Tall (12-15 ft), fast growing privacy tree

9 years ago

Recently purchased a home in baton rouge LA and it has a very small outdoor area that I am converting into a New Orleans style patio/courtyard with the help of an 8 ft privacy fence. The only problem is that the 2 story house behind me looks directly into the courtyard.

Thought about bamboo and bananas but both seem like a lot of work to prevent escaping into neighbors lawn, so thinking about more of a tall skinny tree that would break the line o sight.

Do not need complete block, just break up the view... Any suggestions. Would like it to get to 10-15 ft this summer.

Any suggestions.

area is only about 20 ft wide so would like to prevent "fat" tree... Tall and skinny is best (or can be pruned into skinny)

Featured Answer

alabamatreehugger 8b SW Alabama

9 years ago

Sky Pencil Holly would be ideal, but it won't be 15' next year.

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Comments (13)

hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
9 years ago
12-15' would be a medium shrub rather than a tree. Consider these:

Savannah holly, Dahoon holly,
banana shrub, sweet olive, Japanese viburnum, sweet viburnum, Japanese
yew, ligustrum, cherry laurel, loropetalum, Russian olive or elaeagnus,
pineapple guava, needlepoint holly, Nellie R. Stevens holly, wax myrtle
and yaupon holly.
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rollwave034
Original Author
9 years ago
All of those are pretty slow growing and very "bushy"/ thick. I have limited horizontal space.
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OK, I just found a potential tree for you! How about a Black Alder tree? I was researching Nitrogen Fixing trees and found this, then I thought about you :) http://advancedtree.com/tree_blackalder.htm "The Black Alder grows vigorously and has a central leader tendency. Its leaves remain dark, glossy green late into the fall. The Alder converts nitrogen from the air into its own fertilizer, producing a growth rate of up to 6 feet per year. With a total growth of 60ft by 20 to 24ft, it can be used as a screen or shade tree. (For Screening and windbreak plant trees 6 to 10 ft. apart.) The Black Alder needs plenty of moisture to get established and will grow in heavily compacted soil if a moderate amount of water is available. Alder will grow in extremely wet conditions." It grows in zones 4-7. I'm thinking of planting this in my side yard to replace a giant old Spruce that was uprooted during a Nor'Easter last month. I need some fast privacy and the soil is pure clay. 25 feet wide is perfect, and 60 ft. high isn't bad either. You will have a hard time finding something that fits your height requirement that doesn't require maintenance, so this seems to fit the bill best.
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My guess would be Thuja occidentalis 'Elegantissima'. The gold tips are kind of its trademark. They are a much better selection than most of the Thuja. They stay fairly compact and full with good winter coloration. If you plant 3-4 footers now they will be 10-12 foot in 10 years, or more given your location. You can place them 6 feet apart and they will fill together in about 5-6 years. Good choice as long as you do not have an abundance of deer. They like to eat them. Bill
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Emerald Arborvitae is supposed to grow to 15' at the most, so it won't serve the purpose you want. Its cousin, "Green Giant' might be the answer. It's supposed to grow to 30'. I have 'Emerald'. It grows quite dense and fast enough for me. I need to tie the multiple trunks in winter, though, because they will bend down every which way under snow. If you can find a single trunk tree, you'll eliminate that trouble. Dawn Redwood is deciduous. You'll lose the noise and view barrier in winter. I don't have experience with other trees. My garden is too small for them. A small blue spruce came with the house, but I had to remove it after 15 years because it grew too large for the spot. Good luck with your choice. I think a few different kinds of conifers might be more beautiful and interesting than just one kind. They give you different colors, shapes and textures.
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I don't prefer the Syzygium due to fruit drop produces many unwanted seedlings each year and the psyllid always seems to infest them. Also, you say that you want drought tolerant trees, but you also say that you water every 2 days. Not many natives can take lawn watering like that. A good choice might be to move the lawn sprinklers or remove the lawn completely. Most SoCal natives will not want the frequent lawn watering. If you can remove the lawn, you can then create a garden that is hydro-zoned with appropriate species that have similar water requirements as your trees. You won't need to water after the plants are established. Unless we have a really dry winter. I planted 40 ironwoods last October 4th, watered once a week for 6 weeks, then quit once the rain started. I have not watered since, and all are thriving. Consider Catalina Ironwood as a screen tree. They usually get to about 30 feet in a cultivated setting. This may be too tall for you. If so, choose something else instead of topping the trees if they get too tall. If you decide to make a native garden and use the ironwoods, you can complete the project with other plants that originate from the channel islands.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
just about anything that will get to the height you want.. need... will slowly swallow the whole yard... if its a small as it sounds ...

also.. anything FAST GROWING ... is fast to the size you want.. even faster to 3 times what you want.. and simply will never stop .... anything that will get to 10 to 15 this summer.. will be 30 in 3 more years ... and keep in mind.. the year of planting ... they are growing roots.. so dont expect 10 feet of growth on anything planted ...

and since you want this solved by next summer..... can i suggest a pergola ... a permanent structure .. it surely need not be as fancy as those at the link ...

https://www.google.com/search?q=pergola&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAWoVChMI46P924WWyQIVxKQeCh1fJg5s&biw=889&bih=745&dpr=0.9

ken

how about corn ... lol ... that can grow to height in one season ... lol ...
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edlincoln
9 years ago
Not much would grow to 12 feet in a summer, and the things that would are likely to be really aggressive. Like the holly idea. What about a passion fruit vine climbing a trellis?
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hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
9 years ago
Slow growing has virtues, one of which is that you are not out there cutting it back all the time, once it reaches the size you want. There are trade-offs with every plant. It is important to understand that.
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Embothrium
9 years ago
You were on the right track with the bananas and bamboo. Bananas grow in a tight clump, as do clumping kinds of bamboos - keeping them on your side shouldn't be that big of a deal.
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wisconsitom
9 years ago
Not sure about the zone 9 location, but there are some very nice clumping palm species that are used everywhere one cares to look in Florida for screening. Maybe not quite a zone 9 thing, but close. These are not the big tall "palm trees", but rather, low-growing, multi-stemmed wonders. Wish I could recall the nomenclature ATM.

+oM
rusty_blackhaw
9 years ago
The Shoal Creek Vitex has been named a "Louisiana Super Plant":

https://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/our_offices/research_stations/Hammond/Features/super_plants/spring_2011/Shoal-Creek-Vitex--Louisiana-Super-Plant-Spring-2011.htm

I grew an "ordinary" Vitex agnus-castus near Houston and it was a vigorous relatively-fast growing tree. If you can find a sizable specimen you might have a ten or more foot tree the first year.
viper114
9 years ago
a clumping bamboo would work....no runners
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alabamatreehugger 8b SW Alabama
9 years ago
Go to a nursery and buy some mature Cabbage palms, they'll look like poles at first, but once they fill out they make a decent screen.
wisconsitom
9 years ago
I like this idea^. Then, if your humidity is high enough-and I'll bet it is-you can plant or have grow there any number of epiphytes in the "boots" of the cabbage or sabal palm.

+oM
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Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I would choose a Chindo viburnum. Very fast tall grower. You don't want anything that grows 12 in one season, trust me! But Chindo does grow up to that in maybe 3 seasons, especially in your climate.
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Tall (12-15 ft), fast growing privacy tree

alabamatreehugger 8b SW Alabama

Comments (13)

hoovb zone 9 sunset 23

rollwave034
Original Author

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

edlincoln

hoovb zone 9 sunset 23

Embothrium

wisconsitom

rusty_blackhaw

viper114

alabamatreehugger 8b SW Alabama

wisconsitom

Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A

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Tall (12-15 ft), fast growing privacy tree

Comments (13)

rollwave034Original Author

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rollwave034
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