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Fast-growing privacy shrubs will quickly turn your property into a retreat.
A six-foot privacy hedge is usually all you gotta create a secluded yard.
When selecting shrubs, look for those with a fast growth rate of two to three feet per year.
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Here are top choices for fast-growing privacy shrubs.
Tip
Annual orsemi-annual pruningis key to shaping fast-growing plants into a hedge.
All parts of yew shrubs are toxic to humans and animals.
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Privet
Privet (Ligustrumspp.)
is a familiar evergreen hedge selection.
It is a fast-growing shrub adding two feet of height annually.
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Mock Orange
Mock orange (Philadelphus coronarius) is a wonderfullyfragrant shrubin the hydrangea family.
The blooms and growth rate of about two feet annually make this deciduous shrub a welcome hedge selection.
It will grow about two feet a year but sheds its leaves each fall.
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Forsythia
When forsythia flower buds start to burst, spring is here.
They are deciduous plants that spread rapidly.
Stems shoot off the branches in what is often referred to as a herringbone pattern.
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the shrub is evergreen to deciduous depending on the cultivar.
Cotoneaster is a fast grower at two feet annually.
The cultivar,C.
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lucidus,grows 6 to 10 feet high and wide.
The red berries of cotoneasters are toxic to humans and animals, but safe for birds.
The Diablo cultivar offers more than an interesting bark.
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The dark burgundy foliage makes it one of the so-called “black” plants.
All ninebarks are such fast-growing shrubs they may reach their mature height in one year.
Another willow shrub that grows quickly is the Flamingo Japanese willow.
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It has a fast growth rate of two feet annually.
These arefast-growing and cold-hardy shrubs or trees, growing two feet a year forming dense privacy walls.
Hydrangea
Hydrangeas offer avariety of flower colorsand leaf shapes and thrive in almost all types of soil.
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As you plan your privacy hedge, be sure to consider the growth pattern of the cultivar you select.
Hydrangeas are toxic to humans and animals if consumed.
It is an aggressive evergreen grower, capable of growing up to three feet per year.
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With annual or semi-annual pruning, leylandii makes an excellent privacy hedge or windbreak.
Leyland cypress may be slightly toxic to grazing animals.
Depending on the cultivar, the flowers can be pink, white, purple, or lilac.
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Although deciduous in cooler zones, in zones 9-13 it is evergreen.
Choose the cultivar Sprinter(Buxus microphylla)for a faster-growing shrub.B.
sempervirens’Suffruticosa', is a popular choice for hedges and topiaries.
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Boxwoods are easy to grow, take little maintenance, and are suitable for a variety of locations.
Boxwood is toxic to animals.
Hollies are known for their evergreen leaves and colorful berries.
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Male and female plants are usually needed for fruiting.
Some of the best choices for a hedge areJuniperus virginiana,Juniperus communis ‘Compressa’, andJuniperus communis var.
‘Limelight’ starts with lime green flowers that turn pink as the summer goes on.
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The blooms are as big as six inches tall.
Because it blooms on new wood, this shrub should be cut back every year in late winter.
Leyland cypress(x Hesperotropsis leylandii)is a fast-growing evergreen conifer adding 3 to 5 feet per year.
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If the shrubs are planted and maintained properly, a privacy hedge is less expensive than a manufactured fence.
Taxus.North Carolina State University Extension.
Safe and Poisonous Garden Plants.
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Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants: Common Privet.ASPCA.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Tsuga canadensis.Missouri Botanical Garden.
skymoon13 / Getty Images
Landscaping for horses requires thoughtful planning.Oklahoma State University.
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Christine Rose Photography / Getty Images
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Catherine McQueen / Getty Images
Getty Images / Anna Blazhuk
