18 Popular Fast Growing Shrubs for Privacy and Beauty
Shrubs play an invaluable role in enhancing outdoor spaces by adding texture, color, and structure. They are not just decorative—they serve a functional purpose too.
For homeowners looking to increase privacy or add beauty to gardens, yards, or patios, shrubs can provide the perfect solution. Fast-growing shrubs, in particular, are ideal for quickly transforming outdoor areas into lush, inviting spaces.
Fast-growing shrubs help create natural barriers, offer privacy from neighbors, and add vibrant greenery (and blooms!) to your landscape.
Either you’re creating a hedge, lining your garden, or simply looking to fill up bare corners of your yard, shrubs deliver both aesthetics and functionality. Here’s a look at 18 popular fast-growing shrubs that combine privacy and beauty to make your outdoor space inviting and serene.
1. Leyland Cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii)
If privacy is your priority, Leyland Cypress is one of the top choices. This fast-growing evergreen shrub gains 3 to 4 feet per year, creating dense foliage that works perfectly for tall privacy screens.
With its vibrant green shade and impressive growth rate, Leyland Cypress turns your outdoor area into a private retreat in no time.
2. Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)
The Arborvitae is prized for its elegant columnar shape and dense evergreen foliage. Growing 12 to 24 inches per year, it’s ideal for forming borders or hedges, letting you create a natural barrier with style.
This low-maintenance shrub is a favorite for its beauty and effortless ability to bring structure to exterior spaces.
3. Privet (Ligustrum)
For a classic hedge look that grows rapidly, you can’t go wrong with Privet.
Its dense, lush green leaves make it an excellent choice for creating thick privacy barriers, and its growth rate of up to 2 feet per year ensures quick coverage.
4. Boxwood (Buxus)
Boxwood’s compact, evergreen foliage is synonymous with formal elegance. While it grows at a rate of 6 to 12 inches per year, its tidy, sophisticated look makes it an excellent option for well-manicured hedges or borders.
5. Forsythia
Bursting to life with vibrant yellow flowers in the spring, Forsythia enhances any garden with its cheerful color.
It adds both privacy and a splash of brightness, growing up to 3 feet per year to form a stunning natural screen.
6. Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
Hibiscus is one of the best options for those who want both beauty and privacy.
Its large, showstopping blooms make an impact during the summer months, and its growth rate of up to 2 feet per year ensures you’ll see results quickly.
7. Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
Known for its delightful fragrance and vibrant spring flowers, Lilac is a stunning way to create privacy through hedging.
This shrub grows up to 3 feet annually and offers an enchanting aesthetic that doubles as a natural barrier.
8. Photinia (Photinia x fraseri)
Photinia’s standout feature is its beautiful red-tipped new growth, which adds a bold splash of color throughout the year.
With a growth rate of 3 feet per year, this fast-growing shrub is perfect for combining privacy with eye-catching decoration.
9. Butterfly Bush (Buddleja)
If you want to attract pollinators like butterflies while enjoying abundant blooms, the Butterfly Bush delivers.
With its vibrant flowers and rapid growth of up to 3 feet per year, this shrub provides privacy alongside a colorful garden display.
10. Rhododendron
This evergreen shrub is a favorite for shaded spaces. Rhododendron produces stunning blooms every year while growing 1 to 2 feet annually.
It provides a lush, vibrant way to create a green sanctuary.
11. Spiraea (Spiraea japonica)
For spring and summer color, Spiraea is hard to beat. This fast-growing shrub reaches up to 2 feet per year, offering vibrant floral hues that are perfect for natural privacy.
12. Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
The dense growth habit of Laurel makes it perfect for evergreen hedging. It provides year-round privacy and grows 2 to 3 feet annually, making it one of the fastest options for creating lush garden borders.
13. Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)
Chokecherry stands out with its clusters of white flowers in spring and rich, dark berries later in the season. Its fast growth (2 to 3 feet per year) makes it an effective choice for privacy while adding seasonal interest.
14. Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)
Known for its large, showy blooms and uniquely textured foliage, the Oakleaf Hydrangea offers beauty and quick growth at 2 feet per year. It’s a wonderful addition for both privacy and charm.
15. Abelia (Abelia x grandiflora)
Abelia features colorful flowers and shiny foliage that adapts to all climates. Growing 1 to 2 feet a year, this shrub combines practicality and aesthetics in outdoor spaces.
16. Japanese Kerria (Kerria japonica)
With its bright yellow blooms that resemble buttercups, Japanese Kerria is ideal for informal hedges. It tolerates shade and grows quickly, adding color and charm to any garden.
17. Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)
This deciduous shrub makes a statement with its large, dramatic flowers in summer. Growing rapidly, the Rose of Sharon provides both ornamental beauty and practical privacy.
18. Nandina (Nandina domestica)
Nandina—often dubbed “Heavenly Bamboo”—is a fast-growing shrub that transitions beautifully through the seasons. Its foliage shifts to red in fall, while its springtime white flowers add elegance.
Conclusion
Shrubs are a practical, versatile way to enhance the beauty and privacy of your outdoor spaces. The fast-growing options listed here offer quick transformations, providing lush greenery and visual appeal in little time. Whatever your specific needs may be—privacy, color, or low maintenance—there’s a shrub that’s perfect for you.
Take the next step to elevate your garden or yard by selecting from these stunning shrubs. Create your own private oasis today!