Evergreen trees are a staple for any yard. They provide color year round. The right placed evergreen tree can provide excellent shade. There are also some fast growing ones.
You'll want to really pay attention to how fast the tree you are planting grows. As some evergreens only grow 1 foot per year.
Table of contents
Green Giant
Whenever you hear fast-growing and evergreen, your mind should immediately go to the Thuja Green Giant.
This tree is technically arborvitae. But, it does stay green all year. It is also one of the easiest trees to grow. The tree is very disease resistant. If you've struggled growing trees in the past, you should try planting these trees. They take off without much work.
The Green Giant also grows rapidly. They can grow 3-5 feet per season after they are established.
The trees, when planted in a line, will provide excellent privacy and shade.
White Spruce
When it comes to evergreens, you want to make sure you plant ones that grow well. There are trees like the Blue Spruce that really have struggled with soil and diseases.
The White Spruce is what you'll want if you are looking for that traditional evergreen look. This tree grows 2-3 feet per year and is a generally healthy tree. It really provides some great shade too. This fast-growing evergreen gets 30+ feet wide giving off tons of shade.
If you don't want a huge evergreen in your yard, check out these smaller shade trees that provide privacy.
Norway Spruce
The Norway spruce is an evergreen that loves the sun. It can grow 50-80 feet in the right conditions. The tree gets fairly big so you will want to plant it in a large yard.
This is typically referred to as the common spruce. It is very durable and will grow very tall. The tree gives off a lot of shade as it gets really tall. To learn more about which trees grow well, check out this research article.
Dawn Redwood
The Dawn Redwood is also not a true evergreen even though it looks similar to one. This tree grows very rapidly and can grow 100+ feet tall.
This tree has a heritage that goes back to the dinosaurs. It was growing back then as well. The tree lives for a very long time is disease resistant and likes many types of soil. It prefers soil that is moist and likes the sun. The tree will have a crown that is close to 25-30 feet wide. Given its height, this means the Dawn Redwood gives off plenty of shade.
Fast growing evergreen shade trees are wonderful. But, every yard needs a splash of color. If you are looking for some flowering trees, check out our list of the best Dogwood trees to plant in your yard.
Tyler loves the challenge of finding the right trees for any piece of land.