Plants for Privacy

Whether you’re looking to plant a privacy screen, a traditional hedge, some ‘green walls’ for an outdoor garden room, or to create a romantic ‘secret garden’ – you have a lot of options! Rather than simply planting a boring monoculture of just one kind of plant, consider mixing several of the small trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses, and vines listed below in order to create a more naturalized-looking, pollinator-friendly hedgerow that brings color, texture, fragrance into your planting. See below for our recommended plants list and see the attached PDF for more planting and design ideas.

*Can be deer resistant        **More reliably deer resistant

Evergreen Plants under 10' tall | Evergreen Plants over 10' tall | Deciduous Shrubs & Grasses | Small Deciduous Trees | Columnar/Compact Evergreen | Columnar/Compact Deciduous
PDF Download printable PDF

  Botanical Name

  Common Name

  Comments
Evergreen Plants up to 10' tall  
Abelia grandiflora Glossy Abelia semi-evergreen, butterflies
 Arbutus unedo ‘Compacta’/‘Octoberfest’ Compact Strawberry Tree   decorative fruit, pollintors love the flowers
Arctostaphylos spp. Manzanita  * Native, pollinators
Artemisia tridentata Big Sagebrush  ** Native, pollinators
Baccharis pilularis Coyote Brush  ** Outstanding pollinator plant, native
 Berberis 'William Penn'  Evergreen Barberry   ** Impressively thorny
 Buxus spp. Boxwood   **
 Callistemon spp.  Bottlebrush  ** Alpine species only! Hummers love the flowers
 Camellia spp.    Winter bloomer
 Carpenteria californica Bush Anemone  ** Native, pollinators
Ceanothus spp California Lilac * Native, pollinators
Cedrus deodara 'Divinely Blue' Dwarf Deodar Cedar  **
Chamaecyparis spp. False Cypress  
Choisya spp. Mexican Orange  ** Fragrant flowers
Cotoneaster parneyi/lacteus Cotoneaster  
Daphne spp. Daphne  ** Wonderfully fragrant
 Distylium 'Emerald Heights'/ 'Linebacker'  Distylium  *
Elaeagnus spp. Silverberry  *
 Euonymous japonica Evergreen Euonymous  
Fargesia rufa Sunset Clumping Bamboo  **
Fatsia japonica Japanese Aralia  
Feijoa sellowiana Pineapple Guava  * Edible flowers and fruit
 Garrya fremontii/elliptica Silk Tassel Native, pollinators
Ilex spp. Holly  *
 Leptospermum spp. Tea Tree   ** Alpine varieties only!
 Ligustrum spp. Privet  
Loropetalum spp. Fringeflower  semi-evergreen
Mahonia aquifolium Oregon Grape  ** Native, pollinators
Myrtus c. 'Tarentina' Compact Myrtle  **
Nandina domestica Heavenly Bamboo  
Nerium oleander Oleander ** Hardy to USDA Zone 8, all parts of the plant are poisonous
Osmanthus spp. False Holly/Hardy Tea Olive **
Ozothamnus spp.    **
Pieris japonica Andromeda  **
 Pinus mugo mugo Mugo Pine (and other dwarf cultivars)   **
Pittosporum heterophyllum Chinese Pittosporum  *
Prunus l. schipkaensis Skip Laurel  
Rhamnus c. 'Eve Case' Compact California Coffeeberry  ** Native, pollinators
Rhododendron spp. Rhododendron  *
Rosmarinus officinalis Rosemary  * Highly aromatic, culinary, pollinators
Teucrium fruticans Bush Germander  ** Pollinators
Vaccinium ovatum Evergreen Huckleberry  Native, pollinators
Viburnum   Semi-evergreen varieties include V. burkwoodii, 'Allegheny'*
Evergreen Plants over 10' (but not monsterous)
Arctostaphylos spp., e.g.: A, manzanita, A. viscida, 'August Griffiths' Manzanita  * Native, pollinators
Arbutus menziesii  Madrone  Native, pollinators, beautiful bark
 Arbutus unedo Strawberry Tree  Pollinators, decorative fruit
 Azara microphylla Chilean Boxleaf Azara  
 Ceanothus thrysiflorus Blue Blossom   * Native, pollinators
 Cedrus a.g. 'Horstman' Dwarf Blue Atlas Cedar  **
Cedrus deodara 'Electra Blue' Compact Deodar Cedar  **
 Chamaecyparis spp. False Cypress  
 Cupressus arizonica/bakeri  Arizona Cypress/Baker Cypress  
 Fargesia nitida/robusta Great Wall/Green Screen Clumping Bamboo  **
 Fremontodendron californicum California Flannel Bush  * Native, pollinators
 Heteromeles arbutifolia Toyon  Native, pollinators, fruit for wintering songbirds
 Juniperus spp.  Juniper  **
 Laurus nobilis Bay Laurel  * Leaves used for seasoning, site in a protected location
 Magnolia 'Little Gem' Dwarf Southern Magnolia  ** Spectacular flowers
 Myrica californica Pacific Wax Myrtle  * Native, pollinators
Olea europea Olive 'Arbequina' is hardiest, 'Wilsonii' is fruitless
Osmanthus 'San Jose' Hardy Tea Olive Fragrant flowers
Photinia fraseri Red-tip Photinia Pollinators
Picea 'Fat Albert' Dwarf Colorado Blue Spruce  **
Pinus spp. Pines  ** Choose compact varieties (e.g.: 'Oregon Green', 'Thunderhead', 'Silveray')
Prunus laurocerasus English Laurel Classic hedge plant
Prunus lusitanica Portuguese Laurel ** Far more deer resistant than English Laurel
Pyracantha spp. Firethorn * Pollinators, birds love the berries
 Quercus chrysolepis, agrifolia, wislizenii, suber, myrsinifolia Live Oaks Extremely important pollinator plants
Rhamnus alaternus 'Variegata', 'John Edwards' Italian Buckthorn  
Rhamnus tomentella Hoary Coffeeberry  * Native, great pollinator plant
Thuja 'Atrovirens, 'Excelsa', 'Virescens' Western Red Cedar Native, pollinators
Thuja 'Green Giant' Hybrid Arborvitae  *
Umbellularia californica Oregon Myrtle/California Bay  ** Native
Deciduous Shrubs and Grasses    
Aronia spp.  Chokeberry  
 Berberis spp. Barberry  **
 Buddleia spp. Butterfly Bush  Pollinators, sterile cultivars only
 Calycanthus occidentalis Western Spicebush  Native, pollinators
Chaenomeles speciosa Flowering Quince  * Early spring bloom
 Cornus sericea/sanguinea Red Osier/Red-twig Dogwood Pollinators
 Cotinus spp. Smokebush  
 Elaeagnus multiflora Goumi Berry Edible fruit
 Euonymous alata 'Compacta' Compact Burning Bush  * Glorious fall color
 Forsythia spp. Forsythia  * Early spring bloom, good fall color
 Hamamelis spp Witchhazel Early spring bloom, good fall color
 Hibiscus syriacus Rose of Sharon Pollinators - especially hummingbirds
 Holodiscus discolor Ocean Spray/Cream Bush  * Native, pollinators
 Hydrangea quercifolia Oakleaf Hydrangea Good fall color
 Lonicera involucrata Twinberry Native, pollinators, birds like the fruit
 Miscanthus sinensis Maiden Grass  **
 Muhlenbergia rigens Deergrass  ** Native
 Oemleria cerasiformis Indian Plum/Oso Berry  Native
 Panicum  virgatum Switch Grass  ** Prairie native, use larger varieties
 Pennisetum 'Karley Rose' Fountain Rose  ** Rosy-colored inflorescences
 Philadelphus lewisii Mock Orange Native, pollinators, flowers smell like orange blossoms
 Physocarpus spp. Ninebark Pollinators, P. capitatus is native
Punica granatum Pomegranate  * Delicious fruit
Rhamnus f. 'Asplenifolia' Fernleaf Alder Buckthorn  *
Rhus typhina/glabra Sumac  
Ribes spp. Flowering Currant/Gooseberry Many varieties are native, pollinators
Rosa rugosa (and other species roses) Rose *
Sambucus spp. Elderberry Pollinators, fruit, several native species
Spirea spp. Spirea  * Several native varieties, pollinators
Stipa (Nasella) gigantea Giant Feather Grass  **
Syringa spp. Lilac Fragrant flowers
Viburnum spp. Viburnum  * (V. 'Pink Dawn** - extremely fragrant early spring flowers)
Small Deciduous Trees (often multi-stemmed)
 Acer spp. Maple  e.g.: Amur, Vine, Douglas, Rocky Mountain, etc.  Several native species, pollinators
 Aesculus californica California Buckeye   * Native, summer deciduous, poisonous fruit 
 Amelanchier spp. Serviceberry  Some native species, pollinators, edible fruit, great fall color
 Cercis occidentalis Western Redbud Native, spring flowers
 Chilopsis linearis Desert Willow   ** Native, pollinators
 Chitalpa tashkentensis Chitalpa   * Pollinators
 Chionanthus retusus Chinese Fringe Tree  
 Corylus cornuta Beaked Hazel Native, pollinators, edible nuts if you can beat the squirrels to them!
 Crataegus spp. Hawthorne C. douglasii is native, pollinators, birds
 Ficus carica Edible Fig  * Delicious fruit!
 Heptacodium miconoides Seven Son Flower All-around wonderful small tree
 Lagerstroemia spp. Crepe Myrtle Flowers summer into fall
 Magnolia stellata/ x soulangeana Deciduous Magnolia  ** Spectacular spring flowers
 Malus spp. Flowering Crabapple A flurry of spring blooms
 Parrotia persica Persian Ironwood Outstanding fall color
 Prunus virginiana Chokecherry  Native, pollinators, birds like the berries
 Rhamnus purshiana Cascara  
 Salix spp. Willow  Many native varieties, pollinators
 Shepherdia argentea Silver Buffaloberry  * Native, pollinators, birds like berries
 Syringa r. 'Ivory Silk' Japanese Tree Lilac Fragrant flowers
 Vitex agnus-castus Chaste Tree   ** Summer bloomer, fragrant foliage, pollinators
Columnar/Compact Options/Evergreen
 Abies c. 'Fastigiata'  Columnar White Fir  **
 Buxus s. 'Graham Blandy' Columnar Boxwood  **
 Cedrus d. 'Karl Fuchs' Columnar Deodar Cedar **
 Cephalotaxus h. 'Fastigiata' Columnar Japanese Plum Yew **
 Chamaecyparis l. 'Snow White' Dwarf Port Orford Cedar  
 Chamaecyparis o. 'Blue Feathers' Dwarf Hinoki False Cypress  
 Cupressus glabra 'Chaparral'/ 'Sulphurea'  Columnar White Arizona Cypress  *
 Cupressus m. 'Wilma Goldcrest' Lemon Monterey Cypress  ** Foliage smells like lemons!
Cupressus s. 'Stricta'/ 'Glauca' Italian Cypress  
 Fatshedera lizeii Tree Ivy  ** Can be trained vertically
 Ilex c. 'Sky Pencil' Columnar Japanese Holly  
 Juniperus s. "Sky Rocket'/ 'Blue Arrow' Columnar (blue) Juniper  **
 Juniperus c. 'Spartan' Columnar (green) Juniper  **
 Pinus c. 'Chalet' (and others) Swiss Stone Pine  **
 Pinus s. 'Fastigiata' Columnar White Pine **
 Pinus n. 'Frank's Columnar'/ 'Green Tower' Columnar Austrian Pine **
 Pinus m. 'Tannenbaum' Columnar Mugo Pine  **
 Picea p.g. 'Fastigiata'/ 'Totem' Columnar Blue Spruce  **
 Podocarpus m. 'Maki' Shrubby Yew Pine  *
 Taxus b. 'Stricta' Irish Yew  *
 Taxus x media 'Hicksii' Columnar Yew  * Also 'Beanpole', 'H.M. Eddie'
 Thuja x 'Virginian' Hybrid Arborvitae  *
 Thuja o. 'Emerald Green' Arborvitae  
Columnar/Compact Options/Deciduous
 Berberis 'Helmond Pillar' Columnar Barberry  ** Reddish-purple leaves, thorny!
Carpinus b. 'Columnaris Nana' Dwarf Columnar Hornbeam  
Rhamnus f. 'Columnaris'/ 'Fine-Line' Columnar Buckthorn  *