compare in the fall for when they "burn" red...as long as you never have to trim them or go near them. Before we got rid of ours, I'd have thorns stuck in my fingers through thick gloves after trimming . F'ers

[Kilabyte]

I'm in a similar boat as OP, no HOA but a fence won't do

What about Green Giant Thuja? I've read that they grow 3 to 4 feet a year which is awesome since I have a neighbor who's house sits much higher than mine so something over 8 feet would be great.

[mantis]

for tall tight clean privacy, this the way to go

podocarpus


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podocarpus

[mantis]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I have the same question, birch in my front yard is nearly dead and want to replace it with one or two trees. Not cedars but nice plump trees. Not too tall though, i don't like trees that are a risk to the house.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagerstroemia