Stephen Albert
Fast-growing trees can transform a landscape in a few years. They can bring shade and privacy to an otherwise open situation.
Fast-growing is a relative term when it comes to trees; a fast-growing tree can add 3 to 10 feet (.9-3m) in height and breadth in a year. That means a one or two-year-old sapling will reach the top of an average fence in a year or two. Some fast-growing trees can reach maturity in about 10 years.
If you are looking for quick results, you may want to pay for the time a grower has taken to grow the size tree you want. A tree in a 15-gallon nursery pot will likely be 6 to 10 feet (1.8-3m) tall; a tree in a 24-inch box (the next size up) could be about twice as big.
To ensure quick-growing tree grow quickly, dig a hole twice as wide and deep as the container the tree comes in then amend the soil with aged compost or commercial organic planting mix. Be sure to set tree stakes in place before you actually set the tree in the hole.
Keep newly planted trees well-watered. Tree roots follow deep watering deep into the soil. Feed trees with an all-purpose fertilizer, commonly twice a year.
Fast-Growing Trees
| A-B Common Name | Botanical Name | Zones |
| Acaia, Bailey | Acacia baileyana | 9-10 |
| Ash, green | Fraxinus pennsylvanica | 3-9 |
| Bald cypress | Taxodium distichum | 4-10 |
| Birch, Euorpean white | Betula pendula | 2-7 |
| Birch, paper | Betula papyrifera | 2-7 |
| Birch, river | Betula nigra | 4-9 |
| Birch, whitespire | Betula platyphylla ‘Whitespire’ | 4-7 |
| Bird-of-paradise, Mexican | Caesalpina mexicana | 10 |
| Bottlebrush, crimson | Callistemon citrinus | 9-10 |
| C-H Common Name | Botanical Name | Zones |
| Chaste tree | Vitex agnus-castus | 6-10 |
| Chokeberry, Amur | Prunus maackii | 2-6 |
| Crape myrtle | Lagerstoemia indica | 7-9 |
| Cypress, Arizona | Cupressus arizonica | 7-9 |
| Cypress, Leyland | x Cupressocyparis leylandii | 6-9 |
| Elm, Chinese | Ulmus parvifolia | 5-9 |
| Fir, Veitch | Abies veitchii | 3-6 |
| Holly, Yaupon | Ilex vomitoria | 7-10 |
| Honeylocust, thornless | Gleditsia triacanthos inermis | 3-9 |
| M-O Common Name | Botanical Name | Zones |
| Magnolia, saucer | Magnolia x soulangiana | 5-9 |
| Magnolia, red | Acer rubrum | 3-9 |
| Mesquite | Prosopis glandulosa | 10 |
| Myrtle, Pacific wax | Myrica cerifera | 7-9 |
| Oak, laurel | Quercus laurifolia | 7-10 |
| Oak, northern red | Quercus rubra | 4-7 |
| Oak, pin | Quercus palustris | 4-8 |
| Oak, scarlet | Quercus coccinea | 4-9 |
| Oak, shumard | Quercus shumardii | 5-9 |
| Oak, willow | Quercus phellos | 4-8 |
| P-Q Common Name | Botanical Name | Zones |
| Pagoda tree, Japanese | Sophora japonica | 6-8 |
| Palm, Washington | Washingtonia robusta | 9-10 |
| Pear, Bradford | Pyrus calleryana ‘Bradford’ | 4-8 |
| Pine, white | Pinus strobus | 3-8 |
| Plum, Newport | Prunus cerasifera ‘Newport’ | 4-8 |
| Plum, purple-leaf | Prunus cerasifera ‘Atropurpurea’ | 4-8 |
| Possumhaw | Ilex decidua | 3-9 |
| Quaking aspen | Populus tremuloides | 2-6 |
| R-Z Common Name | Botanical Name | Zones |
| Redbud | Cercis canadensis | 3-9 |
| Redwood, dawn | Metasequoia glyptostroboides | 4-8 |
| Russian olive | Elaeagnus angustifolia | 2-7 |
| Spruce, Norway | Picea abies | 2-7 |
| Willow, corkscrew | Salix ‘Golden Curls’ | 4-8 |
| Willow, desert | Chilopsis linearis | 8-10 |
| Willow, golden weeping | Salix alba ‘Tristis’ | 3-8 |
| Willow, weeping | Salix babylonica | 4-9 |
| Zelkova, Japanese | Zelkova serrata | 5-9 |
Also of interest:
