Evergreen trees and shrubs provide year-round greenery, but they’re also a great way to create a natural privacy screen and sound barrier. Unlike fences, which may have height restrictions imposed by local municipalities, evergreen barriers can grow as tall as nature allows. To add one to your yard, you’ll need to consider factors such as power lines and the mature width of the plants.
In the guide below, we’ll walk you through key considerations and plant options.
Evergreen Plants For Privacy
When planning your evergreen screen, choose varieties that are well-suited to your specific climate. You can check the USDA’s plant hardiness map if you’re unsure about which zone you live in. We recommend planting a mix of evergreens for visual interest and disease resistance. The list below describes 13 low-maintenance options that are easy to plant.
Green Giant Arborvitae
(Thuja plicata ‘Green Giant’)
- Dimensions at maturity: 20 feet high and 5 feet wide
- USDA hardiness zones: 3 to 8
- Spacing: 4 feet
Planting an evergreen privacy screen on the north side of your house can effectively block winter winds while adding beauty to your landscape. The Arborvitae ‘Green Giant’ is an excellent choice for this purpose, capable of growing up to 3 feet in a year. The dense foliage acts as a natural sound barrier.
Leyland Cypress
(x Cupressocyparis leylandii)
- Dimensions at maturity: 70 feet high and 15 feet wide
- USDA hardiness zones: 6 to 10
- Spacing: 15 feet
The Leyland Cypress features a broad to tapering form with dense, dark green to grayish fans of foliage. Its smooth bark makes it a popular choice for landscapes and gardens.
Rocky Mountain Juniper
(Juniperus scopulorum ‘Wichita Blue’)
- Dimensions at maturity: 30 feet high and 6 feet wide
- USDA hardiness zones: 3 to 7
- Spacing: 6 feet
The Rocky Mountain Juniper ‘Wichita Blue’ is known for striking, bright blue-gray needles. This shrub takes on a pyramidal form and features exfoliating red-brown bark. Its unique coloration can complement many garden styles, and its moderate size is suitable for both large and small properties.
Italian Cypress
(Cupressus sempervirens)
- Dimensions at maturity: 70 feet high and 20 feet wide
- USDA hardiness zones: 7 to 10
- Spacing: 20 feet
The Italian Cypress is a tall, narrow conifer that forms a dense column of gray-green to dark-green needles with upright branches. Its distinctive shape makes it popular for formal gardens and Mediterranean-inspired landscapes. Its height and narrowness make it perfect for creating tall, slender privacy screens.
White Spruce
(Picea glauca)
- Dimensions at maturity: 60 feet high and 20 feet wide
- USDA hardiness zones: 3 to 6
- Spacing: 20 feet
The White Spruce features a narrow, conical shape with stiff blue-green needles and gray-brown bark. Its dense growth habit makes it an excellent choice for privacy screens and windbreaks. The tree’s thick foliage also provides habitat for birds and wildlife.
Hicksii Yew
(Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’)
- Dimensions at maturity: 20 feet high and 12 feet wide
- USDA hardiness zones: 4 to 7
- Spacing: 12 feet
The Hicksii Yew boasts soft needles that form a dense, dark green barrier. While beautiful, it’s important to note that the foliage can brown if exposed to harsh winter winds. Proper winter care can mitigate this issue.
American Holly
(Ilex opaca)
- Dimensions at maturity: 50 feet high and 40 feet wide
- USDA hardiness zones: 5 to 9
- Spacing: 40 feet
The American Holly is a classic evergreen with glossy, dark green leaves and distinctive red berries (on female plants). Its dense growth habit makes it an excellent choice for privacy screens, while the bright berries add seasonal color.
Japanese Holly
(Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’)
- Dimensions at maturity: 10 feet high and 3 feet wide
- USDA hardiness zones: 6 to 8
- Spacing: 3 feet
The Japanese Holly ‘Sky Pencil’ is a narrow shrub with a unique pencil-like form. It features multiple stems covered in glossy dark green leaves, with small green-white flowers appearing in spring. Its narrow profile is ideal for small gardens or urban settings.
Western Red Cedar
(Thuja plicata)
- Dimensions at maturity: 70 feet high and 25 feet wide
- USDA hardiness zones: 5 to 7
- Spacing: 25 feet
The Western Red Cedar is a large tree with reddish-brown bark and a conical shape that broadens with age. Its fragrant, scale-like leaves form flat sprays, creating a dense privacy screen and excellent windbreaker. The tree’s aromatic wood is also resistant to decay.
Techny Arborvitae
(Thuja occidentalis ‘Techny’)
- Dimensions at maturity: 15 feet high and 10 feet wide
- USDA hardiness zones: 2 to 8
- Spacing: 10 feet
The Techny Arborvitae is a compact, dwarfed variety that maintains its rich green color throughout the winter. Its dense foliage makes it an excellent choice for privacy screens and hedges. This variety is also relatively low-maintenance, while its manageable size is ideal for smaller yards.
Emerald Green Arborvitae
(Thuja occidentalis ‘Smargd’)
- Dimensions at maturity: 14 feet high and 4 feet wide
- USDA hardiness zones: 2 to 7
- Spacing: 4 feet
The Emerald Green Arborvitae is a semidwarf shrub that forms a compact, narrow pyramid of bright green foliage arranged in flat fans. Its vibrant color and dense growth make it a popular choice for privacy screens. Its narrow form is suitable for tight spaces. The foliage remains bright throughout the year.
Eastern Red Cedar
(Juniperus virginiana)
- Dimensions at maturity: 65 feet high and 25 feet wide
- USDA hardiness zones: 2 to 9
- Spacing: 25 feet
The Eastern Red Cedar is a broad, conical tree with horizontal branching covered in dark blue-green scale-like foliage. It has gray to reddish-brown exfoliating bark that is aromatic and resistant to pests. Its adaptability makes the Eastern Red Cedar a practical choice for diverse climates.
Nigra Arborvitae
(Thuja occidentalis ‘Nigra’)
- Dimensions at maturity: 30 feet high and 10 feet wide
- USDA hardiness zones: 3 to 7
- Spacing: 10 feet
The Nigra Arborvitae is a conical or narrow pyramidal tree with flat, dark green needles. Its dense growth habit makes it an excellent choice for privacy screens and windbreaks. The rich foliage color persists throughout the seasons.
Smooth Cypress
(Cupressus arizonica var. glabra)
- Dimensions at maturity: 50 feet high and 12 feet wide
- USDA hardiness zones: 7 to 9
- Spacing: 12 feet
The Smooth Cypress is a drought-tolerant conifer with smooth, reddish-purple bark and pointed blue-gray needles. Its unique coloration adds visual interest to privacy screens and landscaping. Once established, Smooth Cypress requires minimal watering.
Planting and Maintaining Your Evergreen Barrier
When planting, space the trees according to their mature width to allow for proper growth. Exact care will depend on the species, but plan to incorporate water, mulching, fertilizing, and pruning into your routine. Most evergreens thrive in full sun, requiring at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily to maintain their dense foliage and ensure optimal privacy. They also typically require more water during dry periods, especially in their first few years of growth.
In areas with harsh winters, protect evergreens from desiccation and cold damage by using burlap wraps or protective covers. Keep de-icing salts used on driveways and sidewalks away from the trees, as these can damage them.
