12 Tall Narrow Shrubs For Screening: Create Your Private Oasis


BY Shaafay Zia
Last Update:

Hey GARDEN WIZARD! Do you need privacy in your outdoor space and looking for the best options?

You need to Get the best tall narrow shrubs for screening.

Don’t worry if you NEED assistance in the SELECTION process. At AsterGardening, we are PASSIONATE about addressing your gardening NEEDS.

Our experts have years of experience experimenting with shrubs. You can TRUST our researched and comprehensive guide to make INFORMED decisions.

Get ready to be Bamboozled! We OVERLOAD you with tall narrow shrubs, their right GROWING season, and maintenance requirements.

Tall Narrow Shrubs For Screening

Why do some plants grow taller but slimmer?

Tall Narrow Shrubs

When you are new to gardening, it can be challenging and tiring to see your plants grow taller but slimmer.

There are different REASONS for this problem. Some of that reasons include the following;

Genetics

Its genes mainly fetch the growing capabilities of a plant. The cultivation process also INFLUENCES widely.

But some plants grow according to their genetics. Some grow tall but slimmer, and some grow short but HEALTHY and thick.

Long Vegetative Stage

Foliage growth during the vegetative stage can also affect your plant’s HEALTH. If the vegetative stage grows and extends for extra weeks, your plant will grow thin.

Week Light Source

A strong light source is essential to ensure the perfect growth of your plant. Weak light increases the STRETCHING and growth period of your plant. It results in slimmer plants.

Uneven Light Distribution

You can have tall and skinny plants even with the right distance and type of light. The UNEVEN light distribution can be the major cause of this problem. 

12 Tall Narrow Shrubs for Screening

Here is a list of 12 perfect tall and narrow shrubs for screening;

1. Japanese Euonymus

Japanese Euonymus

Japanese euonymus is one of the tall narrow shrubs for screening that can reach 8 FEET tall or 2.4 meters. It is also KNOWN as Green Giant Spire.

This plant can reach the MAXIMUM height of 8 feet but cannot spread for more than 2 feet. You can easily grow DARK green and SHINING foliage in this small space.

They also have concave leaves and serrated margin plants. What makes them thrive? Grow them in USDA zones 6-9 and a place RECEIVING full sun to part shade.

My EXPERIENCE with Japanese Euonymus is always REWARDING. I provide them with rich, well-drained, loamy soil for the BEST possible result.

Suggested reading: 16 Pretty Flowering Shrubs For Full Sun: Add Fantastic In Your Garden

2. Juniper

Juniper

Juniper is an EVERGREEN conifer shrub that has a conical shape. Its perfect shape and color provide a privacy screen for your garden.

The foliage of Junipers is bright golden during early spring. The gold brightening KEEPS on FADING and slowly fades away. It is now green tint along with the coming season.

They are drought tolerant in zones ranging from 2 to 6. I provided them with FULL sun to help them grow properly. They amazed me with their growing and spreading nature.

Ensure that the soils are well drained. Juniper needs loamy, CLAYEY, or sandy soil for perfect growth. 

3. Pyracantha

Pyracantha

Do you KNOW any firethorn shrubs? Let me INTRODUCE you to Pyracantha. This shrub is low maintenance and fun to grow for NEW gardeners.

What makes them ATTRACTIVE is their loaded barriers. They are RESPONSIBLE for bringing WILDLIFE and other insects to your GARDEN.

You must provide them with full sun to speed up their growth. You won’t need to PRUNE the shrub with good frequency.

Pyracantha like it to thrive in USDA 6-9. These Pyracantha can GROW to a maximum size of 15 feet. 

They have a SPREADING type of nature and prove to be a PERFECT shrub for screening.

4. Leighton Green Cypress

Leighton Green Cypress

Leighton green cypress HELPS in screening the PRIVACY of your garden. They are dense, evergreen, tall, and narrow needle TYPES of shrubs.

But these are not the only that make Leighton Green Cypress worth trying. They have bright FOLIAGE with a green and blue HUE (attractive for boundary plants).

If you want them for a LIMITED space, calculate the height risks. They can GROW 20 feet tall and 5 feet WIDE.

These ornamental grasses are also drought tolerant and cold hardy. All it TAKES you to be in USDA zones 5-7 and give them a place in FULL sun and partial shade.

5. Willow

Willow

Don’t CONFUSE this Willow shrub with the little wizard TV series you watched online. This is another narrow shrub for screening that doesn’t even look like a shrub.

Willow is my FAVORITE shrub for USE as a border or screening plant. I use them for my backyard as they protect my yard from extreme environmental events.

You need to have some extra gardening experience to GROW these willow shrubs. You DON’T need to PROVIDE them with many TRIMMINGS.

They are best known for their time-saving and low-maintenance features. Zones 6-8 are PRELIMINARY for growing them stress-free.

6. Graham Blandy

Graham Blandy

You will LOVE this variety of boxwood. Now you can get EVERGREEN shrubs that grow easily with HEIGHT. It can also SPREAD to a small extent to screen formal gardens.

Graham Blandy grows to the maximum height of 15 feet but only SPREADS up to 2 feet.

They possess a dynamic and perfect conical shape. You will also notice dense foliage made with MYRIAD oval leaves.

They are hardy in growing zones 5 to 9. They can live like a king in FULL SUN or Shade (all it matters is little care).

Graham Blandy blooms during spring. They need LOAMY, chalky, and sandy soil for their perfect growth.

7. Viburnum

Portugal Laurel

Viburnum is a handsome privacy hedge. The network of its species is quite large, and it accommodates various types.

Do you know why it is famous? It’s all due to its entitlement as a DECIDUOUS shrub and evergreen foliage. This small tree is native to Asia and North America.

They grow to the maximum height ranging from 2 feet to 30 feet. They have GLOSSY foliage, which is thick and LEATHERY.

You are going to love their lovely looks and decent FRAGRANCE. You will see the creamy white and then the beautiful white, pink color.

Viburnum is hardy in zones ranging from 4 to 8, perfect for tight spaces. 

8. Portugal Laurel

Portugal Laurel

Being NATIVE to the Iberian Peninsula, the Portugal laurel is a perfect shrub. They have a dark brown bark, shiny dark GREEN foliage, and leaves.

They come forward in late spring or early summer. These plants are DENSE and bushy. Their maximum height of growth is 25 feet LONG and 15 feet wide.

Provide them FULL sun or partial shade, and they will shine. This plant is deer resistant. I loved its tiny white flowers and small red cherries that grow into dark purple by late fall.

These plants need to be higher maintenance. But you must keep them CAREFULLY and protected from leaf-mining and powdery mildews.

9. Fastigiata Aurea

Fastigiata Aurea

For BLOCKING the views even from the high windows, Fastigiata Aurea is one the best choice for you.

It can grow to the maximum height of 30 feet and spreads for 8 feet. It is best known for its thick golden green light. They help you DECORATE your natural pillar.

You will have to wait till it reaches MATURITY. Then you can see the red coral cones look like cups (a pure delight to the eyes).

Ensure the soil is fertile and well drained for this privacy hedge for strong winds. You must provide the drained LOAM, chalk, sand, and pH from alkaline to mildly ACIDIC. 

10. Hibiscus

Hibiscus

Hibiscus shrubs are one of the most loved blossoms on this list. 

Growing these amazing shrubs is not challenging. All you need to care for the planting time. Easy Spring is the BEST time to plant the seedlings. 

Regular watering, occasional fertilizer, and Full to Partial shade are all they need. Besides that, don’t forget to give them well-drained soil for better growth.

Hibiscus is HARDY in zones 9 to 12. It is native to southern and eastern North America. I admired how it can TOLERATE temperatures and difficult conditions.

11. Blue Bamboo

Blue Bamboo

Are you looking for a bamboo-type tall narrow shrub? Blue bamboo is the one for narrow spaces.

The stems of this variety are INITIALLY green. But as they grow, they turn a brilliant blue-violet silver color with an icing appearance.

This variety also provides another extremely unique aspect to your LANDSCAPE.

It will become a dense screen for observers as the plant grow. The vibrant deep green foliage completes the scene exquisitely.

Watering it and managing new growth will be your main responsibilities. Because it quickly grows and REQUIRES little upkeep.

I ensured FULL sun to partial shade for their perfect growth. They grew to a maximum size of 20 to 25 feet tall for a perfect screening.

12. Western Arborvitae

Western Arborvitae

 Soft to the touch and great as a narrow HEDGE is a green giant arborvitae shrub. You may see these trees grow like crazy if you put them in full sun or moderate shade.

Tall hedge fast-growing plants lined up to form a wall. They are HARDY in zone 5 to 8 and prevent your garden from unwanted eyes.

Like many other shrubs, arborvitae bushes demand well-drained soil that is typically moist. You risk subjecting these shrubs to root rot if you water deeply.

Arborvitae doesn’t need yearly pruning for formal hedges. Which makes them almost perfect for novice gardeners. They are NATIVE to North America.

FAQs about Tall Narrow Shrubs For Screening

1. What is the tallest evergreen shrub?

The ideal tall semi-evergreen shrub is the Leyland Cypress (Cupressus leylandii). This enormous plant utterly dwarfs nearby bushes. The trees typically reach maturity at 60–70 feet tall. And 15-20 feet wide, with an annual growth rate of 3–4 feet/year.

2. What is the rarest shrub in the world?

The ghost orchid is the rarest shrub in the world. It is a stunning white flower bud made largely of branches that wrap around the bark of trees. There are only 2000 of their type are currently surviving in the wild.

3. What are the skinny tall junipers?

The Taylor Juniper is a beautiful addition to Tennessee landscapes. It is an ornamental plant with a unique foliage. The plant resembles the Italian Cypress and is a perfect choice for screening shrubs.

4. What is the fastest growing plant to cover a fence?

Ivy is the fastest-growing plant to cover a fence. It can be trained to grow around various garden structures. This climber is as tough and adaptable as possible. It will thrive in full sun or deep shadow and is ideal for adding a splash of bright green foliage to drab walls.

What’s Next

Tall and narrow shrubs are a great option for seclusion and screening. You can choose the IDEAL shrub of various types to suit your needs.

They are more than just aesthetically pleasing. But they also require little UPKEEP and regular pruning.

Tall narrow shrubs are best for searching for dense evergreen shrubs for PRIVACY. They have colorful blooming shrubs and eye-catching specimens for your garden.

With careful selection and placement, you may build a PRIVATE outdoor spot.

Are you looking to ADD a few tall narrow shrubs for screening to your HOME garden? If so, AsterGardening is here to help!

We offer expert advice and solutions to all plant problems. Visit our WEBSITE to learn our SERVICES to create the garden of your dreams.

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Shaafay Zia

Hi, I'm a fellow green thumb who moonlight's as a writer. Gardening is something that brings me peace and I have been in the sport for many years now. With all of our expertise, we will always bring you the best content which will make you love your garden, even more.