Fast-Growing Evergreen Trees

Fast-Growing Evergreen Trees NZ

Looking for a quick way to add greenery, privacy, or wind protection to your New Zealand property? Fast-growing evergreen trees are an excellent solution. These trees offer year-round appeal and can quickly transform your landscape. From providing a lush backdrop to creating a natural screen, fast-growing evergreens offer a range of benefits for NZ gardens, farms, and lifestyle blocks.

Benefits of Fast-Growing Evergreen Trees

There are many benefits to growing evergreen trees. Such trees maintain their foliage throughout the year, offering constant privacy and adding greenery to your landscape even in winter. This continuous coverage can significantly enhance the visual appeal of your garden, making it a pleasant sight irrespective of the season. Additionally, they can act as windbreaks, reduce noise pollution, and provide habitat for wildlife, thereby promoting biodiversity in your area.

Furthermore, evergreens can contribute to energy savings by acting as natural insulators. They can help moderate temperatures around your home, keeping it cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. This not only reduces the need for artificial heating and cooling but also contributes to a more sustainable living environment. The presence of these trees can also increase property value, as many buyers find mature landscaping appealing.

Fast-Growing Conifers

Conifers are a popular choice for those seeking quick privacy solutions or for lifestyle properties. Their needle-like leaves and tall, slender profiles make them ideal for hedges and screens. They are exceptionally hardy and can thrive in a range of climates, making them a versatile choice for many homeowners. Conifers also tend to be relatively low-maintenance, requiring minimal pruning to maintain their shape and density.

Their ability to grow in poor soil conditions without requiring frequent watering makes Conifers a practical choice for those looking to create privacy with minimal effort. Additionally, conifers are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, allowing you to choose the perfect species to suit your specific landscape needs. Whether you're looking for a towering screen or a compact hedge, there's likely a conifer that fits the bill. Some popular fast-growing conifer options include:

Leyland Cypress

One of the most popular fast-growing conifers, the Leyland Cypress (Cupressus leylandii) is known for its rapid growth and lush foliage. This tree can grow up to 1-2 m per year, reaching heights of 20-25 m. Its dense, feathery branches make it perfect for creating a solid privacy screen. The Leyland Cypress is also highly adaptable, thriving in a variety of soil types and climatic conditions, which makes it a reliable choice for many regions.

Cupressus ovensii

Cupressus ovensii, also known as the Ovens Cypress, is a hybrid cypress that is a popular choice for forestry, windbreaks, and hedging. It is fast-growing and can reach up to 30 meters tall. The foliage is dark-green and feathery. It is tolerant of a range of conditions, including strong winds, frost, and drought.

Thuja Green Giant

Another excellent choice is Thuja Green Giant. This tree is not only fast-growing but also resistant to pests and diseases. It can grow up to 1 m per year and reach heights of 15-20 m. Its rich green foliage remains vibrant throughout the year, providing a beautiful backdrop to any garden. The Thuja Green Giant's resilience and robustness make it an excellent choice for those seeking a durable and long-lasting privacy screen.

Fast-Growing Evergreen Trees for Screening

In today's fast-paced world, creating a private oasis in your backyard is more important than ever. Whether you're looking to block unsightly views, reduce noise, or simply want to enjoy your own secluded space, planting fast-growing evergreen trees can be the perfect solution. These trees offer year-round coverage and grow quickly, making them ideal for creating natural privacy screens. The soothing greenery not only adds aesthetic value but also contributes to a sense of tranquillity and calmness in your outdoor space.

The most popular fast-growing evergreen trees for privacy and screening are:

Lilly Pilly’s

Lilly Pilly’s are popular Australian native evergreen trees and shrubs, widely used for hedging. Their glossy, vibrant foliage ranges from bronze-red new growth to deep green. Lilly Pilly hedges are fast-growing, offering a dense, attractive screen that provides fantastic privacy and shelter. They are relatively low-maintenance and adaptable to various soil types, making them a versatile choice for many gardens. Syzygium Resilience is the variety recommended by The Plant Company.

Ficus Tuffi

Ficus Tuffi, also known as the Weeping Fig, is a popular choice for hedging, especially in warmer climates. Its dense, glossy green foliage creates a lush, tropical look, offering excellent privacy and a beautiful backdrop. It is quick to establish and responds well to pruning. Moreover, its elegant appearance and adaptability to various growing conditions make it a favoured choice for both formal and informal hedges.

Griselinia Broadway Mint

Griselinia Broadway Mint is a popular evergreen shrub, native to New Zealand, and a fantastic choice for creating privacy screens. Its glossy, vibrant mint-green leaves create a lush and dense screen, perfect for privacy or wind protection.

Phebalium

Phebalium, particularly Phebalium squameum, is a fantastic choice for a unique and fragrant hedge. This Australian native offers attractive, aromatic foliage that releases a pleasant scent when crushed. Its dense growth habit makes it ideal for creating a screen or windbreak, and it produces small, white flowers in spring, adding to its charm.

Pittosporum

Pittosporum hedges are a popular and versatile choice for gardeners seeking a dense, attractive, and relatively low-maintenance screen. Known for their diverse range of foliage colors, from vibrant greens to variegated hues, Pittosporums offer a variety of aesthetic options. Their relatively fast growth rate allows for quick establishment of a hedge. The Plant Company recommends Pittosporum Wrinkled Blue, Pittosporum eugeniodies, and Pittosporum Silver Sheen as fantastic options.

Fast-Growing NZ Native Trees

New Zealand's native trees offer a unique blend of beauty and functionality, perfectly suited for creating natural privacy screens and growing as specimens. Their adaptability to the local climate makes them not only a sustainable choice but also a good way of contributing to the preservation of New Zealand's natural heritage.

Choosing native trees also means you are more likely to create a harmonious landscape that complements the surrounding environment. This can result in a more cohesive and visually appealing garden that feels in tune with the natural world. Here are four standout native species to consider for your privacy needs.

Kānuka (Kunzea ericoides)

Kānuka is a hardy native tree that grows rapidly in well-drained soils. It can reach heights of 10 m tall and provides excellent coverage with its dense foliage. The tree is also known for its white flowers that bloom in spring, adding seasonal interest to your garden. Kānuka's natural resilience to pests and diseases makes it a low-maintenance option for homeowners seeking an attractive yet functional privacy screen. The tree's ability to thrive in different soil types also makes it a versatile choice for various landscape designs.

Mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium)

Similar to Kānuka, the Mānuka tree is another fast-growing native option. Known for its medicinal properties and attractive white or pink flowers, Mānuka can grow up to 5 m tall. Its dense growth habit makes it ideal for privacy hedges. Mānuka is an excellent choice for those interested in creating a more sustainable and environmentally friendly garden.

Pittosporum

Pittosporum hedges are a popular and versatile choice for gardeners seeking a dense, attractive, and relatively low-maintenance screen. Known for their diverse range of foliage colors, from vibrant greens to variegated hues, Pittosporums offer a variety of aesthetic options. Their relatively fast growth rate allows for quick establishment of a hedge. The Plant Company recommends Pittosporum Wrinkled Blue, Pittosporum eugeniodies, and Pittosporum Silver Sheen as fantastic options.

Karamu

Karamu (Coprosma robusta) is a hardy and versatile New Zealand native shrub perfect for creating a dense, low-maintenance hedge or privacy screen. Its glossy, green leaves provide year-round interest, and its ability to tolerate a wide range of conditions makes it a reliable choice for many gardens. Karamu also produces inconspicuous flowers that are followed by berries that attract native birds.

Fast-Growing NZ Native Trees for Privacy

New Zealand's unique climate supports a variety of fast-growing native trees that are perfect for privacy screens. These trees are well-adapted to local conditions and can add a touch of native beauty to your garden. Using native species not only supports the local ecosystem but also ensures that your privacy screen will thrive in its natural environment, reducing the need for additional care and resources.

Incorporating native trees into your landscape can also foster a deeper connection to the land, as these species have co-evolved with the local fauna and flora. This integration supports biodiversity and can attract native birds and insects, enhancing the ecological value of your garden. Let's explore some native options that offer both aesthetic and environmental benefits.

Griselinia

Griselinia are popular evergreen shrubs or small trees that are a fantastic choice for creating privacy screens. Their glossy green leaves create a lush and dense screen, perfect for privacy or wind protection.

Pittosporum

Pittosporums are a popular and versatile choice for gardeners seeking a dense and attractive privacy screen. Pittosporums offer a variety of aesthetic options and their relatively fast growth rate allows for privacy screen quickly. The Plant Company recommends Pittosporum Wrinkled Blue, Pittosporum eugeniodies, and Pittosporum Silver Sheen as fantastic options.

Titoki

Titoki (Alectryon excelsus) is a beautiful New Zealand native tree that makes a striking and robust hedge or screen. Known for its glossy, dark green leaves with reddish new growth, titoki offers year-round interest. Small, fragrant flowers are followed by vibrant red berries that attract birds, adding to its appeal. A titoki hedge brings a touch of native elegance and resilience to any garden.

Karamu

Karamu (Coprosma robusta) is a hardy and versatile New Zealand native shrub perfect for creating a dense, low-maintenance hedge or privacy screen. Its glossy, green leaves provide year-round interest, and its ability to tolerate a wide range of conditions makes it a reliable choice for many gardens. Karamu also produces inconspicuous flowers that are followed by berries that attract native birds.

The Plant Company has a wide variety of privacy screening plants that are well worth checking out.

How To Grow A Privacy Screen Fast

There are two main ways to grow a privacy screen fast. The first and easiest option is to start with larger plants. Purchasing plants that are already 1.5-2.5 m tall will give an almost instantaneous screen. However, this can be costly, particularly if the length of screening is long. A second method is to buy smaller sized plants but plant them close to each other, say 30-40 cm apart. At a close spacing the plants compete with each other for light and in doing so, push upwards. At wider spacings the plants will tend to grow outwards and upwards at a slower rate. Adding shrub fertiliser and keeping them watered will also be advantageous. The Plant Company has a wide variety of screening plants that are well worth checking out.