# Suggestions on a fast growing evergreen tree?



## kkirt1

First I would like to say... site is great! Seems to be a lot of knowledgeable members! I read for hours last night! Good stuff all around.

What fast-growing evergreen tree would you recommend? I like the blue spruce but don't want to wait that long to get the privacy I desire. I need 18' - 20'of tree as quick as I can get it. Is their a blue spruce variety that will grow 18'-20' in 5 - 6 years?

Your thoughts would be appreciated.


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## Newfie

My first thought was definitlely not Spruce. I may be wrong but I don't know of any evergreen species that will grow that quickly and still maintain a dense(wind blocking & privacy) structure. A white pine can grow a foot plus per year but they get awfully leggy and open.

There are others that are much more qualified to offer advice so maybe we can both learn.

JPS?? JP Mc?


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## Nickrosis

Dr. Miller always said you can just give it more nitrogen and any tree becomes fast growing. He recommends straight nitrogen....

....he never said that. I lost points in a paper because of fertilization.....

Most pines grow pretty quickly... Blue spruce too slow?? Fifteen feet in 5 years isn't enough? If you want something faster than that, fencing sounds like a good alternative.


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## treelover3

Does the conifer need to be "evergreen"? Metasequoia (Dawn Redwood) will grow 3' to 4' a year, but is a deciduous tree. Mature trees have great reddish-brown bark, so the tree is beautiful in the winter, even without its needles. 
Just a suggestion...
Mike


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## Jay Banks

What zone are you in? Thuja plicata, Western Red Cedar; Arborvitae, "Green Giant". Zone 5-7. 2-4' of growth per year.


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## kkirt1

I hadn't thought about a Cedar tree. I am in zone 5 - midwest. It would be in the middle of a draw about half-way up. This draw drains about 20 acres so it gets lots of water. 

Redwood... that is an idea also.

Thanks for your input!


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## treelover3

I don't think that a Redwood, Sequoia sempervirens, will survive in USDA zone 5. If you try one, it would need a very protected spot. Since the tree can get to 300' tall it would not really make a good screen. (any plant used as a screen needs to be able to take anything nature can throw at it. I wouldn't use a marginally hardy plant for a screen.)

I would stick with either Thuja plicata (Western Red Cedar) or Thuja occidentalis (Eastern White Cedar). There are a few cultivars of the former and many, many of the latter. 

I planted a hedge of Thuja occidentalis 'Hetz Wintergreen' this summer. I received many recommendations from people who said that it grew fast (3' + a year) and that it stayed nice and green all year (many of the T. occidentalis cultivars "bronze" in the winter time). 'Hetz Wintergreen' can grow to 30' tall and is about 5' across at maturity. "Hetz Wintergreen' tends to have just one central leader so it doesn't get damaged by wet snow like many of the other cultivars. The foliage of 'Hetz Wintergreen' is very nice also. 
Mike


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## Nickrosis

What does _Sequoia sempervirens_ have anything to do with this? We're talking about _Metasequoia glyptostromboides_. Reaaally different trees.

Nickrosis


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## treelover3

kkirt1, in the message immediately above mine, says: "Redwood... that is an idea also." Redwood and Dawn Redwood are two different trees, but the original poster just used the word "Redwood" which is an evergreen tree and is not deciduous like Metasequoia.

I wanted to let the poster know that Redwood and Dawn Redwood are two different trees. Maybe leaving out the word "dawn" was on oversight on kkirt1's part, but I wanted to make sure that this person knew that there was a difference. 

You are correct....Redwood and Dawn Redwood are two different trees, but please read kkirt1's last post again......you will notice that the word "Dawn" is nowhere in their post. 

Please note the correct spelling of Dawn Redwood is: Metasequoia glyptostroboides. There is no "m" in this plants species name.
Thanks,
Mike


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## Rob Shauger

How much do you have in budget? Hire someone with a tree spade to bring in some 10-12 footers. I f you have some somewhere on your property they can be transplanted for a reasonable price.


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## kkirt1

Not much...

It would be challenging to get a large tree spade into the location.

Someone I was talking with yesterday mentioned white pine. Any thoughts?


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## Jock

Try (Cupressocyparis Leylandii) Leyland Cypress, every garden here has them, also seen them in Ontario last year, make a good hedge, can buy them here from 3' - 5' in bio degradable pots, so just plant the pots 3-4 ft apart and in 2-3 years a nice hedge...Jock


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## Dan F

Seems I am replying to some possibly dead posts here....

I might be a little late on this on too, but I was looking at a nursery catalog we recieved at work yesterday from a company in NE Indiana (I believe the company name was Advanced Tree Technologies, not 100% sure though). They were advertising a 'Green Rocket Ceder' (looked to be an arborvitae hybrid) pretty hard, got me interested in it for a visual screen for my house. They were selling them for less than $10 each (I think 2-3 footers), and supposedly they grew 3+ feet/year to 30 feet or so and 5-6 feet wide. Added bonus, IIRC, was that they were pretty resistant to bagworms and other problems common to the species.

In my mind, I would plant them, let them grow for a year or two, then plant some slower growing spruce in front of them. If I ever get tired of them (the cedars), then out comes the chainsaw.

I've got to do something here at home. All I've got is ~5-6 acres of black locust (future firewood), a row of Austrian pines (bonfire in ~10 years) and 4 big silver maples that the previous owners were kind enough to top pretty hard about 6-7 years ago!


Dan


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## treelover3

There are a couple of conifers that will grow 3' a year, but they are not blue. 

Thuja occidentalis 'Hetz Wintergreen' and Thuja 'Green Giant' will give you the quick growth and privacy you desire. Both plants will block the wind and provide privacy. If you do an internet search you should be able to find mail order sources for both of these plants. Use http://www.google.com to do your search. 

Reeseville Ridge Nursery in Wisconsin has Thuja 'Hetz Wintergreen' available for 2.50 for a 6" to 12" plant or 4.00 for an 18" plant. Here is the link to their site: 

http://www.wegrowit.com/Reeseville/ReesevilleRidgeCatalog.htm

Because these trees grow quickly you don't need to purchase large plants. You should be able to find 18" to 24" plants available at very reasonable prices. 
Good luck,
Mike


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## Stephen Wiley

*What was your choice?*

Kirt,

If you happen to come back on line, I am curious what you decided on.

*Many of the above suggestions may have not taken into account your mention of the amount of water on the roots, harsh weather. 

Western Red, tend to have structural growth problems that are exemplified in harsh weather. Pines, would also structurally do poor, and may be more open than you prefer for privacy.

Dawn Redwood, would NOT give you the privacy you desire.

Other cedar suggestions: Thujopsis dolobrata, Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Pendula' dense form.

*Note: Many of thes trees can survive in wetlands, if their rootstock has been subjected to those growing conditions. Nursery stock under prime planting conditions may not survive.


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## kkirt1

Thanks for all the responded!

The wife decided she did not want any evergreens because they "look scraggly" 

Anyone have suggestions on a fast growing decidious trees that would grow well in clay?


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## Dan F

If you can find it, an Autumn Blaze maple might do the trick for you. It's a cross between a red or a sugar maple (I can't remember which) and a silver. Has the strength of the red/sugar and the fast growth of the silver. Plus, brilliant red fall color. Don't know about price though, they may be a bit expensive. A maple will be a faster growth tree, stay away from oaks if you want fast growth. Unfortunately, the speed of growth usually directly relates to strength of the tree, i.e., the faster it grows, the weaker it is.

As for clay soils, if you can find a tree that has been grown in a local nursery and is sold as B&B (balled and burlapped), you should be getting a soil similar to yours. I would avoid a tree from a sand based soil. It's personal preference, but if I'm planting in heavy clay based soils, I like to plant about an inch or so high (see following directions!), just to help keep the tree/shrub from "drowing". When you dig a hole in a clay soil, then put water in it, in effect what you have created is a clay "bowl" that will take a LONG time to drain. I have a picture somewhere of this, I'll see if I can post it.

When you plant it, FIND THE ROOT FLARE! All too often I'm seeing trees that have been planted 6-10" too deep. They live for ~2-3 years and are dead by year 3-4. The problem starts in the nursery: when they are lined out, they are planted too deeply. Plus, most nursery's are still culitivating down the rows to remove weeds, which throws soil on top of the roots. I haven't seen a tree in the last 2 years that I haven't had to take at least 4 inches off of the top, some have been as much as 8"!

When you find the root flare, it also gives you a chance to check for potential girdling roots. These should be removed. It will save you heartache 10-15 years down the road. My guess is over 1/2 of the trees coming out of most nursery's nowadays have potential girdling roots.

If you don't know what a root flare is, read on. Simply put, it is where the trunk "flares" out and turns into roots. This should be as close to surface as possible. 

A girdling root is just what it sounds like. It's a root that circles around the trunk of the tree and will eventually (as the trunk and the root get bigger with age) choke the tree to death. If at all possible, all roots should be heading away from the trunk in as straight of a line as possible. 
If the tree is B&B, remove as much of the wire basket (it will most likely have a basket, it MAY just have rope, depending on the size of the ball) as possible. Cut as much of the burlap away as you can. Remove all ropes. If the top of the tree has been tied up, remove the ropes before putting the tree in the hole and separate the branches!!!!! (Voice of experience talking) Water deeply and infrequently, especially if you have clay soils. I like to fill the hole with water before backfilling the hole with soil- it thouroughly soaks the ball and helps the backfill to settle. Staking may be needed, especially if you had to take a lot of soil off of the top of the ball to find the root flare. Slack is needed in the staking, you don't want it too tight, you just want it so the tree doesn't fall over! Remove stakes after a season of growth. Finally, prune out crossing branches and mulch with 2-3 inches of mulch (please, please, please don't use the red mulch, it's TACKY!!! The only place it belongs is McDonalds!).
I hope this helps! I've given my suggestion on type of tree, let's see if anyone else has any. The planting instructions should stay the same for any tree you plant though!


Dan

P.S.- J.P.S.- can you (or someone) post (permanately) the above planting directions somwhere? Modify them if needed, but I think it would be a great service to the people who just happen to find the site and wonder about planting trees....?


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## kkirt1

I second that! Great write-up. Thanks!


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## jimmyq

*planting instructions write up*

http://www.isa-arbor.com/consumer/planting.html is a good description of how to plant, I like to hand it out as a guideline at the nursery when folks buy trees and I don't have the time to give them the personal advice.


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## Orygun

Southern Oregon
Fast Growing
Not invasive

Red Sunset, Maple (among many other maple varieties, except palmatum dissectum var.)
and as for "Evergeen"
Deodora Cedar (conifer) and I liked the other suggestions of Leyland and Thuja Emerald Green, all are quick to grow, once established.

P.S zone 7


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## a_lopa

autunm blaze canadian maple (acerxfreemanii)


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## rbr28

*in midwest*

I'm in southern Indiana, and trees I would recommend include White Pine, Eastern Red Cedar, and White Spruce. White Pine and Eastern Red Cedar are both native. I have had white pines put on 3-4 feet a year with good care, a good location, etc. Bigger is not better when starting out. Smaller pines will usually adjust more quickly, and take off more quickly (they usually have a more satisfactory root system for the size of tree). As far as white pines being sparse...you can prune them in a way that they will grow very thick and dense, and they should stay that way for quite a while, unless or until the lower branches are extremely shaded. I don't think Eastern Red Cedar is known as an especially fast growing tree, but it sure grows fast on my lot. All mine are wild, I've never planted any, so I can't say how well they would do from a nursery. If you go with white pines, or anything else for that matter, I've had the best luck with container grown trees. Every container grown tree I have planted has seemed to take off almost immediately, with almost no signs of transplant shock. I've had significantly higher failure rates with bare root trees and b&b trees, even when planted at optimal times and given extreme care. I have lost container trees (I seem to have problems with dogwoods on my lot, even though the wild ones spread like crazy), but overall I think they are the easiest to get off to a good start, and they have the added bonus of being able to be planted (with good survival), just about any time of year.

I wouldn't recommend white cedar, even though I love the tree and have several close to my house. None of the cultivars I've planted have been fast growing, and most have been extremely slow growing. Beautiful trees, great for wildlife, and great for screens, but I really don't think it would grow as fast as you'd like. White spruce aren't native to my area, but they do well. They do grow quickly for a spruce, and if you are further north in the midwest, they handle extreme winters very well. In my region, they are somewhat difficult to come by at nurseries though, at least harder to find than white pine.

Keep in mind too, how big all these trees get. People always tend to plant them way too close to the house, not realizing how big they will get. You might be better off with some of the dwarf evergreens, or ones that are more shrublike. Yews look somewhat like hemlock, they are evergreens, they grow very quickly, they can be pruned to the ground and still grow back quickly, and they are easily controlled. They will get big if you let them, but you can train them anyway you want, to be more like a tree, more like a shrub, etc. You should be able to find Yews at almost any good nursery.

After all that I caught the later post about not wanting an evergreen. Plenty of good deciduous trees that will grow quickly in clay soil, but again, you might want to be careful of size. On my lot, crabapples, some hawthorns, dogwoods, and rebuds all do well. I probably wouldn't recommend any of these other than the redbud for a close to house location, for many reasons. I think the redbud would be a nice possibility that I didn't see mentioned elsewhere though. Yellowwoods are also one of my favorites, but they are pretty slow growing and difficult to find in nurseries.

Finally, if you have the room, one more I'd strongly recommend if you want very fast growth, is the bald cypress. It does lose it's needles in winter, but it's a beautiful tree in all seasons and they do seem to transplant so well. They do excellent in clay soil and you really need bad conditions or severe neglect for them to not survive. I've planted some in the heaviest clay soil in a low gully on my lot that always stay's damp, and one of them put on at least a couple feet and filled in very nicely just from june-Aug. I swear I could go out there every day and see new growth on the tree. In good conditions they can put on 4 feet +/yr, yet they are very long lived, can tolerate everything from wet to dry conditions once established, and have few pests. The only concern would be that they get huge, 80-100ft plus, so it's not the kind of tree you want on a small lot or too close to anything else.


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## BlueRidgeMark

I love zombie threads!


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## fmueller

*Green Giant*

I planted some of those Thuja Plicatas 3 years ago and I think the lil bstrds actually shrunk! I don't know what happenned to them. I guess its this Iowa weather that was too tough on em. I watered, fertilized, kept their space clear and nuttin. Paid alot for the lil buggers to. Must be the soil or something. They sure did'nt grow like they said they would.


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## treeseer

1. If wifey thinks all evergreens look scraggly, you gotta git her out to see some nice evergreens. There are only about 78 trillion, ya know.

I planted a thuja plicata 'hogan' in semishade in hard clay and it's grown about 10 feet in 7 years. For a fastgrowing hardwood I like pterocarya paulownia, melea etc


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## Ax-man

How about Norway Spruce.


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## Kneejerk Bombas

I like cedar. A Cedar fence that is.


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