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Fast growing evergreens?

14 years ago

I am in need of a lot of fast growing evergreens. I want to plant them around the property lines of my 14 acres.

I will need to plant seedlings, since I will probably need 100 or more trees, so I need something inexpensive too.

We have wooded borders along our property lines, but in the fall when the leaves come off the trees, we can see our neighbors. We need evergreens so that we can have year round privacy.

Any suggestions for fast growing, inexpensive and attractive evergreens? Another concern is that they will be planted along a stream, so I'm concerned with shallow root systems and the trees blowing over when they get to full maturity.

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Comments (3)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
14 years ago
give your local COUNTY soil conservation district office call [or the Ag office] .. and ask them what is best for your county ...

they may even offer certain plants for sale.. small and cheap.. at certain times of the year ...

ringing your lot.. is basically windbreaks.. which by definition are.. soil conservation ... rgo the call suggestion

otherwise.. places like musser forests sell cheap small plants in bulk ... but dont go with simply one of something .... diversify ..

ken
brandon7 TN_zone7
14 years ago
Ken mentioned the need to diversify only briefly. It's important enough that I wanted to reemphasize it. Choosing multiple types of trees will...

1) Limit disease and pest issues by avoiding a monoculture that encourages both of these problems.
2) Limit the visual damage done when (not if) one or more of your trees becomes damaged or dies.
3) Will greatly add to the visual appeal and interest of your plantings.
4) Limits the potential for a huge mistake if the single type you chose turned out to be a bad choice for whatever reason.
5) I'm sure there are advantages I'm overlooking.
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You are in a classic climate for Italian cypress, Cupressus sempervirens, the standard for tall, skinny evergreen conifers :-) And there are all manner of arborvitae that would work for you -- without the issues of frequent snowloads, these tend to hold together very well and are the go-to narrow evergreen screening plant in my area. Thuja occidentalis 'Smaragd' is the cultivar of choice. IME, upright junipers tend to be far less columnar than you appear to want - most will develop a good-sized, squatty bottom or become distinctly pear shaped. If you want to go through the maintenance involved, Leyland cypress can make a spectacular solid evergreen hedge, providing that solid dark green wall you want. But will take a lot of pruning/shearing to remain so.
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I'd still go with the arbs but in that space I'd go narrower. Maybe 'Hetz Wintergreen' or even 'DeGroot's Spire'. So long as they are planted properly and watered properly those first two years browning shouldn't be an issue. I might also mix in two narrow Serbian Spruce cultivars or two Picea glauca 'Pendula' for contrast. Maybe two arbs and three spruces or vice versa. tj
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Pragense viburnum, easy, but will need to be trimmed regularly. Very hardy. Deer resistant. Euonymus japonicus, maybe 'Aureo-marginatus' (Golden) or 'Chollipo', 'Silver Queen', others. In the south they can get scale. I've never had a problem in 12+ years. Deer love them. Euonymus kiautschovicus 'Manhattan' , a bit course, but very fast. Needs shaping. Deer will munch on them, if they are a factor. Osmanthus heterophyllus - spiney, tough. Slow growing. Deer resistant. Osmanthus x fortunei -- can get eventually to 15 feet. Will need shaping. Spiny, deer-resistant. Fragrance in fall. Hollies - there are so many. Certainly one to fit your space. Some are spiny. Look to Japanese hollies such as Steeds upright, Convexa, or hybrids like 'Spartan', 'Castle Spire', 'Fosters', 'Blue Maid', 'Centennial Girl', 'Liberty', etc. etc. Usually deer resistant, but you never know. Dwarf Burford holly. May get some late frost burn, but otherwise very tough. Spiny, glossy leaves. Will grow more slowly though. Easy to shape. Regular Burford grows faster/taller/wider, but needs more shaping more regularly. Prunus laurocerasus 'Schipkaensis'. very hardy, but needs extra water in droughty times. Other than that, it's pretty easy. Upright evergreen leaves. Should be good for cooler zone 7. Deer resistant.
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Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
14 years ago
Your local Resource Conservation District et al will have guidelines for shelterbelts and windbreaks, the species, and programs to obtain plant material and sometimes watering products. Give them a call.

Dan

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