Best Trees for Screening your Property

Large shrubs and trees at least six feet tall can make effective visual screens on your property. Although a wall may block noise and wind better, a screen of living plants is usually a less costly and lower-maintenance option for limiting a view into your property or blocking objects within or outside your property.

Shrubs and trees may also provide food and cover for wildlife, and even act as a deterrent to intruders (think spiny or prickly vegetation).

If you live in a neighborhood with an HOA, they frequently have height limitations for privacy fences. Fortunately, the trees and shrubs you plant around the perimeter of your property are probably not restricted.

Consider these attributes when choosing trees for screening:

• Growth rate  Fast growing is a plus.
• Density  Dense growth means a better visual block.
• Plant type  Evergreens block views year-round. All the plants on this list are evergreen.
• USDA Plant Hardiness Zone  Choose trees that will live in your zone.
• Exposure  How much sunlight does the area receive where you will plant the screen?
• Height and Width  What size and number are needed to block views or create privacy? Note that larger species may take many years to reach tall heights; some respond well to pruning to control size.
• Soil conditions  Know your soil to match to any trees needing a specific type of soil.
• Maintenance level Obviously lower is better; this includes pest susceptibility and the need for pruning.

Your choice will also be guided by the aesthetic qualities you prefer, like leaf color and texture, whether you want blooms and the amount of concealment desired.

Arrangement and Composition

Hedges and screens are often aligned in a straight line, which may be necessary if space is a limitation. If a more natural look is desired, plantings can be staggered or layered in groups. This also allows for better airflow and sunlight to benefit the plants. Furthermore, if multiple species are selected for the screen, there is much less potential for a pest or environmental problem to damage your entire screen. A mosaic of diverse plantings in differing textures and colors of green is visually very appealing. Some lower shrubs and perennials mixed into the foreground make the look even more natural.

Best Trees for Screening

1. Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis). Arborvitae are fine textured conifers with smooth, flat branches. They are often used for screening, as they have few pest or disease issues and keep a nice shape with minimal pruning. The cultivar 'Green Giant' (slightly narrower than the species at 5-8') is one of the most popular trees for this purpose. Avoid windy sites.
2. 'Eagleston' Holly (Ilex x attenuata 'Eagleston'). Holly trees in general make good screens. Eagleston is a natural hybrid of the Dahoon and American Holly. It has a dense pyramidal form, shiny medium-green leaves with multiple soft spines, and bright red berries in fall and winter.
3. 'Nellie R. Stevens' Holly (Ilex x 'Nellie R. Stevens'). This holly has better heat tolerance than many of the hollies. It has a dense conical form and glossy dark green leaves with one to three spikes. Most hollies need both male and female plants to produce berries but 'Nellie R. Stevens' plants may bear fruit without a male pollinator.
4. Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora). This native broadleaf evergreen has the added value of large fragrant white blossoms in May and June. The cultivar 'Little Gem' reaches 15-20' tall by 7-10' wide.
5. Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana). Red Cedar is a native, broadly conical to columnar, needled evergreen that is actually a juniper. It is tolerant of deer, drought, erosion, poor soils and air pollution. There are many smaller cultivars that would be appropriate for the home garden.
6. Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica 'Radicans'). Japanese Cedar, not a true cedar, is a slender, pyramidal, evergreen conifer with tiered horizontal branching. There are interesting dwarf cultivars. Protect from drying winter winds.
7. Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus 'Schipkaensis'). Cherry laurel is a useful shade-tolerant broadleaf evergreen shrub, also native, that has spikes of sweet-smelling flowers in spring. It has its down points, however, in invasive potential in some areas and considerable toxicity if ingested.
8. Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica 'Blue Ice'). 'Blue Ice' is a narrowly columnar evergreen conifer with dense sprays of lacy silvery-blue foliage. It does well in Mediterranean conditions. No pruning needed.