Stephen Albert
Evergreens are plants that hold their foliage from season to season. Evergreen trees are well-suited as privacy plants. They create year-round living walls that can shield a garden or property from outside view.
Evergreens can be divided into two classes: conifers or narrow-leaved evergreens and broad-leaved evergreens. Both conifers and broad-leaved evergreen trees can vary in height and width and in color–from light green to deep green, some can are even silver-colored and some bronze.
How to choose an evergreen tree for privacy planting
Evergreen trees will maintain their foliage throughout the year; still, there are several considerations when choosing an evergreen for privacy planting. Consider the following: (1) will it grow and thrive in your region or growing zone; (2) how tall and wide will the tree be when it matures; (3) how quickly does it grow; (4) what is the color of the foliage and does it flower.
Evergreen trees for privacy planting
| A-F Common Name | Botanical Name | Zones | Growth rate |
| Arborvitae, American | Thuja occidentalis | 3-7 | Moderate |
| Cedar, blue atlas | Cedrus libani ‘Glauca’ | 6-9 | Slow |
| Cedar, deodar | Cedrus deodara | 6-9 | Moderate |
| Cedar, eastern red | Juniperus virginana | 3-9 | Moderate |
| Cypress, Arizona | Cupressus arizonica | 7-9 | Rapid |
| Cypress, Leyland | xCupressocyparis leylandii | 6-9 | Rapid |
| Fir, bristlecone | Abies bracteata | 7-8 | Slow |
| Fir, Douglas | Pseudotsuga menziesii | 4-6 | Moderate |
| Fir, Frasier | Abies fraseri | 4-7 | Slow |
| Fir, white | Abies concolor | 3-7 | Moderate |
| H-J Common Name | Botanical Name | Zones | Growth rate |
| Hemlock, Canada | Tsuga canadensis | 3-7 | Moderate |
| Holly, blue | Ilex x meserveae | 5-8 | Slow |
| Holly, lusterleaf | Ilex latifolia | 7-9 | Slow |
| Holly, Savannah | Ilex xattenuata ‘Savannah’ | 5-9 | Slow |
| Holly, Yaupon | Ilex vomitoria | 7-10 | Rapid |
| Incense cedar, California | Calocedrus decurrens | 4-8 | Moderate |
| Juniper, Hollywood | Juniperus chinensis ‘Torulosa’ | 4-9 | Moderate |
| Juniper, skyrocket | Juniperous scopulorun ‘Skyrocket’ | 4-8 | Moderate |
| M-Z Common Name | Botanical Name | Zones | Growth rate |
| Magnolia, southern | Magnolia grandiflora | 6-10 | Slow |
| Magnolia, sweet bay | Magnolia virginiana | 5-9 | Moderate |
| Myrtle, Pacific wax | Myrica cerifera | 7-9 | Rapid |
| Pine, eastern white | Pinus strobus | 3-8 | Rapid |
| Pine, Japanese black | Pinus thunbergii | 5-7 | Moderate |
| Spruce, Colorado blue | Picea pungens glauca | 2-7 | Slow |
| Spruce, Norway | Picea abies | 2-7 | Moderate |
| Spruce, Serbian | Picea omorika | 4-7 | Slow |
| Spruce, white | Picea glauca | 2-6 | Moderate |
| Yew, Japanese upright | Taxus cuspidata ‘Capitata’ | 4-7 | Slow |
Also of interest:
Deciduous Trees for Privacy Planting
