Top 9 Hedges That Grow Quickly for Privacy Optimization

Posted on 10/06/2025

Top 9 Hedges That Grow Quickly for Privacy Optimization

Are you searching for an effective and fast-growing hedge for privacy? Whether you want to shelter your backyard from prying eyes, reduce noise, or simply add beauty to your landscape, fast-growing hedges offer the perfect solution. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the best hedges for privacy optimization, detailing their key growth characteristics, appearance, care requirements, and unique advantages. Read on to discover which hedge plants can help you transform your outdoor space into a secluded sanctuary in record time.

Why Choose Fast-Growing Hedges for Privacy?

Privacy is a high priority for homeowners and gardening enthusiasts alike. Traditional fencing can be expensive, requires ongoing maintenance, and may not blend harmoniously with nature. In contrast, privacy hedges can:

• Provide a natural barrier against noise, wind, and unwanted views
• Enhance the aesthetic appeal of your outdoor spaces
• Offer valuable habitats for birds and insects
• Increase property value through landscaping

Fast-growing hedge species have the added benefit of achieving these results all the more quickly, making them an ideal choice for anyone eager to enjoy privacy within a short time frame.

The 9 Best Fast-Growing Hedges to Optimize Your Privacy

Let's delve into the top 9 hedges that grow quickly to optimize your privacy and transform your property.

1. Leyland Cypress (Cupressus x leylandii)

• Growth Rate: Up to 3 feet per year
• Ultimate Height: 50-70 feet (can be kept shorter with pruning)
• Best For: Large properties seeking instant privacy

Leyland Cypress is renowned as one of the fastest-growing privacy hedges globally. Its dense, evergreen foliage forms a solid green wall in just a few seasons. Regular pruning controls its height and encourages thicker growth. This cypress tolerates various soils and withstands pollution, making it a favorite hedge for both urban and rural environments.

2. Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata)

• Growth Rate: 3-5 feet per year
• Mature Height: 30-40 feet
• Best For: Durable, low-maintenance evergreen screening

This hybrid, also known simply as the Thuja Green Giant, is a popular choice for those seeking a robust and long-lasting living privacy hedge. It resists many common pests and diseases, remains emerald green year-round, and can handle moderately dry soils. Plant this fast-growing hedge for privacy in sun or partial shade for optimal results.

3. Privet (Ligustrum spp.)

• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet per year
• Mature Height: 8-15 feet
• Best For: Formal and informal hedging

Privet hedges are versatile, reliable, and quick to establish. Available in deciduous and evergreen varieties, privet hedges are known for their dense, leafy growth that forms a thick screen for optimal privacy. They can be shaped with regular trimming and are especially effective in urban landscapes. Note: Some species of privet can be invasive in certain areas, so select an appropriate variety for your region.

4. Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet per year
• Ultimate Height: 10-20 feet (prune to desired height)
• Best For: Shady sites and year-round greenery

The cherry laurel is prized for its glossy, broad, and evergreen leaves, making it a superb fast-growing privacy hedge. It excels even in shaded areas, tolerates most soil conditions, and produces fragrant white flowers in spring. This hedge responds well to pruning and is excellent for both formal and naturalistic garden borders.

5. Bamboo (various species)

• Growth Rate: Up to 5 feet per year (some species)
• Mature Height: 10-35 feet, depending on species
• Best For: Rapid coverage, modern gardens, sound buffering

Bamboo hedges are unique among quick-growing privacy plants. Their lush, vertical stems and dense foliage create a dramatic and exotic screen. Clumping bamboo species are preferred over running types, which can spread aggressively. Bamboo thrives in rich, well-drained soil and adds a contemporary vibe to garden designs while minimizing outside intrusions.

6. American Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)

• Growth Rate: 1-3 feet per year
• Ultimate Height: 10-20 feet (dwarf varieties available)
• Best For: Narrow spaces, formal hedges

This native evergreen is ideal for those seeking a compact, upright, fast-growing privacy hedge. It forms a dense, soft-textured barrier that is easy to shape and maintain. Arborvitae prefers moist, well-drained soils and full sun for best results, providing year-round privacy and greenery.

7. Red-Tipped Photinia (Photinia x fraseri)

• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet per year
• Mature Height: 10-15 feet
• Best For: Vibrant color and dense privacy

The red-tipped photinia is a standout for its brilliant red new growth, which matures to shiny green. Its fast growth and dense branching provide excellent privacy as well as decorative interest throughout the growing season. It thrives best in sunny to partly shaded areas and can be pruned for shape and compactness.

8. Wax Myrtle (Morella cerifera)

• Growth Rate: 2-4 feet per year
• Mature Height: 10-20 feet
• Best For: Coastal regions, wildlife value, drought tolerance

Wax myrtle offers aromatic, evergreen foliage perfect for privacy screens in warm climates and sandy soils. It's valued for attracting birds and its resilience to drought and salt spray, making it an exceptional privacy hedge for low-maintenance landscapes, particularly in seaside gardens.

9. Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira or tenuifolium)

• Growth Rate: 1-2 feet per year (faster in warmer climates)
• Mature Height: 6-15 feet
• Best For: Medium-sized hedges, fragrance, windbreaks

Pittosporum species, also known as mock orange, are cherished for their glossy leaves and fragrant, creamy blooms. These evergreen shrubs thrive in sun or partial shade and are tolerant of wind and coastal conditions. They provide a beautiful, quick-growing privacy option, especially in milder climates.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

When selecting among the fastest-growing hedges for privacy optimization, keep these considerations in mind:

• Climate suitability - Ensure your chosen hedge thrives in your USDA Hardiness Zone.
• Soil conditions - Some hedges prefer loamy, moist soil; others tolerate drought or sandy soils.
• Evergreen vs. deciduous - For year-round privacy, evergreen hedges are ideal.
• Maintenance requirements - Some hedges need regular pruning to maintain desired shape and density.
• Potential invasiveness - Fast growers such as bamboo or privet may spread aggressively; choose clumping or sterile cultivars where possible.
• Space available - Consider the mature width and height of your hedge for optimal planning.
• Allergenicity - Some hedge plants produce pollen or berries that may affect allergy sufferers or pets.

Choosing the right hedge for your specific space and goals ensures the quickest and most attractive results.

Tips for Planting and Maintaining Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

• Plant at the right time: Early spring or fall is best for root establishment.
• Prepare the soil: Loosen, enrich with compost, and ensure good drainage.
• Water regularly: Especially during the first two years while roots develop.
• Mulch: Conserve moisture and suppress weeds with a 2-3 inch mulch layer.
• Prune wisely: Shape your hedge early and prune annually for thick, dense growth.
• Fertilize: Use a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in spring for robust growth.

By following these steps, your quick privacy hedge will flourish and shield your home in the shortest time possible.

Frequently Asked Questions about Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

How long do fast-growing hedges take to provide privacy?

Most quick-growing hedges for privacy begin forming an effective screen within 2-4 years, depending on the species and growing conditions. Arborvitae and Leyland cypress, for example, can rapidly reach heights that make them effective barriers shortly after planting.

Which privacy hedge grows the fastest?

Leyland cypress and Green Giant arborvitae are among the fastest growers, with bamboo also topping the list for speed, particularly with optimal moisture and warmth. Bamboo species can often deliver a living wall within two years, especially in warmer zones.

Can fast-growing privacy hedges be kept small?

Absolutely! Regular pruning and formative shaping will encourage bushier growth and help you maintain your hedge at the desired height and width, ensuring maximum privacy without overshadowing your garden.

What is the best low-maintenance privacy hedge?

The Green Giant arborvitae and wax myrtle are both excellent low-maintenance choices. They resist pests and diseases and don't require excessive shaping to stay attractive.

Are privacy hedges better than fences?

While fences provide immediate screening, living privacy hedges offer a more eco-friendly, aesthetic, and even cost-effective long-term solution. They attract wildlife, buffer sound and wind, and enhance the overall look and feel of outdoor living areas.

Conclusion: Transform Your Space with a Fast-Growing Privacy Hedge

Creating a tranquil, private outdoor oasis is entirely achievable with the right fast-growing privacy hedge. By selecting from our top 9 hedges that grow quickly for privacy optimization--including favorites like Leyland cypress, privet, cherry laurel, and bamboo--you can enjoy lush, natural screening in just a few short years. Whether your landscape is sunny, shady, urban, or coastal, there's a fast-growing privacy plant suited to your needs.

Invest in a living privacy wall today, and enjoy beauty, serenity, and seclusion in your garden for years to come.