Trees are a beautiful asset to any yard. They increase the aesthetic of your property, attract local wildlife, and provide shade and coolness during the hot summer months. However, one thing they also can provide, which people don’t always think of, is privacy. Privacy is important to many people. You want your yard to be a safe space. You want you and your family to be able to enjoy your yard as you please. This is why many opt to plant privacy trees for backyard areas.
One other thing to consider is the type of privacy you desire in your yard. Is it from neighbors or bystanders or noise? Or is it primarily for protection from the weather? If it’s to lessen the noise in your yard, you’ll want to choose trees with dense branches and long needles. If you just want help in covering the view, you can choose skinnier trees.
Not sure what you’re looking for yet? Here are five privacy trees for your backyard to give you some ideas.
1. Emerald Arborvitae
Emerald arborvitae, also known by many as the emerald green thuja, is one of the most popular choices for privacy trees for backyard areas. These are evergreen trees. They’re extremely thick and grow in a pyramid shape. At full maturity, they can reach about 15 feet tall and 4 feet wide. They can survive in various soil conditions and are very resistant to both ice and frost.
For best results, these trees should be planted about two to three feet apart. They should be in an area of full to partial sunlight. Emerald arborvitae trees are great for yards that are medium in size, especially as they only grow six to nine inches per year.
2. Eastern Redcedar
If your property is large, consider planting eastern redcedar trees, as they provide a lot of protection and privacy. This is because they can reach heights of 60 feet and up to 20 feet in width. They are conifer trees, which means that they provide year-round protection for your backyard. In the winter, they block out the cold, strong wind. In the summer, they provide you and your family with shade from the hot sun. Additionally, they have a nice scent throughout the year, an earthly fragrance that adds to your yard’s beauty and comfort. They also attract local wildlife such as birds and smaller animals.
For ultimate privacy, be sure to plant these trees about 20 feet apart. They should also be planted away from any neighboring homes or power lines.
3. Flowering Dogwood Trees
At Mr. Tree, we have already shared with you what our favorite varieties of dogwood trees are. But when it comes to privacy, flowering dogwood trees should be the dogwood of choice. These trees will not only provide privacy for your yard but will give your yard lots of dazzling color too. The flowers come in red, pink, white, and more. These are smaller trees, only reaching a maximum height of about 25 feet. However, they also reach widths of 25 feet, which is why they’re great at keeping neighbors or onlookers from being able to see into your backyard. Plus, flowering dogwood trees attract insects and birds with the berries they grow.
For maximum quality, flowering dogwood trees should be planted 20 feet apart in an area that receives full to partial sunlight and in well-drained soil. A lot of people who plant flowering dogwoods as privacy trees for backyard areas strategically place these trees for spot coverage.
4. Spartan Juniper
If your backyard is on the smaller side, the spartan juniper is a great choice of privacy tree for you. They grow to only a height of 15 feet tall and a width of 5 feet. They provide thick branch cover, which is why they’re great choices to create a privacy fence and a great way to block harsh weather conditions.
For best results, these trees should be planted about five feet apart in an area that gets full sunlight more than six hours per day. They need to be planted in dry soil. It’s important not to overwater them, as that can cause root rot and other diseases. Spartan juniper trees should also not be pruned heavily, which is important to consider before choosing a location to plant them.
5. Leyland Cypress
Are you looking for privacy trees that will provide a lot of coverage in one large area? The Leyland cypress is an option for you. These trees reach heights of about 60 feet tall, meaning if you have a large backyard or a large house you’re looking to block, they’re perfect. They are also very fast-growing trees—many can reach heights of 50 feet in just 15 years.
Leyland cypress trees are a very popular choice for homes near the coast, as they have a strong tolerance for salt. They require full sunlight but don’t do well in climates that are too hot. This is because they have a shallow root system. This means they need to be planted in large, well-drained yards. However, when they’re planted in a row, they’re an impenetrable mass of branches. This means that they’re great protection from harsh weather conditions such as wind and rain, as well as from the view of others and noise.
As you can see, if you’re looking for privacy trees for backyard areas, there are many great choices out there for you. The above five are all wonderful options, but you need to figure out which one will work best in your yard and for your family. Considering the size of your yard and the size the trees can grow to is important. It’s also important to make sure the soil in your yard is appropriate for the tree. Otherwise, you run the risk of your tree not growing to its healthiest.
If you need help in choosing the privacy tree that’s right for you, give the arborists at Mr. Tree a call today. We are happy to help.