A fast-growing evergreen that provides beautiful coverage and soft needles.

The Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) is one of the most beloved and iconic native trees in North America, and one of the fastest-growing evergreens available for privacy screening in Tennessee. Its long, soft, blue-green needles give it a graceful, feathery appearance that is far more elegant than most privacy plantings, and its rapid growth means you will have a full, lush screen in just a few years. A true workhorse of the landscape — beautiful, fast, and built to last.

About This Variety

• Eastern White Pine is native to eastern North America and grows naturally throughout Tennessee, making it exceptionally well-adapted to our soils, climate, and seasonal conditions. It grows 2–3 ft per year when young and can reach 50–80 ft at maturity, forming a broad, soft pyramid that provides dense year-round coverage. The needles are bundled in groups of five and are notably softer and more flexible than other pines, giving the tree a lush, full texture. It is an excellent wildlife tree, providing shelter and food for birds and small mammals. Adaptable to a wide range of soils but performs best with good drainage.

Product Details

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–8
• Mature Height: 50–80 ft
• Mature Width: 20–40 ft
• Growth Rate: Fast — 2–3 ft per year
• Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade; one of the most shade-tolerant pines available
• Soil: Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil (pH 4.5–6.0); does not tolerate wet or compacted soils
• Watering: Water deeply during establishment; moderately drought-tolerant once mature
• Spacing for Privacy Screen: Plant 10–15 ft apart for a natural windbreak; 6–8 ft apart for a denser hedge
• Needle Type: Soft, flexible blue-green needles in bundles of five — 3–5 in long
• Wildlife Value: Excellent — provides nesting cover and seed for birds and small mammals
• Pruning: Prune lightly in late spring by trimming new candle growth to control size and encourage density
• Fertilizing: Apply a slow-release acidic fertilizer in early spring for best growth

A variety that offers fast growth, soft texture, and adaptability.

Cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica), also known as Japanese Cedar, is a graceful and fast-growing evergreen that brings a soft, refined texture to the landscape that most privacy trees simply cannot match. Its feathery, dark green needles give it an elegant, almost tropical appearance, and its naturally pyramidal form creates a dense, full screen without the stiff, formal look of traditional hedging plants. Cryptomeria is highly adaptable to Tennessee’s climate and one of the most underused privacy trees in our region.

About This Variety

• Cryptomeria grows quickly — 2–3 ft per year under good conditions — and establishes a full, dense privacy screen in just a few seasons. The soft, spiraling needles are a rich green in summer and take on warm bronze-green tones in winter, adding seasonal interest that most evergreens lack. It tolerates humidity well, making it an excellent fit for Tennessee summers, and adapts to a range of soil types as long as drainage is adequate. Unlike many conifers, Cryptomeria has good tolerance for partial shade, opening up planting locations that other privacy trees cannot fill.

Product Details

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–9
• Mature Height: 30–40 ft (can reach 50–60 ft in ideal conditions)
• Mature Width: 15–20 ft
• Growth Rate: Fast — 2–3 ft per year
• Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil (pH 5.5–6.5); avoid waterlogged conditions
• Watering: Water regularly during establishment; moderately drought-tolerant once mature but prefers consistent moisture
• Spacing for Privacy Hedge: Plant 8–10 ft apart for a natural screen; 6 ft apart for a tighter hedge
• Winter Color: Foliage bronzes attractively in winter and returns to deep green in spring
• Pruning: Minimal pruning needed; shape lightly in early spring if desired
• Fertilizing: Apply a slow-release, acidic evergreen fertilizer in early spring

Known for its striking blue-green color and lovely fragrance.

The Carolina Sapphire Cypress (Cupressus arizonica ‘Carolina Sapphire’) is one of the most visually distinctive privacy trees you can plant in Tennessee. Its soft, silvery blue-green foliage is eye-catching in any landscape, and when brushed or warmed by the sun it releases a sweet, lemon-cedar fragrance that sets it apart from every other privacy screen option. Fast-growing and extremely adaptable, it is equally at home as a specimen tree, a windbreak, or a formal hedge row.

About This Variety

• A naturally pyramidal Arizona Cypress selected and introduced by Clemson University, Carolina Sapphire is one of the most heat and drought-tolerant evergreens available for the Southeast. It thrives where other privacy trees struggle — in hot summers, periods of dry weather, and a variety of soil types including clay and poor, rocky ground. The fine-textured, feathery blue-green foliage holds its striking color year-round, and the tree maintains a full, dense form with virtually no pruning required. Resistant to bagworms and other common evergreen pests.

Product Details

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 7–11
• Mature Height: 20–25 ft
• Mature Width: 10–15 ft
• Growth Rate: Fast — 3–5 ft per year under good conditions
• Sunlight: Full sun; does not perform well in shade
• Soil: Well-drained soil essential; tolerates clay, sandy, and rocky soils; does not tolerate standing water
• Watering: Water regularly during the first season to establish; very drought-tolerant once rooted
• Spacing for Privacy Hedge: Plant 6–8 ft apart for a continuous screen
• Fragrance: Sweet lemon-cedar scent released when foliage is touched or warmed by sun
• Pruning: Little to no pruning required; avoid cutting back into old wood
• Fertilizing: Light application of a slow-release evergreen fertilizer in early spring

The Emerald Green and Green Giant varieties are ideal for privacy hedges and grow well in Zone 7.

Arborvitae (Thuja spp.) are the go-to choice for homeowners who want a dense, evergreen privacy screen that looks beautiful year-round. Low-maintenance, deer-resistant, and naturally columnar in shape, arborvitae require very little pruning to form a tight, full hedge. Both Emerald Green and Green Giant thrive in Zone 7 and are excellent performers in the Tennessee climate.

Featured Varieties

• Emerald Green Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’): A compact, slow-growing evergreen with a naturally narrow, pyramidal form and rich emerald-green foliage that holds its color through winter. Grows 12–15 ft tall and just 3–4 ft wide, making it ideal for tight spaces, along fences, or as a formal hedge. Tolerates heat, humidity, and a wide range of soils. Hardy in Zones 3–8.
• Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata): One of the fastest-growing privacy trees available, gaining 3–5 ft per year when young. It forms a dense, dark green, pyramid-shaped screen that can reach 30–40 ft at maturity. Exceptionally adaptable, tolerating heat, cold, drought, and poor soils once established. Naturally pest and disease resistant. Hardy in Zones 5–9.

Product Details

• USDA Hardiness Zones: Emerald Green Zones 3–8; Green Giant Zones 5–9
• Mature Height: Emerald Green 12–15 ft; Green Giant 30–40 ft
• Mature Width: Emerald Green 3–4 ft; Green Giant 12–20 ft
• Growth Rate: Emerald Green slow (6–9 in/year); Green Giant fast (3–5 ft/year)
• Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Moist, well-drained soil; adaptable to clay, loam, or sandy soils
• Watering: Water weekly during establishment; drought-tolerant once mature
• Spacing for Privacy Hedge: Emerald Green plant 3–4 ft apart; Green Giant plant 5–6 ft apart
• Pruning: Minimal pruning needed; trim lightly in late spring to maintain shape if desired
• Fertilizing: Apply a slow-release evergreen fertilizer in early spring