15 Best Shrubs for Privacy Screens, Ranked by Speed and Zone
My neighbor built a two-story addition in 2019. The addition sits roughly 30 feet from my back deck. I needed a screen fast, and I needed it to survive zone 7a winters, deer browsing, and the kind of summer drought that turns Long Island lawns brown by.
—- title: "15 Best Shrubs for Privacy Screens, Ranked by Speed and Zone" slug: best-shrubs-for-privacy hub: plants category: "Plant Lists" description: "The 15 best privacy shrubs ranked by growth rate and cold hardiness. Factual comparisons of annual gain, mature size, and maintenance needs by zone." date: 2026-06-10 updated: 2026-06-10 author: "Thomas A." reading_time: 8 —-
My neighbor built a two-story addition in 2019. The addition sits roughly 30 feet from my back deck. I needed a screen fast, and I needed it to survive zone 7a winters, deer browsing, and the kind of summer drought that turns Long Island lawns brown by July.
I spent three weeks reading Cooperative Extension publications before I bought anything. What I found disagreed with a lot of what garden centers told me. This guide is the honest version.
How I Ranked These
Three criteria, weighted equally: annual growth rate (verified against Extension publications, not plant-tag marketing), cold hardiness (USDA zone range from the source), and maintenance load (how much pruning to keep it looking intentional rather than abandoned). I also noted deer resistance, because in my yard it is non-negotiable.
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The 15 Shrubs
1. Thuja occidentalis 'Emerald Green' (Arborvitae)
Zones 3–8 | Growth: 6–9 inches/year | Mature: 10–15 ft tall, 3–4 ft wide
Per Penn State Extension, 'Emerald Green' arborvitae is the most widely planted privacy screen shrub in the Northeast, and for good reason: it holds its color in winter, tolerates clay or loam, and maintains a naturally columnar form with minimal shearing. The drawback in my zone is deer. Per Rutgers NJAES deer-resistant plant ratings, arborvitae is rated "frequently severely damaged" — the worst category. If deer are heavy in your area, skip to #4.
Plant 3–4 feet on center for a dense screen. Needs 1 inch of water per week until established (first two growing seasons), per Penn State.
2. Thuja plicata 'Green Giant' (Western Red Cedar)
Zones 5–8 | Growth: 2–3 ft/year | Mature: 30–40 ft tall, 12–20 ft wide
'Green Giant' is genuinely fast. Per NC State Extension, established specimens can put on 24–36 inches per year under good conditions. That rate drops on poor soils. Plant 5–6 feet on center. It will eventually be too wide for a tight residential lot, so think about whether you want 40-foot trees in 15 years. Deer rarely browse it — a genuine advantage over arborvitae.
3. Leyland Cypress (× Cupressocyparis leylandii)
Zones 6–10 | Growth: 3–4 ft/year | Mature: 60–70 ft
Per Clemson HGIC, Leyland cypress grows 3–4 feet per year when young. It is the fastest large-scale screen available in zones 6–10. The honest problems: it is shallow-rooted and susceptible to several canker diseases (Seiridium and Botryosphaeria), which can kill entire trees in 10–15 years. Per Clemson HGIC, once canker is established in the trunk, there is no cure. Plant only where you want a temporary screen, or where you are willing to replace trees.
4. Ilex opaca (American Holly)
Zones 5–9 | Growth: 6–12 inches/year | Mature: 15–30 ft
Slower than the first three, but this is the plant I actually put in my backyard for that deck screen. American holly is rated "seldom severely damaged" by deer per Rutgers NJAES — which, in my experience with Long Island deer pressure, means occasional tip browsing rather than complete consumption. It holds dark green foliage year-round. Per Missouri Botanical Garden, it needs well-drained, slightly acidic soil (pH 4.5–6.0). You need one male per 3–5 females for berry production. Space 6–10 feet apart for a screen.
5. Ilex × meserveae (Blue Holly, 'Blue Princess'/'Blue Prince')
Zones 4–9 | Growth: 6–9 inches/year | Mature: 8–10 ft
Blue hollies are hybrid evergreens suited to tighter spaces. Per Cornell Cooperative Extension, they handle cold better than American holly in zones 4–5 while maintaining similar deer resistance. Plant males and females together. Full sun to partial shade. pH 4.5–6.5.
6. Viburnum rhytidophyllum (Leatherleaf Viburnum)
Zones 5–8 | Growth: 12–24 inches/year | Mature: 10–15 ft
Per Missouri Botanical Garden, leatherleaf viburnum is semi-evergreen to evergreen in zones 6–8 and may lose some leaves in zone 5 winters. Growth is moderate to fast once established. It tolerates shade better than most screen plants — useful for the north side of structures. Deer resistance is moderate; it is not a first-choice browse but will be eaten when deer are hungry.
7. Photinia × fraseri (Red Tip Photinia)
Zones 7–9 | Growth: 12–18 inches/year | Mature: 10–15 ft
Per Clemson HGIC, red tip photinia was one of the most planted screens in the South until Entomosporium leaf spot became epidemic. That fungal disease is now so common in dense photinia plantings that Clemson explicitly warns against using it in rows. If you are in zones 7–9 and want this look, plant specimens widely spaced with good air circulation, or choose an alternative. I am mentioning it here because it is still sold aggressively at garden centers despite this problem.
8. Nellie Stevens Holly (Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens')
Zones 6–9 | Growth: 3 ft/year young, 1–2 ft mature | Mature: 15–25 ft
Per NC State Extension, Nellie Stevens holly combines fast growth with good deer resistance and evergreen foliage. It handles heat and humidity better than arborvitae or Green Giant. A reliable choice for zones 7–9 where other evergreens struggle in summer.
9. Prunus laurocerasus (Cherry Laurel / English Laurel)
Zones 6–9 | Growth: 12–24 inches/year | Mature: 15–18 ft
Per Missouri Botanical Garden, cherry laurel grows quickly in zones 6–9 and is moderately deer-resistant. The broad, glossy leaves create a dense visual screen. It tolerates shade. The caveat: in the Pacific Northwest it has become invasive; per Oregon State Extension, avoid planting it near natural areas in that region.
10. Taxus × media 'Hicksii' (Hicks Yew)
Zones 4–7 | Growth: 3–6 inches/year | Mature: 10–12 ft tall, 3–4 ft wide
Per Penn State Extension, Hicks yew is slow but extremely long-lived and tolerates heavy shade — the best option for a screen under a tree canopy. It is reliably deer-resistant. Do not plant in standing water; yews will die in poorly drained soil within one growing season. pH 6.0–6.5. Space 3–4 feet for a hedge.
11. Forsythia × intermedia (Forsythia)
Zones 5–8 | Growth: 12–18 inches/year | Mature: 8–10 ft
A deciduous option worth including because it is cheap, fast, nearly indestructible, and blooms yellow in early spring before anything else. Per UMN Extension, forsythia tolerates clay soils and urban conditions. The screen goes bare in winter — that is the honest limitation. Good as a first-layer screen while slower evergreens fill in behind it.
12. Aronia arbutifolia (Red Chokeberry)
Zones 4–9 | Growth: 6–12 inches/year | Mature: 6–8 ft
Per Missouri Botanical Garden, red chokeberry is a native alternative to non-native screen shrubs, tolerates wet soils, and provides outstanding fall color. It spreads by suckers to form dense thickets over time — good for a naturalistic screen, not for a formal hedge. Deer-resistant. Best in full sun to partial shade.
13. Bamboo (Various — Clumping types only)
Zones vary | Growth: 2–6 ft/year | Mature height varies
I am including this because clients ask constantly. Per Clemson HGIC, running bamboo species are invasive in most of the eastern US and will spread into neighboring properties and native plantings. If you want bamboo, use only clumping types (Fargesia spp., zones 5–8), which grow outward very slowly. Clumping bamboos reach 8–15 feet, grow 6–12 inches per year, and will not invade. Running types should not be planted in residential yards — a root barrier is insufficient to contain them long-term per Clemson.
14. Cephalotaxus harringtonia (Japanese Plum Yew)
Zones 6–9 | Growth: 6–12 inches/year | Mature: 5–10 ft
Per NC State Extension, Japanese plum yew is the best yew-like shrub for zones 7–9 where Taxus struggles with heat. It tolerates shade and is deer-resistant. Slow, so it works best as a secondary layer behind a faster species.
15. Camellia japonica (Japanese Camellia)
Zones 7–10 | Growth: 6–12 inches/year | Mature: 7–12 ft
Per Clemson HGIC, camellia is a broad-leaved evergreen with genuine winter interest (blooms November–March depending on cultivar). It grows slowly but is the most elegant screen option for zones 7–10. Needs acidic soil (pH 6.0–6.5), afternoon shade in zone 9–10. Not deer-resistant.
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Planning the Screen
Spacing math
For a continuous screen, plant based on mature width, not the distance that looks right when small. A 4-foot-wide shrub planted at 4 feet on center will barely touch at maturity. Plant at 2/3 of mature width for a solid screen within five years.
Staggering rows
Per Penn State Extension, a double-staggered row using two different species — one fast-establishing deciduous, one slower evergreen — produces the most resilient screen. The deciduous species provides immediate coverage; the evergreens replace it over time.
Soil prep
Per Cornell Cooperative Extension, backfill with native soil, not amended soil, for woody shrubs. A pocket of amended soil causes roots to circle rather than expand. Amendments belong in the whole bed, not the planting hole.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How fast will my privacy screen fill in? Under average residential conditions (average soil, occasional watering, some deer pressure), expect a functional visual screen in 3–5 years for fast growers like Green Giant, 6–10 years for moderate growers like American holly. Per NC State Extension, "fast-growing" on a plant label means fast under nursery conditions. Real-world performance is typically slower.
Can I plant arborvitae where deer are present? Per Rutgers NJAES, arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) is one of the most heavily browsed plants in the northeastern US. In areas with moderate to high deer pressure, plant a deer-resistant species instead (Ilex, Taxus, or Cephalotaxus) or install a physical deer fence around new plantings until they are large enough to withstand browsing.
Should I use a root barrier for bamboo? Per Clemson HGIC, HDPE root barriers 24–30 inches deep may slow running bamboo but will not reliably stop it. The only reliable solution for running bamboo is clumping species or no bamboo at all.
What is the best privacy shrub for shade? Per Penn State Extension, Hicks yew (Taxus × media 'Hicksii') tolerates full shade better than any other evergreen screen shrub in zones 4–7. In zones 7–9, Japanese plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia) fills that role per NC State Extension.
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Sources
- Penn State Extension — Landscape Plantings
- NC State Extension — Plant Fact Sheets
- Clemson HGIC — Leyland Cypress
- Clemson HGIC — Red Tip Photinia
- Clemson HGIC — Bamboo
- Rutgers NJAES — Deer-Resistant Plants
- Missouri Botanical Garden — Plant Finder
- UMN Extension — Forsythia
- Cornell Cooperative Extension — Landscape Plants