8 Best Fast-Growing Hedge Plants For Privacy

fast growing hedge plants for privacy
fast growing hedge plants for privacy

Are you looking to turn your garden into a private oasis or want more privacy in your backyard? Fast-growing hedge plants are a perfect solution! It’s a great privacy solution and adds interest to your space. 

You might be considering a fence or brick wall instead of growing hedge plants, but trust me, they won’t be attractive or give a natural look. 

So, fast-growing hedge plants for privacy are easy to grow and attractive for creating a private oasis!

Let’s dig deep and find the best ones for your space immediately!

  1. BAY LAUREL
Bay Laurel

Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis), or bay leaf, is a large evergreen shrub with smooth green leaves. It belongs to the flowering plant family called Lauraceae. 

In its natural habitat, bay laurel grows from medium to large-sized trees with dense stems that grow and expand as the plant ages. But you may prune it occasionally to keep it balanced and coherent with other hedge plants.

It is easy to care for and blooms small yellow flowers that develop into purple berries during fall. 

If you’re growing it in a pot, make sure the pot is 4 to 8 feet tall and is exposed fully or partially to the sun.

During the dry seasons, you need to water it regularly, but avoid overwatering as it damages the roots.

  1. CHERRY LAUREL
Cherry Laurel

Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is one of the best plants for privacy and can be a great addition to your hedge plants. This evergreen species of cherry belongs to the family Rosaceae. 

It is also known as North America’s common laurel or English Laurel.

This resilient easy-to-grow Laurel falls under fast-growing hedge plants for privacy and produces sweet-smelling white flowers during spring.

The flowers develop into red cherry-like fruits that attract butterflies and other pollinators. 

The fall season is the best to plant Cherry laurel; it grows up to 25 feet if not pruned. 

Depending on weather conditions, it grows in a range of sunlight, from full sun to shades. In warmer climates, it requires water frequently. 

Remember: The fruit (cherries) of the plant are toxic to both humans and pets.

  1. LILLY PILLIES
Lilly Pillies

Lilly Pillies are one of the best privacy screen plants that flower during summer while producing fruits during winter.

This evergreen tree belongs to the family Myrtaceae and comes in various heights i.e., if not pruned, grow into big tree sizes.

You can plant a Lilly pilly in fertile, moist soil. It bears varying sunlight conditions from full to semi-shades. 

Lilly pillies are one of the best screening trees in Australia and happily grow in pots and the soil directly.

Remember to water it frequently if you grow it in a pot. 

Tip: Pick a variety of lilly pillies from sublime, Red Head, Straight and narrow, and Pinnacle based on your local weather and habitat conditions. 

  1. PRIVET
Privet

If you want to add a formal feel but looking to add plants for privacy on balcony, Privet is a perfect choice!

Again it is also an evergreen shrub that belongs to the family Oleaceae. It looks classy when grown as a hedge.

It produces strongly scented flowers during early summers.

If you plan to plant Privet among your privacy trees, plant it during spring or fall.

Remember: the leaves and fruits of the Privet are toxic to humans and pets.

It is one of the fast growing hedge plants and grows happily in various growing conditions. 

It is advisable to grow it out of a pot as it grows rapidly. 

It shows good growth under full sun and requires frequent watering when young.

  1. LEYLANDII
Leylandii

Leylandii, or Leyland Cypress, is one of the best plants for privacy among coniferous. It grows at a rate of approximately 75 to 90 cm a year.

It has a reddish-brown bark and attractive sprays of blue-green needles. 

It gives a protective screen to the garden and requires low to no maintenance at all. 

It grows happily in normal and clay soils and in varying sunlight from full sun to full shade. 

Leylandii creates a natural screen and is best to grow if you want privacy with plants around your oasis. You may prune it to keep it to the desired size. 

  1. BAMBOO
Bamboo

Bamboo plants are perennial flowering plants trendy for growing tall potted plants as privacy trees. They have an abundance of foliage that provides a dense screen for creating a private oasis. Due to their tendency to multiply rapidly, the plant prefers to be grown directly in the soil. 

Although the plant requires a lot of maintenance, it is an excellent addition to outdoor potted plants because of the color and texture it adds to the space.

It grows well in indirect sunlight and requires enough water to cover its roots. 

  1. SWEET VIBURNUM
Sweet Viburnum

Sweet Viburnum (Viburnum Odoratissimum) is one of the best plants for privacy and can be grown into a big tree 20 feet tall if not pruned.

It forms dense clusters of scented white flowers covering the plant during spring.

It does not require high maintenance, so it can be grown where sunlight comes—once it becomes mature, it becomes drought tolerant.

When the sweet viburnum is young, water it regularly for several weeks.

  1. MURRAYA PANICULATA
Murraya Paniculata

Murraya Paniculata, commonly known as orange jasmine, is a shrub or small tree species belonging to the family Rutaceae. 

It is among the best privacy plants commonly known as China, Chinese, or cosmetic-bark trees.

It is native to Australia and South and Southeast Asia and grows best in warm climates. 

It grows tall and wider, up to 12 feet, depending on the species. It also produces flowers and fruit seasonally.

Murraya Paniculata requires little maintenance and grows in both full and partial sunlight.

It requires frequent watering during the warm weather especially. 

CARING FOR YOUR HEDGE PLANTS FOR PRIVACY

When you plant a new hedge plant, the first few years are critical to shaping it. The care and maintenance required for a new hedge are similar to what is required for any other tree. 

Water the newly planted hedge twice a week. If you have many plants, you may use a hose water plant for watering all of them at regular intervals.

All the above screening plants for privacy require full sun to partial sun to grow so that you can adjust your pots or shade accordingly.

Additionally, you should find a way to grow weeds around the hedge. But make sure it is 4 to 5 inches away from the base of the hedge.

Tip: It is easy to maintain the hedge plants during summer by watering them frequently, but what about winters? If you experience extreme winter weather, you should water your hedges more before they freeze and your plant/trees dry out.

Avoid touching the shrub’s trunk; add 2 inches of mulch around the bases to insulate and protect the hedges’ roots.

THAT’S A WRAP!

The article covers the best plants for privacy on balcony or to create a private oasis. If you want to create a private space, planting fast growing hedge plants is the best decision you’ll ever make!

The above are the 8 best privacy plants requiring little or no maintenance at all. They all bear varying sunlight conditions and require optimal watering as other plants.

I have also mentioned a few tips to take care of your hedges, especially when they’re young.

So, pay attention to their importance and plant a few to have a naturally dense covering around your space. 

Got more questions related to fast growing hedge plants for privacy? Here’re the answers to the frequently asked questions.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Suggest any 5-6 foot evergreen shrubs for privacy.

You can plant 

  • Yew 
  • Holly
  • Cherry laurel
  • Bay Laurel
  • Leylandii
  • Boxwood.

Any fast-growing evergreen shrubs for privacy?

  • Bay Laurel
  • Cherry Laurel
  • Lilly Pillies
  • Privet
  • Lelandii

Can you suggest flowering hedge plants?

  • Sweet Viburnum
  • Bay Laurel
  • Cherry Laurel
  • Lilly Pillies
  • Privet

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