Planting a living fence requires choosing species that grow tall without becoming invasive or high-maintenance. If you are looking for the best 10 shrubs for privacy, you have come to the right place. This guide will help you build a green wall that actually works, without turning your weekends into a constant pruning session.
Most people think a privacy hedge needs to be boring. That is not true. You can block out nosy neighbors, reduce road noise, and add color to your yard at the same time. The key is picking the right plant for your specific light conditions and soil type.
Below, we break down the top ten options. We will cover growth rates, sun requirements, and the one thing that kills most hedges: planting them too far apart.
10 Shrubs For Privacy
This list is not ranked by popularity. It is ranked by how well they actually perform as a visual and physical barrier. Some grow fast, some grow slow. Some love the shade, and others need full sun to stay thick at the bottom.
Before you buy anything, measure the length of the area you want to screen. Then, divide that number by the mature width of the shrub. That tells you exactly how many plants you need to buy. Do not guess this part.
1. Emerald Green Arborvitae
This is the gold standard for privacy. It grows in a narrow, pyramidal shape that does not take up too much ground space. It stays green all winter, which is a huge plus if you live in a cold climate.
- Mature Height: 12 to 14 feet
- Mature Width: 3 to 4 feet
- Sun: Full sun to partial shade
- Growth Rate: Medium (1-2 feet per year)
Plant these 3 feet apart for a solid wall. If you plant them closer, they will fight for nutrients and the lower branches will die off. This leaves you with a hedge that is bare at the bottom, which defeats the purpose.
2. Schip Laurel (Skip Laurel)
This is the workhorse of the privacy world. It has large, glossy leaves that reflect light and make a space feel lush. It is also one of the few shrubs that tolerates deep shade, though it grows faster in sun.
It responds very well to hard pruning. If a branch sticks out, cut it back and it will fill in within a month. This makes it forgiving for beginners who are scared of making a mistake with the shears.
3. Red Twig Dogwood
This one is for the four-season interest. In the summer, it is a leafy green shrub. In the winter, the stems turn a bright crimson red. This gives you privacy even when the leaves drop, because the dense twig structure still blocks sight lines.
It does spread via suckers. You need to keep an eye on the base and cut back any shoots that pop up outside your designated hedge row. This is not invasive, but it is vigorous.
4. Privet (Ligustrum)
Privet is the classic suburban hedge. It grows fast, tolerates almost any soil, and takes shearing like a champ. If you want a formal, squared-off hedge, this is your best bet.
The downside is that it needs pruning at least twice a year. If you skip a season, it gets leggy and loose. You have to stay on top of it. But for the price, you get a lot of coverage for your money.
5. Viburnum (Various Species)
Viburnums are the multi-taskers. They offer spring flowers, fall color, and berries for birds. The ‘Alleghany’ variety is evergreen in warmer zones and makes a fantastic screen.
They are pest-resistant and drought-tolerant once established. This is a set-it-and-forget-it shrub, which is rare in the hedging world. They do get wide, so give them room to spread out.
6. Boxwood
Boxwood is not the tallest shrub on this list, but it is the densest. If you only need a 4 to 5 foot screen, boxwood is perfect. The leaves are small and tightly packed, which creates a solid barrier that even small animals struggle to get through.
They are slow growers. This is a good thing if you do not want to prune often. It is a bad thing if you need instant privacy. Be patient with this one.
7. Forsythia
Forsythia is the early bloomer. It explodes with yellow flowers in late winter or early spring, before anything else is awake. It is a deciduous shrub, so it loses its leaves in the fall.
This means it is not a year-round screen. However, the arching branches are so dense that even without leaves, it provides a surprising amount of visual blocking. It is also deer resistant, which is a major bonus in rural areas.
8. Holly (Ilex)
Holly is tough as nails. It handles salt spray, wind, and poor soil. The ‘Nellie R. Stevens’ variety is a fast-growing holly that reaches 15 to 20 feet tall. It has spiky leaves that deter intruders, both human and animal.
You need a male and a female plant to get berries. But for privacy, you do not care about the berries. You care about the dense, impenetrable foliage. This is a security hedge as much as a privacy hedge.
9. Lilac
Lilacs are for the romantic. They smell incredible in the spring, and the purple or white blooms are a showstopper. The ‘Miss Kim’ variety is smaller and more manageable than the old-fashioned lilacs.
They are deciduous, so they will not give you winter privacy. But they grow fast and fill in quickly. If you have a summer cottage or a vacation home, this is a great choice because it needs very little care.
10. Yew (Taxus)
Yews are the ultimate shade survivors. They are conifers, but they are not prickly like junipers. They have soft, flat needles that are pleasant to touch. They tolerate heavy pruning and can be shaped into almost anything.
They are slow to medium growers. The ‘Hicksii’ variety is columnar, which makes it ideal for tight spaces where you need height but not width. They are also one of the few evergreens that can handle wet feet.
How To Plant Your Privacy Hedge
Buying the right shrub is only half the battle. Planting it correctly determines whether it thrives or just survives. Here is the step-by-step process that professional landscapers use.
Step 1: Call Before You Dig
This is not a suggestion. It is a legal requirement in most places. Underground utility lines are often buried just a few inches below the surface. One phone call can save you from a disaster.
Step 2: Dig The Hole Wide, Not Deep
The most common mistake is digging a hole that is too deep. The root ball should sit slightly above the surrounding soil level. The hole should be two to three times wider than the root ball. This allows the roots to spread out into the loose soil.
Step 3: Amend The Soil
Mix the native soil you dug out with compost. Use a 50/50 ratio. Do not put fertilizer in the hole. It will burn the young roots. Compost is enough to get them started.
Step 4: Water Deeply
After you backfill the hole, water the plant slowly and deeply. Let the water soak in, then water again. This settles the soil and removes air pockets around the roots. Air pockets are the number one killer of new shrubs.
Step 5: Mulch, But Not Too Much
Apply a 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch around the base. Keep the mulch a few inches away from the trunk. If the mulch touches the bark, it traps moisture and causes rot. This is called “volcano mulching” and it kills trees and shrubs.
Maintenance Tips For A Thick Hedge
You want a hedge that is dense from top to bottom. This does not happen by accident. It requires a specific pruning technique that most homeowners skip.
Prune The Top, Not The Sides
When you prune the sides of a hedge, you remove the light from the lower branches. This causes the bottom to thin out. Instead, prune the top of the shrub to encourage it to branch out lower down.
This is called “heading back.” You cut the leader stem back by a few inches. This forces the plant to push energy into lateral buds, creating a bushier plant.
Shear In The Right Shape
Hedges should be slightly wider at the base than at the top. This is called a “batter.” It allows sunlight to reach the lower branches. If you shear the hedge straight up and down, the top will shade the bottom, and you will end up with a bald hedge.
Water During Drought
Even drought-tolerant shrubs need water during their first two years. A deep watering once a week is better than a light watering every day. Deep watering encourages roots to grow down, which makes the plant more stable and resilient.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
You have the list of shrubs and the planting method. Now here is what not to do. These are the errors that lead to dead plants and wasted money.
- Planting too close to a fence: The fence blocks sunlight and airflow. Leave at least 3 feet of space between the fence and the mature width of the shrub.
- Ignoring the mature size: That cute little 1-gallon pot will become a 10-foot monster. Plan for the future, not the present.
- Skipping the soil test: Most shrubs prefer a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Test your soil before you plant, or you will be fighting an uphill battle.
- Using hedge trimmers on everything: Some shrubs, like viburnum and lilac, look better when pruned by hand. Trimmers cut leaves in half, which turns them brown and ugly.
When To Plant For Best Results
Timing matters. In most climates, the best time to plant shrubs is in the fall. The soil is still warm, but the air is cool. This reduces transplant shock and allows the roots to establish before the ground freezes.
Spring is the second-best option. If you plant in spring, you must be diligent about watering through the summer. New shrubs do not have the root system to survive a heatwave without help.
Avoid planting in the middle of summer. The heat stress is too much for a young plant. If you have no choice, plant in the evening and provide shade for the first week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to the questions we get asked most often about privacy shrubs.
What Is The Fastest Growing Shrub For Privacy?
Schip Laurel and Forsythia are the fastest growers on this list. They can put on 2 to 3 feet of growth in a single season. Privet is also fast, but it requires more maintenance to keep it looking neat.
How Far Apart Should I Plant Privacy Shrubs?
It depends on the mature width of the shrub. For Emerald Green Arborvitae, plant them 3 feet apart. For wider shrubs like Viburnum, plant them 5 to 6 feet apart. When in doubt, space them at 75% of their mature width.
Will Shrubs Grow Under Pine Trees?
It is difficult. Pine trees create acidic soil and heavy shade. Yew is the only shrub on this list that might survive. You will likely need to amend the soil with lime to balance the pH.
What Is The Best Low-maintenance Privacy Shrub?
Yew and Boxwood are the lowest maintenance. They grow slowly, so they do not need frequent pruning. They are also pest-resistant and long-lived. You plant them once and they are there for decades.
Can I Mix Different Shrubs In One Hedge?
Yes, this is called a mixed border. It looks more natural and provides better disease resistance. Just make sure all the shrubs have the same sun and water requirements. Do not mix a sun-lover with a shade-lover.
Building a privacy screen is a long-term investment. The shrubs on this list will take 2 to 5 years to reach their full height. But once they are established, they will last for generations. They add value to your property, reduce noise, and create a peaceful outdoor space that is truly yours.
Take your time choosing the right plant for your site. Walk around your yard at different times of the day. Note where the sun hits and where the shadows fall. This simple observation will save you from buying the wrong plant. A little planning now means you will not have to dig up a dead shrub later.
Remember to water deeply for the first two years. That is the critical period. After that, most of these shrubs are tough enough to handle whatever the weather throws at them. You will have a green, living wall that you can enjoy from your patio, your bedroom window, or your backyard pool.