To block a neighbor’s view or quiet a noisy road, you need a boundary that grows thicker and taller every single year, never rots, and requires zero painting. A row of well-chosen evergreens delivers exactly that, but picking the wrong cultivar means waiting a decade for coverage or watching deer destroy your investment over one winter. The goal is a dense, living screen that reaches at least 15 feet tall and fills in fast enough to justify the soil you dig.
I’m Mohammad Maruf — the founder and writer behind Gardening Beyond. I study nursery stock data, compare documented growth rates and hardiness ranges across USDA zones, and cross-reference thousands of verified owner experiences to isolate the varieties that consistently perform under real-world conditions.
After analyzing growth-form data, container maturity, and buyer feedback from dozens of batches, these five options represent the most reliable starts available right now. If you are searching for a repeatable, low-risk strategy to shield your yard, this review of the best arborvitae for privacy will give you the exact starting point your landscape needs.
How To Choose The Best Arborvitae For Privacy
Buying starts for a privacy screen forces you to predict the next 10 years of growth from a 10-inch pot. The three decisions that matter most are mature dimensions, annual growth rate, and USDA zone compatibility. Get these right and your screen fills in on schedule without gaping holes or winter burn.
Mature Height and Spread
A privacy screen needs to block sight lines from ground level up, so the minimum effective height is about 15–20 feet. The spread determines how many plants you need per linear foot. Narrow cultivars like Emerald Green (5–6 foot spread) can be spaced 3–4 feet apart for a dense wall. Broad growers like Green Giant (12–16 foot spread) need 6–7 feet between trunks — planting them closer wastes money and forces aggressive pruning later.
Annual Growth Rate
Fast growers like Green Giant push 3–5 feet per year after the first season, creating a usable screen in 3–4 years. Slower varieties like Emerald Green average 1–2 feet per year and take 7–10 years to reach full blocking height. If you need privacy within 5 years, prioritize a fast-growing species and accept the wider mature spread it brings.
USDA Hardiness Zone
Green Giant handles zones 5–8 reliably, but struggles in zone 4 winters without heavy snow cover. Emerald Green stretches into zone 3, making it the better pick for northern climates. Always check your zone before ordering — a tree that dies back to the ground every winter will never build a screen.
Quick Comparison
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| Model | Category | Best For | Key Spec | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect Plants Thuja Green Giant 8-Pack | Premium | Fastest coverage in 3–4 years | 2 ft. tall starter, 60 ft. mature height | Amazon |
| Thuja Green Giant Lot of 6 (Quart Pot) | Premium | High-volume planting at moderate cost | 16 in. tall, 40–50 ft. mature height | Amazon |
| Green Promise Farms Thuja Green Giant 3-Gal | Mid-Range | Larger root system for faster establishment | 3-gallon pot, 30–50 ft. mature height | Amazon |
| Green Promise Farms Emerald Green 3-Gal | Mid-Range | Narrow footprint with cold hardiness | 3-gallon pot, 18–20 ft. mature height | Amazon |
| 10 Thuja Green Giant 7–10 In. Starter Trees | Budget | Large quantity on a tight budget | 7–10 in. starter, 40 ft. mature height | Amazon |
In‑Depth Reviews
1. Perfect Plants Thuja Green Giant 2ft. Tall 8-Pack
This 8-pack from Perfect Plants ships as 2-foot-tall starts with a well-developed root system, giving you a full growing season head start over smaller plugs. Owner reports consistently highlight the robust packaging — individual plastic wrapping and a thick box — that keeps foliage green and soil intact even after cross-country transit. The Green Giant cultivar pushes 3–5 feet of vertical growth per year once established, meaning a 6-foot privacy screen by the second summer and full 15-foot blocking height by year four.
The wide pyramidal form reaches up to 60 feet tall and 20 feet wide at full maturity, so spacing these 6–7 feet apart is essential. Despite the larger starter size, the roots handle transplant shock well when watered regularly the first season. Multiple verified buyers describe receiving trees that looked “amazing” and “better than expected” right out of the box, with minimal losses even in hot-weather shipping.
For gardeners who want the fastest possible screen and are willing to pay a higher per-plant cost for a larger start, this bundle delivers the best head start of any option on the list. The trade-off is the mature spread — you cannot squeeze these into a narrow side yard without annual pruning to keep them in check.
What works
- 2-foot start with thick root system establishes quickly
- Exceptional packaging protects foliage during shipping
- 3–5 feet of annual growth after year one
What doesn’t
- Mature 20-foot spread demands wide spacing
- Higher per-plant investment compared to smaller starts
- May outgrow tight urban lots without aggressive pruning
2. Thuja Green Giant Arborvitae Lot of 6, Quart Pot
This 6-pack from Sandy’s Nursery Online ships in quart pots with plants that average 14–16 inches tall. Verified customers consistently describe the root balls as “impressive” and the packaging as superior — each plant is individually wrapped in plastic to retain moisture, then boxed to prevent movement. Multiple buyers report ordering 40 or more trees and receiving every single one in healthy, green condition, which speaks to the nursery’s consistency across large batches.
The Green Giant grows to 40–50 feet tall with a 12–16 foot spread, making these a solid choice for long property lines where you want fast results at a mid-range price point. One reviewer noted that after a week-long shipping period the plants remained “fully hydrated and beautiful,” a sign that the moisture-retention strategy works. The variety thrives in full sun to partial shade across zones 5–8, though buyers in the northern edge of that range should plant in spring to maximize root establishment before winter.
The biggest advantage here is the price-per-plant ratio — you get six well-rooted starts for a moderate cost, making it the sweet spot for anyone planting 30–50 feet of hedge. The trade-off is that quart starts are smaller than 3-gallon or 2-foot offerings, so you lose one growing season compared to the larger starts. Plan to baby these with consistent irrigation through the first summer.
What works
- Excellent root development for quart-sized starts
- Individual moisture wrapping prevents shipping stress
- Consistent quality across large multi-pack orders
What doesn’t
- Smaller start size delays full screen by one season
- Mature 16-foot spread needs careful spacing planning
- Does not ship to AZ or CA
3. Green Promise Farms Thuja Green Giant 3-Gallon
Green Promise Farms sends this Green Giant in a #3 (3-gallon) container, which holds a significantly larger root mass than quart pots. That extra root volume translates to faster top growth — buyers report seeing 2–3 feet of vertical extension in the first growing season alone. The tree arrives fully rooted in soil and can go straight into the ground as soon as weather permits, skipping the hardening-off period that bareroot stock requires.
The mature dimensions call for 12–16 feet of spacing, and the tree tops out at 30–50 feet tall, making this a genuine screening giant. Verified reviews mention that the plants arrived “healthy and bright green” even when the outer box showed crush damage. The one caution is that buyers occasionally find the trees smaller than expected for a 3-gallon label — the stems are well-formed but the overall height may be only 18–24 inches at delivery.
For zone 4 gardeners, this cultivar is a safer bet than standard Green Giant because it tolerates colder winters, provided it gets well-drained soil and a thick mulch layer. The premium container size reduces the number of seasons you wait for meaningful height, giving this pick a clear edge for impatient planters in cooler climates.
What works
- 3-gallon root mass accelerates first-year establishment
- Extended cold tolerance into zone 4
- Ready to plant immediately upon arrival
What doesn’t
- Actual plant height may be shorter than some expect
- Boxes sometimes arrive crushed despite healthy plants inside
- No multi-pack discount — per-plant cost is higher
4. Green Promise Farms Emerald Green 3-Gallon
This Emerald Green (Thuja occidentalis ‘Smargd’) ships in a 3-gallon container and grows to only 18–20 feet tall with a tight 5–6 foot spread. The narrow form makes it the only option on this list that fits a 4-foot-wide side yard or a foundation planting without constant pruning. Verified buyers consistently describe the foliage as “emerald green and soft,” arriving with strong stem structure even after being boxed for transit. Several repeat customers ordered multiple batches and reported identical quality across all shipments.
The growth rate is slower than Green Giant — expect 1–2 feet per year — so a full 15-foot screen takes roughly 7–10 years. However, the cold hardiness down to zone 3 makes it the only reliable choice for northern-tier states where Green Giant suffers winter dieback. One buyer in zone 4 planted five of these and noted they “established and thrived” while neighboring Green Giants browned out after a harsh February freeze.
The typical gardener buying this cultivar values form over speed. If you have a narrow space, need winter survival in zone 3 or 4, and are willing to wait 5–6 years for partial coverage, this is the plant that fits. The dense upright shape also holds up well to snow loads, so you will not see the splayed branches that plague broader varieties after heavy storms.
What works
- Narrow 5–6 foot spread fits tight spaces
- Hardy to zone 3 with reliable winter survival
- Dense snow-resistant branch structure
What doesn’t
- Slow growth — 7+ years to reach full privacy height
- Some buyers report smaller-than-expected size for the price
- Not ideal for large properties needing fast coverage
5. 10 Thuja Green Giant Arborvitae 7–10 Inch Starter Trees
This value pack gives you 10 Green Giant starters at 7–10 inches tall for roughly the same price as a single 3-gallon plant. The economics are straightforward: you get maximum linear coverage per dollar, but you trade growing time for that savings. Verified buyers report that the trees arrived “quick and well-packaged,” with healthy green foliage and a root ball intact inside the pot. One customer planted 40 of these and said all 40 looked great, which confirms the supplier’s consistency at scale.
The first year is slow — these tiny starts need weekly watering (2–3 times in dry spells) and protection from deer browsing while they size up. Multiple owners note that fencing is mandatory until the leader reaches about 3 feet tall, after which deer resistance improves. Once established, the Green Giant genetics kick in and the trees can add 3 feet per season. One reviewer in north Missouri reported that their batch survived a full winter and “size doubled in one year.”
The clear downside is the patience required. A 10-inch start needs 2–3 seasons before it contributes meaningful screening height. If your budget is tight and you can wait, this is the most cost-effective way to plant a long boundary. If you need privacy next year, skip this option and invest in larger starts from the higher tiers above.
What works
- Excellent per-dollar value for planting long runs
- Green Giant genetics — 3 ft./year once established
- Reliable packaging and consistent quality across large orders
What doesn’t
- 7–10 inch size requires 2–3 years of growth before screening
- Vulnerable to deer browsing when small — fencing required
- Delicate during first winter if planted late in the season
Hardware & Specs Guide
Mature Dimensions
Green Giant arborvitae typically reach 40–60 feet tall with a 12–16 foot spread at full maturity. Emerald Green stays compact at 18–20 feet tall with only a 5–6 foot spread. Match the mature width to your available space before you buy — planting a 16-foot-wide tree in a 5-foot bed guarantees future problems.
Growth Rate Per Year
Green Giant cultivars add 3–5 feet of height annually after the first established season. Emerald Green grows at 1–2 feet per year. The faster-growing option fills your screen sooner but demands wider spacing and more room at maturity. Slower varieties are better for confined spaces and low-maintenance trimming.
FAQ
How far apart should I plant Green Giant arborvitae for a privacy screen?
Which arborvitae grows fastest for privacy?
Do deer eat arborvitae or are they deer resistant?
Can arborvitae survive in zone 4 winter conditions?
Final Thoughts: The Verdict
For most gardeners, the best arborvitae for privacy winner is the Perfect Plants Thuja Green Giant 8-Pack because it combines a large 2-foot starter size with the fastest growth rate available, giving you a functional screen in roughly 3 years. If you need a narrow footprint for a tight space, grab the Green Promise Farms Emerald Green 3-Gallon. And for planting a long boundary on a budget where time is not the driving factor, nothing beats the 10 Thuja Green Giant Starter Trees.