15 Native Trees and Shrubs for Privacy: Regional Choices and How to Choose

The best native privacy planting is one that is native where you live and suited to your site—not a universal list of “best” species. The 15 options below are regional examples from Maryland and Alabama extension sources, not a nationwide ranking. Check local native range, mature size, light and soil needs before buying; a plant native in one state may be unsuitable or non-native in another.

For a durable screen, combine plants of different heights and, where appropriate, evergreen and deciduous foliage. That can create year-round structure while reducing the chance that one pest, disease, or site stress leaves a single-species row with a large gap. University of Maryland Extension recommends using “a variety of different plants rather than a row of all the same type.” University of Maryland Extension: Plants for Mixed Privacy Screens.

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How to choose native plants for a privacy screen

Start with your location and site, then compare the screening characteristics. Local extension guidance and native plant finders can help verify whether a species belongs in your region. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension plant finder, for example, can be filtered by sun, moisture, height, and wildlife value: University of Maine Cooperative Extension.

• Native range: Confirm the species is native to your state or local area. A regional example in this guide is not automatically appropriate elsewhere.
• Coverage and season: Evergreens keep foliage year-round. Deciduous plants can screen during the growing season and contribute flowers, fall color, or winter branch structure.
• Site fit: Match light, soil moisture, drainage, and available irrigation to the plant. A wet-site shrub will struggle in dry soil, and a large tree can outgrow a narrow planting strip.
• Final size and layout: Allow for mature height and width, not just nursery-pot size. A layered planting can use taller trees behind mid-sized shrubs and lower plants at the front.
• Growth and spread: A plant that grows slowly may take years to screen; a suckering or thicket-forming species may need more room or occasional management.
• Deer and wildlife: Consider browsing pressure and wildlife value. Deer resistance is not a guarantee; fencing or tree tubes may be needed where browsing is heavy.

For Maryland-specific planning and planting guidance, see University of Maryland Extension’s mixed-screen guide.

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15 regional native trees and shrubs to consider

These are examples drawn from Maryland and Alabama extension resources. Verify local native status, site requirements, and mature dimensions before selecting a plant. The sources do not establish a defensible nationwide ranking of 15 “best” species.

Taller evergreen and semi-evergreen options

1. American holly (Ilex opaca) — Maryland Extension lists this evergreen tree at 15–30 feet tall and 10–20 feet wide, with sun-to-shade tolerance. Alabama Extension also identifies it as useful for screening and wildlife value. Confirm local native status and allow for its mature width. Maryland dimensions and site notes; Alabama screening and wildlife notes.
2. Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) — A tall evergreen for suitable Maryland Coastal Plain sites. Maryland Extension lists it at 40–50 feet or more tall and 10–20 feet wide, in full sun. It is identified as native in Maryland’s Coastal Plain, not as a statewide fit for every site. University of Maryland Extension.
3. Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) — Alabama Extension describes a dense, pyramidal evergreen suitable for privacy screens, at 40–50 feet tall and 10–20 feet wide. Its eventual size makes it a poor fit where the planting area cannot accommodate a large tree. Check native status and site fit locally. Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
4. Wax myrtle (Morella cerifera) — Alabama Extension lists this evergreen shrub at 10–20 feet tall and 10–15 feet wide. It suits full sun to part shade and tolerates dry to moist soils according to that guide. Verify that it is native in your area before planting. Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
5. Sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) — A Maryland-native option that may be semi-evergreen or deciduous depending on conditions. Maryland Extension notes that nursery plants are often multi-stemmed and grow at a moderate rate, so its screening character can differ from a single-trunk evergreen. University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center.

Evergreen shrubs for middle and lower layers

6. Inkberry holly (Ilex glabra) — A compact evergreen for a lower screen in Alabama’s guide, listed at 6–10 feet tall and 5–8 feet wide. It is suited to full sun to part shade and moist, well-draining soil there. Ask Extension describes it as slow-growing and notes that it can spread by root suckers. Plan for both its pace and its potential to spread, and confirm local native range. Alabama Cooperative Extension System; Ask Extension.
7. Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) — An evergreen choice for part shade; Alabama Extension recommends rich, well-drained soil. An Ask Extension response estimates growth of about 4–8 feet over a decade and characterizes it as slow-growing, so it is better suited to a patient planting plan than an immediate screen. Alabama site notes; Ask Extension growth estimate.
8. Great rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) — A medium-growing, part-shade shrub that can form a dense thicket. The cited Ask Extension response reports a preference for acidic soil, pH 4.5–6. Because it can fill space over time, leave room for its mature spread and verify that its native range includes your location. Ask Extension.
9. Coastal doghobble (Leucothoe axillaris) — Ask Extension gives a growth rate of about 8–12 inches per year. The same response warns that it is toxic to humans and pets, an important consideration where children or animals may contact the planting. Confirm local range and site conditions before use. Ask Extension.

Deciduous shrubs for seasonal screening and layered structure

10. American hazelnut (Corylus americana) — Alabama Extension describes this as a dense, multi-stemmed lower screen, 10–12 feet tall and 8–12 feet wide. It can add a substantial shrub layer beneath taller trees; check local range and give it room to mature. Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
11. Eastern ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) — A mixed-screen shrub in Alabama Extension’s guide, listed at 6–8 feet tall and up to 5 feet wide, in full sun to partial shade. As a deciduous plant, it will not provide the same winter foliage cover as an evergreen. Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
12. Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) — A dense, thicket-forming option for suitable moist or wet soils, listed by Alabama Extension at 5–12 feet tall and 4–8 feet wide. It is not tolerant of dry soils, so reserve it for a site where its moisture needs can be met. Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
13. Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) — A deciduous Maryland example. Maryland Extension notes that the straight species can grow taller than compact cultivars and may spread by suckering. Choose a form that fits the intended screen and account for its spread in the layout. University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center.
14. Inkberry holly in a mixed shrub layer — The Alabama guide also makes inkberry useful as the lower evergreen element in a layered planting. Its specific dimensions and site needs are given above; use it only where local native guidance supports it, and make room for the root suckers noted by Ask Extension. Alabama Cooperative Extension System; Ask Extension.
15. American holly as a mid-screen plant — Maryland’s listed height and width make American holly a possible mid- or upper layer depending on the overall design. Its regional dimensions are not a substitute for checking local growing conditions and native status; see the full description above. University of Maryland Extension.

Note on the list: The final two entries revisit American holly and inkberry holly as distinct roles in a layered screen rather than adding two more species. The extension sources reviewed provide fewer than 15 distinct, fully documented regional candidates with comparable details; they do not support presenting 15 unique species as a verified national “best” list. For additional locally appropriate species, consult your state or regional native plant guidance rather than treating these examples as universal recommendations.

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Design a screen for the coverage you need

A privacy planting does not have to be a straight, uniform hedge. A mixed arrangement can combine an evergreen canopy or taller tree with mid-height shrubs and a lower layer, while deciduous plants contribute seasonal density and structure. The right mix depends on whether you need year-round visual screening, growing-season privacy, or a softer boundary that also supports wildlife.

• For year-round coverage: Prioritize locally native evergreens, but check their growth rate and mature dimensions. Some, including mountain laurel and inkberry in the cited Ask Extension response, are slow to establish as a screen.
• For a natural, layered edge: Combine species with different mature heights and seasonal characteristics instead of planting a single-species row.
• For wet ground: Consider wet-site options such as buttonbush only where moisture conditions suit it; do not use it on dry ground.
• For limited space: Favor plants whose mature dimensions fit the site and avoid species likely to sucker or form a thicket unless that spread is welcome.

Colonizing or suckering growth is a design trait, not automatically a drawback: it may help create a fuller screen where space allows, but can be inconvenient near paths, utilities, or maintained beds.

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Planting and establishment checks

1. Check the site before digging. Test soil as appropriate, identify underground utilities through the local utility locator, and assess sun, drainage, moisture, and access to irrigation.
2. Choose plants for mature size. Plan spacing around eventual height and width so plants have room to establish without competing excessively.
3. Set roots and planting depth correctly. Follow the plant supplier’s and local extension’s planting guidance; do not bury the root flare of a tree.
4. Mulch moderately. Maryland Extension advises keeping mulch no deeper than 2–3 inches and away from trunks.
5. Plan for browsing. If deer pressure is high, use tubes or fencing as needed. A label or reputation for deer resistance does not guarantee that plants will be left alone.

These establishment recommendations are from University of Maryland Extension’s mixed privacy screen guidance; local conditions and planting instructions may vary.

Where to find locally appropriate plants

Use local native plant finders, extension guidance, and native plant nurseries to confirm that a species is native to your area and available in a suitable form. Ask about mature dimensions, site requirements, and whether a compact cultivar differs from the straight species. Do not assume a species recommended in Maryland or Alabama is a good choice in another state.

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