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Seven shrubs and conifers to consider for privacy
This is a geographically qualified shortlist drawn from extension guidance, not a national trial or universal ranking. Some plants commonly grouped with privacy shrubs, such as arborvitae and eastern redcedar, are conifers that can grow as large shrubs or small trees depending on cultivar and pruning.
1. Emerald arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Emerald’/’Smaragd’)
A narrow evergreen candidate where a year-round screen is wanted and the local climate suits it. University of Maryland Extension lists a regional mature size of 10–15 feet tall by 3–4 feet wide and recommends full sun. Confirm the cultivar’s dimensions and hardiness locally. University of Maryland Extension
2. Dragon Lady holly (Ilex × aquipernyi ‘Dragon Lady’)
This narrow broadleaf evergreen offers a different foliage form from arborvitae. Maryland Extension lists it at 10–20 feet tall by 4–6 feet wide, in full sun to part shade, and marks it deer resistant in its regional table. Deer pressure and plant performance vary by location. University of Maryland Extension
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3. Inkberry holly (Ilex glabra)
Inkberry is an evergreen option that Maryland Extension identifies as native to the Coastal Plain, with a regional mature size of 5–8 feet tall and wide. Native status is regional, so check whether it is native to your area. Cornell Cooperative Extension lists the cultivar ‘Shamrock’ at 3–5 feet tall and wide in a document revised in 2009; use current local guidance to confirm cultivar size. An Ask Extension response notes that inkberry can become less dense in its lower and inner foliage with age. Maryland Extension; Cornell Cooperative Extension; Ask Extension
4. Hicks yew (Taxus × media ‘Hicksii’)
For a narrow upright screen in a shadier site, Hicks yew is a candidate: Maryland Extension lists it at 10–12 feet tall by 3–4 feet wide and full to part shade. Check local winter hardiness and site conditions before planting. University of Maryland Extension
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5. Skip laurel (Prunus laurocerasus ‘Schipkaensis’)
Maryland Extension lists skip laurel at about 10 feet tall by 7 feet wide and says it tolerates full sun to shade. Allow for its greater width compared with the narrow options above. Cornell’s screening list gives cherrylaurel species a broader 15–25-foot height by 10–12-foot width range; that older, species-level reference illustrates why regional guidance and cultivar labels matter. Maryland Extension; Cornell Cooperative Extension
6. Shrub-form eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana, such as ‘Gray Owl’)
Eastern redcedar can be an evergreen native option in suitable regions, but the wild type grows too tall for a fence-scale screen, according to an Ask Extension response. That response suggests a shrub-form cultivar such as ‘Gray Owl’ and describes its mature form relative to fence height without giving a numeric size. Verify the cultivar’s local mature dimensions before planting. Ask Extension
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7. Arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum)
This native deciduous shrub can make a seasonal privacy hedge. Iowa State University Extension lists it as a native hedge choice at approximately 6–8 feet. It will not provide the same winter opacity as an evergreen. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
How to choose a privacy hedge for your site
Decide when you need screening
If blocking views in winter is essential, choose an evergreen suited to your region. Deciduous shrubs can define a boundary and provide seasonal screening, but their leafless branches do not create an opaque winter screen. Iowa State Extension notes that hedges can also block wind, trap snow, mark boundaries, and provide habitat for birds and other wildlife. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
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Match mature size to the available space
Use mature height and spread—not the size of a nursery plant—to judge fit. Maryland Extension’s regional examples range from 3–4 feet wide for Emerald arborvitae and Hicks yew to 7 feet for skip laurel. A hedge that outgrows its site may require repeated pruning or crowd nearby plants; local conditions and cultivar can change the listed dimensions. University of Maryland Extension
Check light, exposure, and local adaptation
Compare the planting site’s sunlight, exposure, and available width with the plant’s needs. Also check regional hardiness and whether native status applies where you live. Colorado State University Extension recommends accounting for location, exposure, space, and the desired landscape effect when choosing plants. Colorado State University Extension
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Choose formal or informal maintenance
A formal, sheared hedge has a controlled shape but takes recurring work: Iowa State Extension says many formal hedges need pruning two or more times a year to stay dense and attractive. Informal hedges generally need minimal pruning. Selecting a plant that naturally matures near the desired height can reduce the need for constant trimming. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How far apart should you plant shrubs for privacy?
Spacing depends on whether you plan to shear the hedge and on each plant’s mature size. Iowa State Extension offers these general recommendations; they are not universal intervals, so check cultivar-specific and local nursery guidance. The extension emphasizes, “Correct spacing is essential for healthy hedge development.” Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
| Hedge type or shrub size | General spacing |
|---|---|
| Formal, sheared hedge | 1–2½ feet between shrubs |
| Informal medium shrubs, 6–8 feet tall | 2–4 feet apart |
| Informal large shrubs, 8–12 feet tall | 4–6 feet apart |
When to plant
Planting windows depend on plant type and local climate. Iowa State Extension’s Iowa guidance recommends planting bare-root shrubs from late March to mid-May, before bud break. It says container-grown and balled-and-burlapped shrubs establish best in spring or late summer to early fall. Check local advice for your region rather than treating these Iowa timings as universal. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Quick Recap
Before you buy
- Measure the planting strip and confirm the plant’s mature height and spread will fit.
- Decide whether you need winter screening or seasonal coverage.
- Check sunlight, exposure, local hardiness, and regional native status.
- Choose a cultivar by its verified mature size, not by a species-level estimate alone.
- Plan spacing and maintenance around the hedge form you want.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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