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Fast growing small trees and large shrubs?

18 years ago

Time is of the essence. My brother-in-law is living in one of those god-awful new suburbs where they raze everything, throw up houses, lay down sod, and call it a day. His family needs a shade tree (or shrub that can be pruned into a tree-like habit) for the porch desperately, something that will stay 12-20 feet. They say the have a maple near there already; I suspect it is NORWEGIAN, but haven't looked at it. I know those Norway Maples tend to poisin anything that grows near them; does anyone know if this will be a problem? Otherwise, the area gets almost full sun, a few hours of late afternoon shade.

In fact, they really need some privacy hedges and other trees around in the barren back yard. Any suggestions for fast growing plants would be appreciated!

Comments (6)

joepyeweed
18 years ago
serviceberry - native tree that provides berries birds love; can look tree or shrub like depending upon pruning.

pagoda dogwood - not sure how fast it grows but another native suggestion for small tree - shrub that makes a nice landscape statement.
jillmcm
18 years ago
Norway maples are an invasive tree in most areas and they are horrible! I sure hope it's not one.

A native dogwood would be a nice tree, ditto the serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis grows 15-20 feet and is beautiful). Another option would be a redbud, but it's not super fast growing in my experience.

My Viburnum trilobum has grown very quickly and if planted densely, could be pruned into a hedge. Has berries that people can eat if they beat the birds to them.
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Dwarf conifers are a possibility - there are scads of varieties and many will never exceed 15' in a lifetime. Since they are evergreen, they look as good in winter as in summer, but they don't flower and they don't grow fast. Evergreen flowering shrubs are limited for your hardiness zone but you could look at rhododendrons or pieris. Some varieties are more sun tolerant than others but again, none growth particularly fast. There are any number of deciduous flowering shrubs that could work for you - lilac, forsythia, smokebush, rose of Sharon, chionanthus. These tend to grow more rapidly than either conifers or broadleaved evergreen shrubs but they are pretty much uniformly naked in winter :-) It is hard to find any flowering trees that wil remain below 15'....and even these generally tend to have naked trunks or seldom branch to the ground. Personally, I would opt to create a larger planting bed somewhere along the street side that is appropriate to your screening requirements. And I'd use a mix of plants - something tall and full to provide screening, something that provides seasonal bloom color and something to give evergreen/winter attraction. I know not everyone thinks this way but a tree (or two) or even a large shrub plunked down in the middle of the lawn looks to me extremely awkward and disconnected. Even less appropriate with a small garden such as yours - it comes across as a bit of an after thought instead of a planned landscape. I would much prefer to see a well thought out planting bed with maybe a larger tree to anchor it and smaller shrubs as an accompaniment.
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The FAQ has some suggestions... Keep in mind fast growers are not always the best choice if they are messy and/or have invasive root systems. Check with a good nursery about leaf, fruit, and flower drop as well as what the root systems will do to the surrounding areas. Here is a link that might be useful: screening suggestions from FAQ
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Pink Powder Puff? I've just planted 2 of them about 2 months ago and they have nearly doubled in size. Plus, they wide. Good luck :) Christy
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If you want to feel boxed in a row of tall evergreens right on top of you is a great way to end up with that impression. Probably much better to continue with the informal planting, adding a few strategically placed shrubs and trees that are the right size for the space - and have relaxed (normal) growth habits producing a casual feeling. Columnar plant forms have a rigid appearance that generates a sense of exclamation or tension - just the thing to emphasize vertical architectural lines or announce the location of unwanted views or objects, rather than softening or concealing them. This post was edited by bboy on Tue, Sep 3, 13 at 15:15
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Iris GW
18 years ago
Liriodendron tulipifera is a very fast growing tree (hope it is hardy in Ohio). If you leave the lower branches on, it provides more of a screening effect.
K
18 years ago
The tulip poplar is an enormous tree, much higher than 20 feet. The native dogwood, I think prefers to grow in partial shade as an understory tree.
My own redbud has grown pretty quickly. In three years it has reached over my head, but it's not very bushy.
The problem with very fast-growing trees is that they are not always very strong, so they might not be good close to the house. Maybe your brother could consider something temporary while he waits for a nice tree to grow.
The porch of my childhood home was shaded by a beautiful redbud. They grow about as wide as they grow high - about 20 feet.
Iris GW
18 years ago
Carolinakate, thanks for pointing that out. I think I meant to post this reply in another thread (I remember thinking when I first read this that it would get too big). Or maybe they could use it elsewhere in the yard - not next to the porch.

I agree that "fast growing" does not always equal desirable.

Some of the faster growing shrubs (like hollies) might work better next to the porch (instead of a tree).
AdamM321
18 years ago
Hi,

Just wanted to confirm that an Amelanchier is a pretty fast growing tree. I planted one about 5 years ago and it is now about 12-15 feet high. Very nice tree to have, it draws lots of birds in June for a few days when they clean out the tree. Has nice fall color and pretty spring blooms.

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