Fast Growing & Narrow Evergreens

Italian Cypress

• Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) hales from the balmy regions of southern Europe. Growing up to 50 feet high at a rate of about 3 feet per year, the narrow, dark green spires have become a hallmark for Mediterranean-style landscapes in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10. Tolerant of smog and dry soil, Italian Cypress planted closely in a row makes a handsome hedge in rugged urban conditions. Blue Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens “Glauca”), a slim, rapid-grower with blue-green foliage, hardy in USDA zones 8 to 10, is particularly striking next to red brick walls, deep green shrubs and large perennials with jewel-tone flowers.

Junipers

• While many types of junipers provide sprawling ground cover or stand sentinel as foundation plantings, “Skyrocket” (Juniperus scopulorum “Skyrocket”) rapidly aspires skyward, maxing out at an average mature height of 15 feet. This juniper's narrow profile and its silvery, blue-green foliage makes it a sleek fit for tiny yards or a crisp accent for landscapes in zones 4 though 7. “Spartan” juniper (Juniperus chinensis “Spartan”), which thrives in USDA zones 5 to 9, is a fast grower that reaches about 15 feet high, too, but it has dark green coloring. The thick foliage, columnar form and adaptability to dry soil conditions after it has been well watered in the first growing season makes this juniper species a contender for prime locations in water-wise landscapes.

Bamboo

• You won't find an evergreen much narrower than a couple inches around, so if you are pressed for space at the ground level of a small yard in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11, but still want a light, wispy canopy of leaves overhead, common bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris) fits the bill. Growing about 3 feet per year, bamboo reaches up to 50 feet at maturity. Slender, jointed bamboo stalks have compelling ornamental appeal, but the plants can become invasive unless carefully contained. Weaver's bamboo (Bambusa textilis), also evergreen in USDA zones 8 to 11, is a fast-growing, non-invasive clumping variety that reaches 20 feet high and provides a dense, light-green canopy sufficient to shade small spaces.

Thuja Plicata and Thuja Green Giant

• One of the classic evergreens for tall hedges and windbreaks, the “Virascens” cultivar of western red cedar (Thuja Plicata “Virascens”) originates from the Pacific Northwest, prefers moist, well-drained soil and thrives in zones 5 through 7. At a rate of about 2 feet a year, it eventually reaches 20 to 30 feet high if left untrimmed to grow as a standard. Planted as a hedge and routinely pruned, the evergreens make a dense green foliage barrier, as does “Green Giant” arborvitae (Thuja “Green Giant”). A cultivar derived from crossing Thuja plicata and Thuja standishii, “Green Giant” can grow up to 60 feet tall with a spread of 18 feet in moist, nutrient-rich soil of landscaped areas in USDA zones 5 through 8.