Best Arborvitae Heights for Privacy Fences

For privacy fences, Emerald Green arborvitae (12-14 feet) works best in smaller spaces with 3-4 feet spacing, while Green Giant (50-60 feet) suits larger properties with 5-6 feet spacing. North Pole and Techny varieties reach about 15 feet, ideal for urban settings. Your choice depends on your yard size, desired coverage speed, and maintenance capacity. The right arborvitae height creates the perfect balance between seclusion and aesthetic appeal in your landscape design.

Optimal Arborvitae Heights for Different Privacy Needs

When selecting arborvitae for your privacy fence, height consideration is essential to meeting your specific screening needs. Your yard size should dictate your choice of arborvitae variety and its mature height.

For smaller spaces, Emerald Green Arborvitae offers excellent privacy at 12-14 feet tall, while North Pole Arborvitae’s columnar shape (10-15 feet) works perfectly in tight areas. If you’ve got limited width but need height, these varieties won’t overwhelm your landscape.

For maximum screening on larger properties, you can’t beat Green Giant Arborvitae, which soars to an impressive 50-60 feet. Plant these giants 5-6 feet apart for a quick, towering privacy solution.

For moderate-sized yards, consider Techny Arborvitae, reaching 15 feet while providing dense coverage that stands up to harsh weather conditions.

Emerald Green vs. Green Giant: Height Comparison

Two distinct height profiles separate Emerald Green from Green Giant Arborvitae, offering dramatically different privacy solutions for homeowners.

Emerald Green Arborvitae reaches a modest 12-14 feet tall, making it perfect for smaller yards where you need privacy without overwhelming the space. It grows at a moderate pace of 1-2 feet annually.

The perfect solution for intimate gardens – Emerald Green provides human-scale privacy with manageable growth that won’t dominate your landscape.

In contrast, Green Giant Arborvitae soars to impressive heights of 50-60 feet with a rapid growth rate up to 3 feet per year. This makes it ideal for larger properties requiring substantial privacy fences.

When planning your spacing, allow 3-4 feet between Emerald Green plants but 6-8 feet for Green Giants.

Both varieties maintain year-round foliage, with Emerald Green offering a compact conical shape while Green Giant develops a broader, denser profile as it matures.

Creating Tiered Privacy Screens With Various Heights

The artful combination of different arborvitae heights creates dramatic tiered privacy screens that outperform single-height plantings in both functionality and visual appeal.

By pairing Emerald Green Arborvitae (12-14 feet tall) with towering Green Giant Arborvitae (50-60 feet), you’ll achieve a dynamic landscape with multiple layers of greenery.

Plant Emerald Greens 4 feet apart in the foreground to establish a lush, dense barrier, while positioning Green Giants 6-8 feet apart as a majestic backdrop.

This staggered planting approach enhances depth while maximizing growing conditions—improving air circulation and sunlight exposure for all plants.

Your tiered privacy screen won’t just block unwanted views more effectively than a single-variety fence; it’ll create a sophisticated, dimensional landscape feature that showcases the unique attributes of both arborvitae varieties.

Height Considerations for Small Gardens and Urban Spaces

Urban gardens and small outdoor spaces present unique privacy challenges that require thoughtful arborvitae selection based on mature height.

When working with limited square footage, consider Emerald Green arborvitaes, which reach just 12-14 feet tall at maturity, making them perfect for compact areas needing privacy.

Techny and North Pole varieties offer excellent alternatives, growing to 15 feet while maintaining a slim profile. For ideal privacy screen density without overwhelming your small garden, space your Emerald Greens 3-4 feet apart.

When space is limited but privacy essential, Techny and North Pole arborvitaes deliver height without the width.

If you need maximum height in a restricted area, Green Giant Arborvitae can reach 50-60 feet but can be maintained lower with regular trimming.

This versatility allows you to achieve the privacy you desire while respecting the scale of your urban landscape.

Mature Heights of Popular Arborvitae Varieties

Understanding specific mature heights of arborvitae varieties helps you make informed decisions when creating your privacy fence. When planning your arborvitae hedge, consider both immediate screening needs and long-term growth patterns.

Variety	Mature Height	Best Use
Green Giant	50-60 feet	Tall privacy screens
Techny	15 feet	Snow-resistant barriers
DeGroot’s Spire	15-25 feet	Vertical accent screens

For maximum privacy in spacious yards, Green Giant Arborvitae offers impressive height potential, reaching up to 60 feet tall. If you’re working with limited space, Emerald Green provides a more manageable 12-14 feet at maturity. North Pole Arborvitae’s columnar shape makes it perfect for narrow areas, while Techny Arborvitae delivers exceptional density that stands up to harsh winter conditions.

Managing Growth Rates for Your Desired Privacy Height

You’ll need to balance rapid growth with manageable maintenance when selecting arborvitae for your privacy fence.

Green Giant’s impressive 3-foot yearly growth quickly creates tall barriers but requires more frequent trimming than the slower-growing Emerald Green variety.

Understanding that most arborvitae grow 1-2 feet annually after establishment helps you set realistic expectations for achieving your desired privacy height.

Maintaining Manageable Barriers

While Arborvitae offers excellent privacy screening, managing their growth rate is vital for maintaining barriers at your ideal height. With growth rates varying from 1-3 feet annually, you’ll need a consistent trimming schedule to keep your privacy hedge in check.

For Green Giant varieties that can reach towering heights of 50-60 feet, annual trimming is imperative to maintain a manageable privacy barrier. Don’t wait until they’ve outgrown your desired height—schedule maintenance in early spring before new growth appears.

Emerald Green varieties, typically maxing out at 12-14 feet, require less aggressive trimming but still benefit from yearly maintenance.

Remember that proper spacing (5-6 feet for Green Giant, 3-4 feet for Emerald Green) allows easier access for maintenance while still creating a dense privacy screen.

Yearly Growth Expectations

Setting realistic expectations for your arborvitae’s yearly growth helps you plan an effective privacy screen that won’t exceed your desired height too quickly.

Different varieties grow at notably different rates, affecting when you’ll achieve your privacy goals.

Emerald Green arborvitaes grow moderately at 1-2 feet annually, reaching mature heights of 12-14 feet—perfect for standard privacy fences without overwhelming your space.

For faster results, Green Giant varieties surge upward at up to 3 feet per year and ultimately tower at 50-60 feet if left unchecked.

Consider your long-term privacy needs when selecting varieties.

Proper spacing (3-4 feet for Emerald Green, 5-6 feet for Green Giant) helps manage growth while maintaining dense coverage.

DeGroot’s Spire offers a middle ground, reaching 15-25 feet with a compact vertical profile.

Strategic Placement Based on Height Potential

Because different arborvitae varieties reach vastly different mature heights, strategic placement becomes essential for creating effective privacy screens.

When using Green Giant Arborvitae as a privacy solution, place these towering specimens 6-8 feet apart along property lines where you need maximum screening up to 60 feet tall.

For medium coverage, position DeGroot’s Spire varieties 4-5 feet apart in areas where you need vertical privacy without excessive width. These columnar options reach 15-25 feet while maintaining a slim profile.

In smaller spaces, you’ll want to utilize Emerald Green or North Pole varieties.

Plant Emerald Greens 3-4 feet apart for creating dense barriers up to 14 feet tall. For narrow passages, North Pole’s compact 10-15 foot height works perfectly when spacing them 3 feet apart in areas with limited width.

Combining Arborvitae Heights With Other Landscape Features

Elevate your Arborvitae privacy screen by combining different heights with complementary landscape elements that enhance both function and beauty.

You’ll create more dynamic privacy zones when you pair taller Green Giants with mid-sized Emerald Greens and incorporate garden structures like trellises or decorative panels between sections.

Adding flowering shrubs or perennials at the base of your Arborvitae arrangement introduces seasonal color while maintaining the solid privacy barrier your space requires.

Layering With Garden Structures

While Arborvitae alone can create an effective privacy screen, combining them with garden structures transforms a simple hedge into a multi-dimensional landscape feature.

By layering taller varieties like Green Giant (reaching 40 feet) with shorter ones such as Emerald Green (12-14 feet), you’ll create depth while maintaining complete coverage.

1. Install trellises or decorative fencing behind or between Arborvitae to support climbing plants for additional privacy.
2. Position arbors or pergolas strategically to create inviting entrances while extending your privacy screen vertically.
3. Use staggered planting patterns with varying heights to improve air circulation while eliminating sight gaps.
4. Add flowering shrubs or perennials at the base of your Arborvitae to introduce color and texture at lower viewing levels.

This layered approach creates a more robust privacy shield that’s visually interesting year-round.

Varied Height Privacy Zones

Creating dynamic privacy zones throughout your landscape requires thoughtful combinations of different Arborvitae heights alongside complementary features.

You’ll achieve greater visual interest by pairing shorter Emerald Green varieties (12-14 feet) with towering Green Giant Arborvitae that soar to 50-60 feet.

Consider implementing staggered planting formations with shorter varieties in front and taller ones behind. This guarantees all plants receive adequate sunlight while maximizing your available space.

For multi-dimensional screening, layer Western Arborvitae against fences or trellises to create a lush backdrop for climbing plants.

Don’t overlook the opportunity to introduce flowering shrubs between your varied Arborvitae heights. These additions provide seasonal color and texture while reinforcing your privacy barrier.

The graduated height shift creates a more natural, less rigid appearance that enhances your landscape’s overall aesthetic appeal.

Complementary Plant Pairings

Effective Arborvitae privacy screens reach their full potential when thoughtfully combined with complementary plantings.

Your landscape design will benefit from thoughtful pairings that enhance both functionality and visual appeal.

1. Layer different Arborvitae heights – Combine tall Green Giant varieties (up to 40 feet) with more compact Emerald Green options (12-14 feet) to create depth and dimension in your privacy screen.
2. Add flowering shrubs – Integrate hydrangeas or butterfly bushes alongside your Arborvitae for seasonal color while maintaining privacy.
3. Incorporate vertical elements – Install trellises near your Arborvitae to support climbing plants, creating a lush backdrop with varied textures.
4. Introduce contrasting textures – Plant ornamental grasses near your Arborvitae hedge to add movement and soften rigid lines, improving the overall landscape composition.

Maintaining Your Privacy Screen at the Ideal Height

Once you’ve selected and planted the right Arborvitae variety, maintaining its ideal height becomes vital for long-term privacy and aesthetic appeal. For most privacy screens, aim to keep heights between 10-15 feet for best balance between coverage and manageability.

Creating the perfect privacy screen isn’t just about planting—it’s about maintaining the ideal 10-15 foot height that balances coverage with practical care.

For Green Giant Arborvitae, which can reach towering heights of 50-60 feet, regular pruning is imperative. Schedule trimming sessions during late winter or early spring to control their vigorous growth while encouraging density.

Never cut into old wood, as this can damage the plant’s natural shape and health.

With Emerald Green varieties, you’ll enjoy more manageable heights of 12-14 feet with minimal maintenance required.

Remember that proper spacing—5-6 feet for Green Giant and 3-4 feet for Emerald Green—supports healthy growth to your desired privacy screen height.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Best Arborvitae for Privacy Fence?

For your privacy fence, choose Green Giant Arborvitae if you need height (40-60 feet) and quick coverage. Pick Emerald Green for smaller spaces, North Pole for narrow areas, or Techny for snowy regions.

How Close Can You Plant an Arborvitae to a Fence?

You should plant arborvitae at least 18 inches from your fence to prevent damage as they grow. This spacing allows proper development while maintaining your privacy screen. Don’t crowd them against the structure.

Are Arborvitae Good for Privacy?

Yes, arborvitae are excellent for privacy. You’ll appreciate their dense evergreen foliage that provides year-round screening. They grow quickly, block noise effectively, and require minimal maintenance once established in your landscape.

What Are the Disadvantages of Green Giant Arborvitae?

Green Giants can overwhelm your yard with their rapid growth (3 feet yearly) and massive size (40+ feet tall). You’ll face constant trimming, potential neighbor disputes from shade, pest management issues, and winter damage concerns.

In Summary

Choose arborvitae heights that match your specific privacy needs. Remember, smaller varieties like ‘Emerald Green’ work well in compact spaces, while ‘Green Giant’ offers taller screening for larger properties. You’ll get the best results by considering mature height, growth rate, and proper spacing when planning. Regular maintenance keeps your living fence healthy at your desired height, creating the perfect natural barrier for your outdoor sanctuary.