I'm on the hunt for some great evergreen options to use for a privacy fence. Two years ago, I planted Leyland Cypress, but I really regret that choice—they grew quickly but ended up falling over this winter due to the snow and wind. Now I'm considering 8-foot Emerald Green arborvitae from my local nursery for an instant privacy screen. Is that a good pick? I should mention that I have a black walnut tree close to the fence line, which has already taken out a few plants in the past. I've heard arborvitae can tolerate the toxicity of black walnuts, but I'd really appreciate others' opinions on this! By the way, we're in Zone 6b.
3 Answers
If you're dealing with limited space, consider looking into clumping bamboo varieties. They can offer great privacy and generally grow well without taking up too much room.
For something a bit different, I really like cryptomeria japonica radicans (Japanese cedar). It grows quickly, has a beautiful natural cone shape, and its foliage turns a lovely rust and green in the fall and winter when the small pine cones appear. Check this out for more info on it!
That sounds gorgeous! Thanks for sharing—I’ll definitely look more into cryptomeria!
I have a neighbor with Emerald Green arborvitae, but they're not problem-free. They've been battling bagworms for a while now. Personally, I’ve planted Green Giants and they’ve been great! No bagworm issues here, and deer don't snack on them either. There's also a smaller version called Baby Giant if you're concerned about height.
That’s super helpful! I didn't know about the bagworms. I might look into the Green Giants instead.
Thanks for the tip about bamboo! I've heard good things about it for privacy too.