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Few things kill a backyard retreat faster than a clear sightline from a neighbor’s window or a noisy road running just past the property line. A privacy screen built from broad, dense evergreens solves that by creating a living wall that blocks wind, muffles sound, and frames your space in deep green color every single day of the year. The trick is picking the right variety for your soil, sun, and patience level.
I’m Mohammad Maruf — the founder and writer behind Gardening Beyond. I’ve spent years comparing growth rates, cold-hardiness zones, mature dimensions, and aggregated owner feedback to help gardeners choose the right screening plant for their exact conditions.
After reviewing dozens of field reports, nursery specs, and USDA zone guidelines across seven top-performing options, I’ve narrowed the field to the best evergreen plants for privacy screen that deliver real coverage without constant upkeep or disappointing dieback.
How To Choose The Best Evergreen Plants For Privacy Screen
Selecting the right evergreen privacy plant comes down to matching your local growing conditions with the plant’s mature size, growth rate, and sun tolerance. Overlooking even one of these factors usually leads to a sparse hedge or a plant that outgrows its spot within a few years.
Mature height and width versus your available space
A privacy screen needs to be tall enough to block sightlines but narrow enough to fit the planting strip. A Thuja Green Giant can reach 60 feet tall — far too large for a typical side-yard property line. An Emerald Green Arborvitae hits around 15 feet, making it more manageable for tighter spaces. Measure the distance from the planting spot to the house or fence, then subtract the mature width to ensure the plant doesn’t crowd structures.
Growth rate and time to full screen
Fast-growing varieties like the Thuja Green Giant can add three feet of height per year once established, delivering a full screen in three to four years. Slower growers like boxwood need five or more years to form a solid wall. If you need privacy within two seasons, go with a plant that puts on appreciable vertical growth annually. If you can wait, slower plants often require less trimming and stay denser at the base.
USDA hardiness zone and local climate
Evergreens sold online ship with a zone range, but that range is only part of the story. Plants on the edge of their zone — for example, Emerald Green Arborvitae in zone 8 — may suffer in intense heat. Conversely, a plant listed to zone 5 might struggle in zone 3. Always check your specific zone and pick a species that sits comfortably in the middle of its range for your area.
Quick Comparison
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| Model | Category | Best For | Key Spec | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect Plants Thuja Green Giant 8-Pack | Premium Arborvitae | Fast dense privacy screen | Up to 60 ft tall / 20 ft wide | Amazon |
| Brighter Blooms Emerald Green Arborvitae | Premium Arborvitae | Instant medium hedge | 5-6 ft tall on arrival | Amazon |
| Wax Myrtle 20-Pack | Mid-Range Shrub | Coastal / large-area screens | Aromatic evergreen foliage | Amazon |
| Blue Arrow Juniper 3-Pack | Mid-Range Shrub | Narrow columnar hedges | Drought-tolerant, blue-green | Amazon |
| Green Promise Farms Emerald Green Arborvitae | Mid-Range Shrub | Classic medium hedge | 3-gallon container, 18-20 ft | Amazon |
| 10 Thuja Green Giant Arborvitae | Value Arborvitae | Budget bulk planting | 3 ft growth per year | Amazon |
| Proven Winners Sprinter Boxwood | Value Shrub | Low formal hedges | USDA zones 5-9, 24-48 in H | Amazon |
In‑Depth Reviews
1. Perfect Plants Thuja Green Giant 8-Pack
The Thuja Green Giant is widely considered the gold standard for fast privacy screens, and this 8-pack from Perfect Plants delivers healthy, well-rooted specimens that are ready to go in the ground. The trees arrive in 2-foot-tall pots with a dense, pyramidal form that smells of fresh Christmas foliage when you break a leaf. With a mature potential of 60 feet tall and 20 feet wide, these are best suited to properties with plenty of horizontal room where they can reach full size without cramping structures.
Customer reports consistently praise the packaging — plastic bag and base wrap protect the root ball during cross-country shipping — and reviewers note that all eight plants typically arrive in excellent, undamaged condition. The Green Giant thrives in USDA zones 5 through 9, making it adaptable across most of the continental United States. Once established, it requires very little maintenance beyond occasional watering during dry spells.
The primary trade-off is that this species needs regular spacing of at least 8 to 12 feet apart to reach its full width without overlapping branches. If you plant it too close, you will be pruning heavily within a few years to keep the hedge from becoming overcrowded. For large lots where you want a thick, tall wall in under five years, this pack offers the best growth-per-dollar ratio among premium options.
What works
- Extremely fast growth — up to 3-4 feet per year once established
- Excellent packaging ensures roots arrive intact
What doesn’t
- Very large mature size unsuitable for small yards
- Requires significant spacing to avoid overcrowding
2. Brighter Blooms Emerald Green Arborvitae
If you want a privacy screen that looks like it has been growing for years on the day you plant it, the Brighter Blooms Emerald Green Arborvitae is the top contender. These arrive at 5 to 6 feet tall — significantly larger than any other potted option in this comparison — meaning you get near-instant coverage without waiting three seasons for establishment. The narrow, pyramidal form reaches roughly 12 to 15 feet at maturity, making it ideal for tight spots next to a patio or along a fence line where width is limited.
The cultivar ‘Smargd’ is known for its soft, emerald-green foliage that holds its color through winter without the bronze tint that affects some arborvitae varieties. Brighter Blooms backs the plant with a warranty that covers shipping damage, and customer feedback highlights responsive customer service when replacement is needed. The tree adapts well to varying soil types and stands up to both heat and cold within its zone range of 3 to 8.
The biggest downside is the price — these are premium-sized specimens that cost significantly more per plant than smaller alternatives. Additionally, the warranty covers only 30 days, which some buyers feel is too short for a plant that needs time to establish roots. If you need an instant wall and have the budget, this is the fastest route to a finished screen without diy greenhouse or waiting.
What works
- Arrives at 5-6 ft tall for immediate impact
- Narrow form fits tight planting spaces
What doesn’t
- Higher per-plant cost compared to smaller starters
- 30-day warranty may not cover long-term establishment issues
3. Wax Myrtle 20-Pack
Wax Myrtle is an excellent choice for gardeners who need a fast-growing screen on a larger scale, especially if they live in coastal or sandy-soil areas where traditional arborvitae struggle. This 20-pack from Florida Foliage provides enough plants to cover a significant stretch of property line, with each shrub capable of reaching impressive heights quickly. The aromatic evergreen foliage adds a pleasant scent to the landscape and stays green year-round even through mild winters.
The species is notably drought-tolerant once established, and it adapts to diverse soil conditions including clay, loam, and sandy mixes. Customers report that the young plants arrive in good condition with moist soil and healthy root systems, though some note that they are smaller than expected for the price. The best results come from planting soon after arrival and maintaining consistent moisture during the first growing season.
Wax Myrtle does have a reputation for being slightly less cold-hardy than Thuja or juniper, and some reviewers mention dieback in colder microclimates. It is also less formal in shape than columnar evergreens — expect a more rounded, shrubby habit that may need occasional shaping. For large hedges in warm, coastal zones, this pack offers excellent coverage at a reasonable per-plant cost.
What works
- Fast-growing and drought-tolerant once established
- Adapts to sandy and coastal soil types
What doesn’t
- Less cold-hardy than Thuja or juniper species
- Requires shaping to maintain a tidy form
4. Blue Arrow Juniper 3-Pack
The Blue Arrow Juniper is a standout pick for anyone dealing with extremely narrow planting strips where width is at a premium. It grows in a tight, columnar shape that takes up very little horizontal space while reaching a respectable height, making it ideal for side yards or along driveways where a wider shrub would block walkways. The blue-green color adds visual interest to the landscape and pairs well with warm-toned hardscaping.
This juniper is drought-tolerant and thrives in full sun, requiring far less water than arborvitae once the root system is established. Customer reviews note that the plants arrive well-packed with minimal spillage, and the soil stays moist during transit. The mature height of roughly 12 to 15 feet and width of only 2 to 3 feet means you can plant them as close as 3 feet apart for a dense but slender hedge.
The main drawback is that the Blue Arrow Juniper grows more slowly than Thuja Green Giant, so you will wait longer for a full-height screen. Some customers also mention that the plants arrive smaller than anticipated, though they typically bounce back strongly after a season in the ground. For ultra-tight spaces where width is the limiting factor, this is the best option in the list.
What works
- Extremely narrow columnar shape fits tight spots
- Drought-tolerant and low-maintenance once established
What doesn’t
- Slower growth compared to Thuja Green Giant
- Plants may arrive smaller than expected
5. Green Promise Farms Emerald Green Arborvitae
The Green Promise Farms Emerald Green Arborvitae is a solid mid-range option for anyone who wants the classic arborvitae hedge without paying premium prices for a large starter. It ships in a 3-gallon container with the plant standing about 30 inches tall at time of delivery — a manageable size that roots in quickly and puts on steady vertical growth each season. The mature height of 18 to 20 feet and spread of 5 to 6 feet makes it a little taller than the Brighter Blooms version but still narrow enough for most hedge lines.
Customer feedback consistently mentions that the plants arrive healthy and bright green, even when the shipping boxes are a bit beat up. The ‘Smargd’ cultivar holds its rich emerald color throughout winter and shows good resistance to the browning that affects some arborvitae in harsh wind or sun exposure. It is rated for USDA zones 3 through 8, giving it one of the widest hardiness ranges in this comparison.
Some buyers note that the 3-gallon plants feel smaller than expected for the price, particularly when compared to larger container sizes from local nurseries. However, the growth rate of this cultivar is respectable — you can expect roughly 1 to 2 feet of height increase per year under good conditions. For budget-conscious gardeners who can wait a few extra seasons, this is a strong value play in the mid-range.
What works
- Wide hardiness range (zones 3-8)
- Good winter color retention without bronzing
What doesn’t
- Starts smaller than some alternatives at this price point
- Slower growth than Thuja Green Giant
6. 10 Thuja Green Giant Arborvitae
If you need to cover a long property line on a tight budget, the 10-pack of Thuja Green Giant Arborvitae from Daylily Nursery delivers some of the lowest per-plant costs in the screening category. These are small starter plants — roughly 7 to 10 inches tall at shipping — but they grow aggressively once in the ground, adding up to 3 feet of height per season after the first year. The mature dimensions are the same as the premium Green Giant pack: up to 40 feet tall and 15 feet wide, so you get the same impressive final hedge for roughly half the upfront cost per plant.
Customer reviews highlight the value proposition clearly, with many noting that these are significantly cheaper than buying the same species from local garden centers. The plants arrive well-packaged and healthy, though they require more initial care in terms of watering and protection from deer browsing. The warranty window is only 5 days from receipt, so you need to inspect and plant quickly.
The trade-off for the low price is that these are bare-minimum starters — they look like twigs out of the box and need consistent watering (2-3 times per week) and occasional fertilization to reach their full potential in the first year. Deer can damage the small plants, so fencing or repellent is recommended for the first two seasons. For patient gardeners with a large area to fill, this pack offers unbeatable value.
What works
- Lowest per-plant cost for a fast-growing screen
- Aggressive 3 ft/year growth rate once established
What doesn’t
- Very small starters require more care and protection
- Short 5-day warranty window for replacements
7. Proven Winners Sprinter Boxwood
The Proven Winners Sprinter Boxwood fills a different niche than the tall arborvitae species — it is the right choice when you need a low, formal hedge that stays tidy without constant shearing. Reaching a mature height of just 24 to 48 inches, this boxwood is best used along the front of a property line or as a knee-high border inside a taller screen. Its shade tolerance sets it apart from most evergreens, as it can thrive in partial sun where other conifers would become leggy and thin.
The plants arrive in 2-gallon pots with a healthy, compact shape and rich green-yellow foliage. Customers regularly describe the packaging as superb, with no damage or dry patches reported even after cross-country shipping. The ‘Sprinter’ cultivar was bred specifically for better growth rate than older boxwood varieties, putting on noticeable width each year without becoming invasive.
The limitation for privacy screening is obvious: even at its tallest, the Sprinter Boxwood will not block a sightline above waist height. It is not a substitute for arborvitae or juniper if you need a tall barrier. However, used as a base layer in front of taller evergreens or along a low retaining wall, it provides dense year-round coverage that complements the taller screening plants perfectly.
What works
- Excellent shade tolerance for partial-sun locations
- Compact, formal shape with minimal pruning needed
What doesn’t
- Max height of 4 feet limits tall privacy use
- Slower growing than Thuja or juniper alternatives
Hardware & Specs Guide
Mature Height and Spread
The most critical dimension for a privacy screen is the mature height, which determines whether the plants will actually block the view from second-story windows or just form a tall shrub. Thuja Green Giant can reach 50 to 60 feet, while Emerald Green Arborvitae tops out around 15 to 20 feet. Blue Arrow Juniper maxes out at 12 to 15 feet with a very narrow spread of 2 to 3 feet, making it the best choice for tight spaces. Always add the mature spread to both sides of the trunk when planning spacing — a 20-foot-wide tree needs 10 feet of clearance on each side.
Growth Rate Per Year
Growth rate determines how long you wait before the hedge provides meaningful coverage. Fast growers like Thuja Green Giant add 3 feet per year once established, providing a full screen in 3 to 4 years. Medium growers like Emerald Green Arborvitae average 1 to 2 feet per year, requiring 5 to 8 years for a tall hedge. Slow growers like boxwood add less than 6 inches of height per year and are better suited to low borders. If instant privacy is the goal, choose a variety with a documented annual growth rate of at least 2 feet under your zone conditions.
FAQ
How far apart should I plant evergreen privacy shrubs?
Which evergreen grows fastest for privacy screening?
Can I plant evergreen privacy screens in partial shade?
How long does it take for a privacy screen to reach full height?
Final Thoughts: The Verdict
For most gardeners, the evergreen plants for privacy screen winner is the Perfect Plants Thuja Green Giant 8-Pack because it combines the fastest growth rate with healthy, well-packaged starters at a reasonable per-plant cost. If you need an instant hedge without waiting, grab the Brighter Blooms Emerald Green Arborvitae. And for tight spaces where every inch of width matters, nothing beats the Blue Arrow Juniper 3-Pack.