If you want to add more privacy to your yard, you don’t need to stick to fences. Hedges, living fences, vines, and ornamental grass can add privacy while contributing to your backyard oasis.

However, it’s important to remember that privacy hedges don’t have to be a single species. Traditional hedge plants Cypress and Boxwood are now plagued by pest and disease problems that can kill your entire hedge.
Since hedges take 5 to 8 years to get fully established, you don’t want to have to replace them. If you use multiple species, if one dies, you’ll still have the rest of the hedge. You’ll only need to replace a few plants, saving you grief, time, and money.
As a bonus, diverse hedges provide different visual interest throughout the year through seasonal flowers, fruit, and foliage colors.
But hedges aren’t your only option. Hedges and large shrubs take up a lot of space and they’re expensive to buy. Living fences and trellised vines take up a lot less space while providing a lot of height. If you don’t need as much height, then you can use shorter plants like ornamental grass for screens.
Avoid bamboo. It spreads aggressively through rhizomes, invading wild areas and neighbors’ yards alike. Bamboo is also extremely flammable. Don’t plant bamboo within 30 ft of any buildings or along access roads that emergency vehicles need to get through. Definitely avoid using it if you’re in a wildfire prone area. There are so many better and less flammable options to choose from.
When choosing plants for privacy, look for:
- Disease and pest resistance. Cypress and boxwoods may be the classic hedge shrubs, but they’ve become prone to pest and disease problems. Higher resistances and fewer problems mean less maintenance and less money spent replacing plants.
- Drought tolerance and low water needs. With more erratic and severe weather patterns due to climate change, droughts are more frequent and severe even in traditionally wet climates. If you live in an arid or semi-arid region, these two factors will top your priority list.
- Mature size. Bigger is better, right? Nope! It’s better to pick the right plant for the right height and spread. If you plant shrubs too closely together, air can’t circulate and you’ll end up with more disease problems.
- Speed of growth. Faster isn’t better either, especially if you live in a location with high winds and storms. Quickly growing plants aren’t as stable as slower growing plants. That’s why red cedars on the stormy east coast grow much shorter than white cedars on the less stormy west coast. Growing a hedge is a long-term commitment. If you need something faster, choose a vine trellis or living fence.
- Cold and heat tolerance. If you’re looking for a perennial privacy screen, then you need a plant that can survive your coldest winters and hottest summers. In the north, look for cold hardy plants. In the south, look for heat hardy plants. If you’re in a transition zone, balance both.
- Native species over non-native (and definitely no invasive plants). Native species are usually better than non-native as they’re better adapted for your region and will suffer less from the weather, pests, and disease. Non-native species can be invasive and cause a lot of problems in the wild, especially if they grow quickly, like bamboo.
Plants For Privacy
#1 Holly (Ilex spp.)
- Used For: Hedges
- Type: Broadleaf Evergreen Shrub
- Geographic Origin: Asia, North America (depending on species)
- USDA Zone: 5 to 8 (depending on species)
- Light Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade
- Water Requirement: Medium to Wet (depending on species)
- Drought Tolerant: Low to Moderate
- Pest & Disease Resistance: High – Few Problems
- Maintenance: Low
- Mature Size: 5 to 12 ft high, 5 to 12 ft spread (depending on species)
Much beloved by gardeners, the broadleaf evergreen Holly grows into an impenetrable shield. Holly offers elliptical dark green or blue-gray leaves and bright red fruits through the fall and winter. Two evergreens native to the eastern US include Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria) and Inkberry (Ilex glabra), although the non-native Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata) is also worth consideration as it has no serious insect or disease problems in places colder than Zone 8.
But beware: Holly is poisonous, so if you have little ones or pets that will put leaves in their mouths, you may wish to skip this shrub. Handle with care.
Holly prefers medium moist soil and will tolerate wet soil, but they grow poorly in alkaline soil. Inkberry is particularly sensitive to neutral and alkaline soils and will develop iron chlorosis if planted there. Yaupon and Japanese Holly have better drought tolerance than most other Holly species.
#2 Juniper (Juniperus spp.)
- Used For: Hedges
- Type: Evergreen Shrub
- Geographic Origin: Worldwide
- USDA Zone: 2 to 7 (depending on species)
- Light Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade
- Water Requirement: Dry to Medium
- Drought Tolerant: Yes – High to Excellent
- Pest & Disease Resistance: High – Few Problems
- Maintenance: Medium
- Mature Size: 5 to 12 ft high, spread depends on species
Junipers are a traditional hedge shrub that still stands up. They’re incredibly hardy, with some species able to withstand USDA Zone 3 (or even 2). Just give them enough space to grow their full width. If they’re packed in too tightly, air can’t circulate through the foliage, making them prone to insects and disease.
You have a wide range of choices too, so you can plant a few different species or add them into mixed hedges for added resilience. Look for columnar junipers, as they grow in tall columns best suited for hedges. Try to use native junipers over non-native.
Junipers are pretty tolerant of any kind of soil, so long as it’s well-draining and they get a lot of sun. The less sun they get, the more gangly they grow, the opposite of what you need for a good privacy hedge. Water more while they’re getting established, but once established, cut out irrigation as they prefer drier conditions and they’re easily overwatered. Enjoy their excellent drought tolerance.
#3 Camellia (Camellia spp.)
- Used For: Hedges
- Type: Evergreen Broadleaf Shrub
- Geographic Origin: Asia
- USDA Zone: 7 to 9
- Light Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade
- Water Requirement: Medium
- Drought Tolerant: Yes
- Pest & Disease Resistance: Susceptible to fungal diseases, aphids, planthoppers, spider mites, scale
- Maintenance: Medium
- Mature Size: 5 to 12 ft high, 4 to 10 ft spread (depending on species)
The quick-growing Camellia offers evergreen leaves and enormous white to pink flowers in the fall to winter. Camellias work well in mixed species hedges as they grow best in the understory with protection from heavy winds. A few species that work well as hedges are Camellia japonica, C. rosiflora, and C. sasanqua.
Camellia grows best in organically rich, consistently moist soil with protection from the afternoon heat. Mulch around the bottom of the shrub to help maintain moisture. They can get by with only a moderate amount of moisture as long as it’s consistent. They are prone to fungal diseases and insects, so don’t use them as a single-species hedge.
#4 Cactus (Cactaceae)
- Used For: Living Fence/Hedge
- Type: Evergreen Succulent
- Geographic Origin: Central Mexico, American Southwest
- USDA Zone: 9 – 11
- Light Requirement: Full Sun
- Water Requirement: Low
- Drought Tolerant: Yes – Excellent
- Pest & Disease Resistance: High – Few Problems (Unless Overwatered)
- Maintenance: Low
- Mature Size: 10 to 15 ft high (depending on species)
While Holly and Boxwood hedges have become synonymous in our mind with hedges, they just don’t work in arid and semi-arid regions. Instead, take advantage of a living cactus fence. Used in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Australia, a cactus fence is a hedge or fence made with closely spaced tall cactus plants. They also double as security, as the sharp thorns deter both people and animals from sneaking in.
Tall, columnar cacti work best for a fence, but you could use lower growing prickly pear for a shorter privacy fence. Look for a tall growing cactus that is native to your region. Two species commonly used for fencing in the American southwest are Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) and Mexican Fence Post Cactus (Pachycereus marginatus). The spindly Ocotillo is woven into a fence or trellis and produces red tubular flowers in the spring. (Technically, Ocotillo is not a cactus, but is a semi-succulent desert plant.) The Mexican Fence Post Cactus produces spiny red fruits you can turn into jam.
Cacti prefer well-draining soil as they’re adapted to drought conditions. Allow the soil to dry out between watering. While you can try growing this fence yourself, it’s also worth hiring a specialist.
Just remember: cacti are sharp! Always use thick gloves when handling them, and keep toddlers and pets away.
#5 Willow (Salix spp.)
- Used For: Living Fences
- Type: Tree
- Geographic Origin: Worldwide
- USDA Zone: Depends on species
- Light Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade
- Water Requirement: Medium to Wet (best grown near water)
- Drought Tolerant: No (some species have higher tolerance)
- Pest & Disease Resistance: Susceptible to many fungal diseases and pests
- Maintenance: Medium
- Mature Size: Depends on fence
Living Willow fences have been used for centuries in Europe. Branches are cut from a parent tree, stuck into the ground to grow roots, and woven into a trellis-like design or into a hedge panel. Willow is one of the easiest plants to propagate since it’s naturally high in rooting hormones. In fact, by boiling willow stems in water, you can make a rooting solution to propagate other plants. Once rooted, the willow branches will sprout leaves and grow.
A willow fence also prevents soil erosion around streams and rivers, as even thin willow cuttings will grow massive roots. Don’t use a willow fence near building structures, as those massive roots will cause damage. Willow is also an aggressive spreader, so be ready to cut it back.
The website Insteading has an excellent overview with many fences from around the world. While you can try this yourself, it’s also worth hiring a specialist.
#6 Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
- Used For: Screen
- Type: Ornamental Perennial Grass
- Geographic Origin: Canada to Mexico
- USDA Zone: 4 to 9
- Light Requirement: Full Sun
- Water Requirement: Dry to Medium
- Drought Tolerant: Yes – Excellent
- Pest & Disease Resistance: High – Few Problems
- Maintenance: Low
- Mature Size: 4 to 6 ft high, 2 to 3 ft spread
This North American native ornamental grass makes a fantastic privacy screen. Big Bluestem changes colors with the seasons: blue-green in the spring, green with red tinges in the summer, and reddish-bronze in the fall and winter. It flowers in late summer with purplish spike-like flowers. It stays in place through the winter, providing winter interest and seeds for birds.
Big Bluestem grows in just about any soil that’s well-draining and in full sun. It takes time to get established (less time than a shrub), since it grows an extensive root network that gives it its high drought tolerance and prevents soil erosion. Once established, it’s very easy to take care of. In late winter, cut it back to allow new shoots to take over.
#7 Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
- Used For: Screen
- Type: Ornamental Perennial Grass
- Geographic Origin: North America
- USDA Zone: 5 to 9
- Light Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade
- Water Requirement: Medium to Wet
- Drought Tolerant: Yes – High
- Pest & Disease Resistance: High – Few Problems
- Maintenance: Low
- Mature Size: 3 to 6 ft tall, 2 to 3 ft wide
Switchgrass is a great ornamental grass counterpart to Big Bluestem if you have medium to wet soils and part shade (although it grows best in full sun). It grows shorter than Big Bluestem, with its height at 3 ft for most of the season. During summer, its cloud-like branching flower panicles bring it to a full 6 ft. The foliage changes from green in summer, yellow in fall, to tan-beige in winter.
While Switchgrass prefers moist soil and tolerates flooding, it’s also found in dry soil and is drought tolerant. It grows best in soil with low organic material, as too much organic matter will make it flop over – not ideal for a privacy screen. While it grows in clumps, it has short rhizomes to spread. In late winter, cut back the clumps to prepare for fresh growth.
Switchgrass is a great native plant for rain gardens and bioswales.
#8 American Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens)
- Used For: Trellises and Pergolas
- Type: Perennial Vine
- Geographic Origin: Eastern United States
- USDA Zone: 5 to 9
- Light Requirement: Full Sun
- Water Requirement: Medium
- Drought Tolerant: Moderate
- Pest & Disease Resistance: High – Few Problems
- Maintenance: Medium
- Mature Size: 15 to 30 ft tall, 4 to 8 ft spread
American Wisteria is a wonderful native climbing vine for a trellis privacy screen. Its vines twine around supports, and after two to three years of getting established, it produces fragrant, sweet pea-like lilac flowers in April and May. Unlike Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis), American Wisteria is not an aggressive spreader.
American Wisteria grows best in slightly acidic, organically rich, moist soils that drain well. It can grow with some shade, but it flowers best when given full sun. You will need to prune it to keep it to size and encourage flowering, but look up the best pruning methods for this vine plant. It won’t produce flowers if improperly pruned. Fertilize in early spring to encourage blossoms, but err on the side of caution – overfertilization is another reason that flowers may not bloom. It takes at least 2 to 3 years at the earliest to bloom, but can take longer.
#9 Common Jasmine (Jasminum officinale)
- Used For: Trellises and Pergolas
- Type: Perennial Vine
- Geographic Origin: Asia
- USDA Zone: 7 to 10
- Light Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade
- Water Requirement: Moderate to Medium
- Drought Tolerant: Yes – Medium
- Pest & Disease Resistance: High – Few Problems
- Maintenance: Medium
- Mature Size: 20 to 30 ft tall, 7 to 15 ft spread
If you love floral fragrances and live in a humid area, one Common Jasmine vine can perfume an entire garden. Like American Wisteria, it grows on trellises. Common Jasmine is a vigorous grower that needs to be cut back drastically after flowering.
Common Jasmine grows best in high humidity and full sun, although it only needs average garden soil. It likes consistent moisture during the growing season. As this vine grows enormous, make sure that the trellis is strong enough to hold it up. After flowering, prune it back to keep it contained.
If you’re above Zone 7, you can grow Common Jasmine in a pot with a trellis and bring the pot inside during the winter.
#10 Hop Vines (Humulus lupulus)
- Used For: Trellises and Pergolas
- Type: Perennial Vine
- Geographic Origin: Europe, Asia, North America
- USDA Zone: 4 to 9
- Light Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade
- Water Requirement: Medium
- Drought Tolerant: Moderate (Once Established)
- Pest & Disease Resistance: High – Few Problems
- Maintenance: Low
- Mature Size: 30 ft tall, 3 ft spread
If you only need a trellis screen for the growing season, why not try your hand at growing Hops? While Hops are used as a bittering, flavoring, and stability agent in beer, they make a very unique trellis plant even if you don’t want to homebrew. They produce clusters of cone-shaped fruits from mid-summer to mid-fall. Hops grow very fast and live for 20 years. They will die back during the winter, but will grow back from rhizomes in the spring.
Hops grow best in well-draining soil. Provide a strong trellis for hops as the full grown vines can weigh over 20 pounds. It takes a year for hops to get established, so it will only produce flowers in the second year. Don’t prune during the first year. Hops naturally grow clockwise around supports, so wrap the vines around the trellis clockwise to train it. They need consistently moist soil, so they’re not a great plant to grow if you need something that can withstand dry soil. In colder regions, plant in a container so you can overwinter them.
#11 Scarlet Runner Beans (Phaseolus coccineus)
- Used For: Edible Trellises and Pergolas
- Type: Perennial Vine
- Geographic Origin: South and Central America
- USDA Zone: 7 to 11 (but grows as annual in most zones)
- Light Requirement: Full Sun
- Water Requirement: Medium
- Drought Tolerant: Yes
- Pest & Disease Resistance: High – Few Problems
- Maintenance: Medium
- Mature Size: 8 to 12 ft tall, 3 to 5 ft spread
Scarlet Runner Beans offer a seasonal privacy screen with stunning scarlet flowers and edible beans. These beans quickly scale between 6 and 15 foot tall structures with thick leaf cover. You can cook the pods before eating, dry the beans, or eat the beans fresh while they’re still light pink.
Scarlet Runner Beans are very easy to grow. They prefer full sun in rich soil but can grow well in other conditions. Plant them outside when the threat of frost is gone. They tolerate cooler temperatures than other green beans, but their leaves are too delicate for frost. You can save heirloom seeds for next year or dig up the tuberous roots in the fall and store in damp sand to plant for next year for earlier flowers.
Conclusion
The best plants for privacy aren’t necessarily the fastest growing or most traditional. The best privacy plants grow well in your climate, have few pest and disease problems, add diversity, and fit your space.
You can learn about more even more plants for hedges here.
You can also get inspiration from 26 of the most famous gardens in the world.
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~Jonathon