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Best Plants for Privacy Screens in North Texas

Do you have neighbors that you see too much of too often? Do you find the second story windows next door – the ones overlooking your pool – a bit discomforting? Would you like more privacy in your own back yard without erecting a 16-foot fence? If so, then creating a privacy screen with plants may be the solution.

The main considerations in choosing plants for a privacy screen are:

1) They should be evergreen not deciduous. After all, you won't have much privacy if the plants drop their leaves every fall and remain bare until spring.
2) They should be hardy and low maintenance. Plants that can't take the heat of a North Texas summer, or handle an icy winter, aren't going to last very long. Likewise, they shouldn't be fussy and in need of constant care.
3) They should have a great shape whether you prune or not. Some plants look great if you just "let them go" while others benefit from trimming and shaping. The design of your landscape will also factor in to this. Do you prefer a clean, formal look or something a bit more natural and organic?

The plants on this list fit these criteria. All of them are evergreen and all perform great in our soil and climate. From 5 feet to 30 feet, if you want a wall of green (or maroon) between you and the rest of the world , scroll down for our top picks for privacy screens in North Texas.

Click here for a downloadable PDF, or scroll to the bottom for video.

Best Plants for Privacy Screens in North Texas:

SG-Holly1
SG-Holly3

Holly - Ilex spp.
• Fast growing & low maintenance
• Dense evergreen foliage is easily shaped by pruning or trimming
• Red berries in winter
• Few if any disease or pest problems (though rabbits can be a problem)
• Grow very well in our North Texas soil

Popular Shrub Varieties (alphabetical):

Burford - Ilex cornuta 'Burfordii'
15-25 feet tall x 8-15 feet wide

Christmas Jewel - Ilex x Christmas Jewel®
8-10 feet tall x 4-6 feet wide

Dwarf Burford - Ilex cornuta 'Burfordii Nana'
4-5 feet tall & wide

Foster - Ilex attenuata 'Fosteri'
20-30 feet tall x 7-10 feet wide

Liberty - Ilex x 'Conty'
10-12 feet tall x 6-8 feet wide

Needlepoint - Ilex cornuta 'Needlepoint'
10-15 feet tall x 6-10 feet wide

Nellie R. Stevens - Ilex x Nellie R. Stevens
15-20 feet tall x 10-12 feet wide

Oakland - Ilex x Oakland 'Magland'
15-20 feet tall x 12-15 feet wide

Oakleaf - Ilex x 'Oakleaf'
10-14 feet tall x 6-8 feet wide

Robin - Ilex hybrid 'Conin'
15-20 feet tall x 12-15 feet wide

Scarlet's Peak - Ilex vomitoria 'Scarlet's Peak'
15-20 feet tall x 3 feet wide

Sky Pencil - Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil'
6-8 feet tall x 2-4 feet wide
(Does not take full sun. Needs afternoon shade in North Texas.)

Popular Tree Form (Patio) Varieties:

Eagleston - Ilex x 'Eagleston'
20-30 feet tall x 10-15 feet wide

East Palatka - Ilex x attenuata 'East Palatka'
20-25 feet tall x 10-12 feet wide

Nellie R. Stevens - Ilex x 'Nellie R. Stevens'
15-20 feet tall x 10-12 feet wide

Savannah - Ilex x attenuata 'Savannah'
15-20 feet tall x 8-10 feet wide

SG-Taylor Juniper
SG-Juniper
SG-Juniper2

Junipers & Cedars - Juniperus spp. & Cupressus spp.
• Low maintenance coniferous trees or shrubs
• Plant in full to part sun
• Very drought tolerant
• Thrive in hot, dry locations
• Few pest or disease issues

Popular Varieties (shortest to tallest):

Blue Point Juniper- Juniperus chinensis 'Blue Point'
10-12' tall x 6-8 feet wide

Wichita Blue Juniper - Juniperus scopulorum 'Wichita Blue'
10-15 feet tall x 4-6 feet wide

Blue Arrow Juniper - Juniperus scopulorum 'Blue Arrow'
12-15 feet tall x 2-3 feet wide

Spartan Juniper - Juniperus chinensis ‘Spartan’
15 feet tall x 8 feet wide

Hollywood Juniper - Juniperus chinensis 'Torulosa'
15 feet tall x 10 feet wide

Skyrocket Juniper - Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket'
15-20 feet tall x 2-3 feet wide

Taylor Juniper - Juniperus virginiana 'Taylor'
20-25 feet tall x 3-4 feet wide

Arizona Cypress - Cupressus arizonica
25-30' x 10-18 feet wide
Blue Ice (Cupressus arizonica 'Blue Ice') & Carolina Sapphire (Cupressus arizonica var. glabra ‘Carolina Sapphire’) are poplular cultivars.

Eastern Red Cedar - Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana
30-50 feet tall x 10-20 feet wide

SG-Boxwood

Boxwood - Buxus spp.
• Slow growing, leafy evergreen shrubs
• Easily shaped by trimming or pruning
• One of the most common foundation plants

Japanese Boxwood - Buxus microphylla var. japonica
6 feet tall x 3-4 feet wide

Wintergreen Boxwood - Buxus microphylla var. japonica 'Wintergreen'
5 feet tall & wide

SG-Cherry Laurel

Cherry Laurel - Prunus caroliniana
15-20 feet tall x 10-15 feet wide
• Plant in full to part sun
• Tiny, fragrant, creamy white blooms in spring

Compact Cherry Laurel - Prunus caroliniana 'Compacta'
8-10 feet tall x 6-8 feet wide

SG-Cleyera

Cleyera - Cleyera spp. & Ternstroemia spp.
• Plant in full to part shade
• A tall & dense option for shady spots
• Low maintenance & largely pest & disease free

Bronze Beauty - Ternstroemia gymnanthera 'Conthery'
5-8 feet tall x 4-7 feet wide

Japonica - Cleyera japonica
8-12 feet tall x 6-10 feet wide

Japanese Cleyera - Ternstroemia gymnanthera
4-6 feet tall x 4-5 feet wide

LeAnn - Ternstroemia gymnanthera 'Contherann'
10-12 feet tall x 6-8 feet wide

SG-Podocarpus

Podocarpus / Japanese Yew - Podocarpus macrophyllus
15-20 feet tall x 6-8 feet wide
• A slow growing and low maintenance evergreen
• Dense, upright growth habit that takes to shearing well
• Grows best in morning sun and afternoon shade (doesn't like the blazing hot sun of North Texas summers)

SG-Loropetalum 1
SG-Loropetalum 3
SG-Loropetalum 2

Loropetalum / Chinese Fringe Flower - Loropetalum spp.
• Plant in full to part sun
• Hot pink blooms in Spring & Fall with maroon leaves that gradually turn green
• Fertilize regularly

Cherry Blast - Loropetalum chinensis var. rubrum 'Cherry Blast'
5-6 feet tall & wide

Chinese Loropetalum - Loropetalum chinense 'var. rubrum
6-10 feet tall x 5-8 feet wide

Ever Red - Loropetalum chinense 'Ever Red'
4-6 feet tall & wide

Plum Delight - Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum Plum Delight™
8-10 feet tall x 6-8 feet wide

Purple Diamond - Loropetalum chinense 'Purple Diamond'
4-5 feet tall & wide

Red Diamond - Loropetalum chinense 'Shang-Red'
5-6 feet tall x 4-6 feet wide

Zhuzhou Fuchsia - Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum 'Zhuzhou Fuchsia'
6-10 feet tall x 5-8 feet wide

SG-Wax Myrtle

Wax Myrtle - Myrica cerifera
10-15 tall x 10-12 feet wide
• Plant in full to part sun
• A native Texas evergreen with upright branches and aromatic, glossy olive-green leaves
• Makes an excellent screen, and can be pruned to form an attractive small tree to expose the handsome gray/white bark
• Good for wet sites with poor drainage
• Also known as Bayberry

SG-Waxleaf Ligustrum

Waxleaf Ligustrum - Ligustrum japonicum
8-10 feet tall x 6-8 wide
• Plant in full to part sun
• Hardy, evergreen shrub with soft, glossy, waxy leaves
• Can be shaped or allowed to grow naturally
• White blossoms in the spring, followed by blue berries

Click here for a downloadable PDF.

Videos

The Shades of Green Show: Best Plants for Privacy Screens in North Texas video coming soon!