Our readers keep the lights on and the coffee maker working hard! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Specs are compiled from manufacturer listings and verified buyer reviews and can change over time — please confirm the key details on the product page before buying.
If you need to block a neighbor’s view but only have a few feet of planting room, a skinny tall evergreen solves the problem without eating your whole yard. These columnar trees pack real screening power into a sliver of ground, so you get privacy without surrendering your planting bed. The three picks below sort out which one grows fast enough to hide a two-story window, which stays a neat narrow column for decades, and which one arrives big enough to matter the day it lands in your cart.
I’m Mohammad Maruf — the founder and writer behind Gardening Beyond. This guide is built by comparing the manufacturers’ published specifications and the patterns across verified customer reviews, so you get each pick’s real strengths and trade-offs instead of marketing spin.
From the 3-foot-tall starts that screen fast to the 50-foot giants that never stop climbing, here is how to choose the best skinny tall evergreen trees for your boundary line and your patience level.
Our Picks at a Glance
How To Choose The Best Skinny Tall Evergreen Trees
Narrow evergreens all look alike in a nursery photo, but they behave very differently once planted. The real decision depends on how fast you need the screen, how much room you can give the base, and which hardiness zone you garden in. Answer those three questions and the right tree basically picks itself.
Mature height vs. mature width
The whole point of a skinny tree is that it grows much taller than it is wide, so check both numbers before you buy. A tree that reaches 50 feet tall but spreads 20 feet wide is not skinny at all — it is a shade tree in disguise. True columnar varieties keep their width tight, which is what lets you plant them in a row along a fence line without crowding out the lawn.
Growth rate sets your timeline
Some of these trees put on a few feet a year, while others creep along at a much slower pace. If you need the screen this season, a fast grower wins. If you are planting a permanent boundary and can wait, a slower tree with a tighter habit might suit the space better. Read the per-year growth claims honestly and match them to how patient you are.
USDA hardiness zones keep it alive
Every evergreen carries a zone range that tells you where it will survive winter. Plant a tree rated for warmer zones in a cold region and you are fighting the climate from day one. Check your local zone against the tree’s listed range, and remember that a tree happy in its zone needs far less fussing to look good.
Quick Comparison
| Model | Best For | Mature Height | Growth Rate | Starting Size | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Promise Farms Emerald Green Arborvitae★ Best Overall | Neat narrow hedges | 18–20 ft | Slow to moderate | #3 container | Amazon |
| Brighter Blooms Emerald Green Arborvitae | Instant 3–4 ft presence | 15 ft | Mixed feedback | 3–4 ft tall | Amazon |
| Perfect Plants Thuja Green Giant | Fast, tall screens | 50 ft | 3–5 ft per year | 1-gallon 5-pack | Amazon |
In-Depth Reviews
1. Green Promise Farms Emerald Green Arborvitae
Our pick — over 4.5★ from 150+ verified ratings; the strongest balance of quality and price.
The classic narrow column that delivers rich emerald color with a tidy habit that almost manages itself.
This is the tree you plant when you want a proper skinny evergreen that stays narrow for its whole life. It tops out at 18–20 feet tall while spreading just 5–6 feet wide, so it earns its spot in tight foundation plantings and along fence lines without swallowing the yard. The rich emerald green foliage keeps its color through winter, which is exactly what a privacy screen should do.
What wins people over here is the quality of the plant itself — the foliage arrives lush and full, and multiple buyers report the trees look healthy and vibrant well after planting. The container is a #3 size, meaning a 3-gallon pot, so you are getting a rooted, ready-to-plant tree rather than a bare stick. It grows happily in both partial shade and full sun across USDA Zones 3–8, which covers most of the country.
The crowd favorite — 4.6 stars across 150+ ratings — reflects a consistent experience: trees arrive in great shape, take to the ground quickly, and keep their good looks. A few buyers mention a tree arriving slightly dry, but the overwhelming pattern is healthy, bright green plants that establish fast. One owner reports their tree was still doing well 12 months after planting, which is the real test of whether a mail-order plant actually survives.
What wins people over
- True narrow habit — 18–20 ft tall by only 5–6 ft wide
- Grows in both partial shade and full sun
- Hardy across a wide USDA Zones 3–8 range
- Arrives fully rooted in a 3-gallon container, ready to plant
Keep in mind
- Growth is on the slower side, so it takes patience for a full screen
- An occasional tree arrives slightly dry and needs a drink to recover
Reach for it if: you want a tidy, narrow evergreen that stays small in width while growing tall, and you can wait a few seasons for it to fill in.
Think twice if: you need privacy this year — this one builds its screen on a slower timetable than a fast-growing giant.
2. Brighter Blooms Emerald Green Arborvitae
The head-start pick that arrives at 3–4 feet, so your screen has presence the day it lands in the ground.
Most skinny evergreens start as tiny rooted cuttings, but this one shows up already 3–4 feet tall, which changes the math on your privacy timeline. Buyers consistently note the trees are larger than expected when the box opens, and the vibrant green color and healthy condition get steady praise. It matures to 15 feet tall, a more modest ceiling than the 50-foot Thuja Green Giant, but one that fits a typical two-story house nicely.
The growth rate is where opinions split — some owners mention steady progress while others say their trees grew slower than hoped. That mixed feedback is worth knowing before you buy, because this tree is sold as a low-maintenance screen that never demands pruning, and it does deliver that tidy habit. It adapts to varying soil types and weather extremes, which makes it forgiving for gardeners at any skill level.
Be aware the shipping map has limits: this one cannot be sent to AK, AZ, HI, or OR due to federal restrictions, so check your state before ordering. And while most trees arrive healthy, a small number of customers note a dead plant on delivery — the seller’s warranty covers replacing trees that do not survive transit, and one owner describes getting their first two failures promptly replaced with a thriving second set.
Head-start appeal: a 3–4 foot tree beats a 1-gallon start when you want your screen visible immediately, and the 15-foot mature height suits most residential lots.
Honest caveat: growth is a mixed bag for owners, and a few trees arrive dead — factor in the replacement warranty when you order.
3. Perfect Plants Thuja Green Giant
The speed demon that gains 3–5 feet a year, turning a bare boundary into a tall green wall in record time.
If patience is not your virtue, this is the skinny tall evergreen for you. The Thuja Green Giant is famous for its 3–5 feet of growth per year, which means a young 1-gallon tree can be shoulder-high within a couple of seasons. It ultimately towers to 50 feet tall with a wide pyramidal base, so give it room — or prune it to hold whatever height you actually want.
The health of these trees is the thing everyone raves about, with buyers reporting that each tree arrives about 16–18 inches tall and in great condition despite the shipping ordeal. The dense, dark green foliage carries a Christmas-tree scent when you break the leaves, and one owner says theirs nearly doubled in height while waiting in pots for months. It thrives in USDA Zones 5–9, which covers most of the United States, and grows happily even in clay soil.
This one lands in the premium tier, but it comes as a 5-pack of 1-gallon trees, so you are building an entire hedge row in one order rather than buying singles. Own one caution: that “wide bottomed pyramidal shape” means it is not as pencil-narrow as the Emerald Greens from Green Promise Farms — at full maturity it can spread 20 feet wide, so space it accordingly unless you plan to keep it pruned.
Why it wins
- Fastest grower here at 3–5 feet per year
- 5-pack builds a whole hedge row in one order
- Trees arrive healthy and 16–18 inches tall with good color
- Thrives across USDA Zones 5–9, including clay soil
Know before planting
- Wide pyramidal base can spread 20 feet at maturity
- Needs regular watering, especially while young
Grab it for: a fast, tall privacy screen where you can give each tree room to spread its base, or where you plan to prune to size.
skip it if: your planting strip is only a couple of feet wide — the Emerald Greens hold a tighter column.
Understanding the Specs
Mature height and spread
The two numbers that define a skinny evergreen are how tall it gets and how wide it spreads. A true columnar tree is many times taller than it is wide — think 50 feet tall by 20 feet wide versus 18 feet tall by 6 feet wide. Match those numbers to the space you actually have, because a tree that outgrows its spot becomes a pruning problem for decades.
Growth rate per year
This is your privacy timeline in a single number. A tree that gains 3–5 feet a year can hide a view in a few seasons, while a slower evergreen might take a decade to reach the same height. Decide if you need the screen soon or can let it build over time, then pick a growth rate that matches your patience.
FAQ
How close together should I plant skinny tall evergreens for a privacy screen?
Will the Emerald Green Arborvitae stay narrow on its own?
How fast does the Thuja Green Giant actually grow?
What USDA zones can these trees survive in?
Do skinny tall evergreens need full sun or partial shade?
Can I plant these trees right after they arrive?
Are these trees good for blocking a two-story view?
What if my delivered tree arrives dead or damaged?
Which of these trees needs the least maintenance?
Final Thoughts: The Verdict
For most gardeners, the best skinny tall evergreen trees pick is the Green Promise Farms Emerald Green Arborvitae because it pairs a true narrow habit with rich emerald color and a wide hardiness range. If you want an instant screen that arrives 3–4 feet tall, grab the Brighter Blooms Emerald Green. And for the fastest tall privacy wall you can plant, the Perfect Plants Thuja Green Giant 5-pack is the one to reach for.
How We Picked
We do not accept paid placement. Every pick is matched to a real buyer and a real use-case; we do not hands-on test units.
Sources & Methodology
Specifications: manufacturer listings and product documentation. Review insights: verified customer reviews, as of August 2026. Pricing: not shown on this page (it changes often); check the current price via the retailer link.
As an Amazon Associate, Gardening Beyond earns from qualifying purchases. This does not affect which products we feature.