If you don’t have a 40-acre homestead, you aren’t alone. These days, houses are built much closer together than in yesteryear, which means your neighbors aren’t far from your backyard. One good way to get some privacy is to plant privacy trees. If you’re thinking of planting trees for privacy in zone 9, read on for tips.
Screening Zone 9 Trees
You can make your residence more private by planting trees to block the view into your yard from curious neighbors or passersby. Generally, you’ll want evergreen trees for this purpose in order to create a year-round privacy screen. You’ll have to select trees that grow in your USDA hardiness zone.
If you live in zone 9, your climate is quite warm and the upper limit of where some evergreen trees can thrive. You’ll find some zone 9 trees for privacy that tower above you. Other zone 9 privacy trees are just a little taller than you are. Be sure you know how tall you want your screen before selecting them.
Tall Zone 9 Privacy Trees
If you don’t have city laws that limit tree height at a property line or overhead wires, the sky’s the limit when it comes to the height of zone 9 trees for privacy. You can actually find fast-growing trees that get to 40 feet (12 m.) or taller. The Thuja Green Giant (Thuja standishii x plicata) is one of the tallest and the fastest growing trees for privacy in zone 9.
This arborvitae can grow 5 feet (1.5 m.) a year and get to 40 feet (12 m.). It grows in zones 5 to 9. Leyland Cypress trees (Cupressus × leylandii) are the most popular zone 9 trees for privacy. They can grow 6 feet (2 m.) a year to 70 feet (21 m.). These trees thrive in zones 6 to 10. Italian Cypress is another of the tall trees for privacy in zone 9. It gets to 40 feet (12 m.) tall but only 6 feet (2 m.) wide in zones 7 to 10.
Medium-Sized Zone 9 Trees for Privacy
If these options are simply too tall, why not plant privacy trees that are 20 feet (6 m.) or less? One good choice is American Holly (Ilex opaca) that has dark green, shiny leaves and red berries. It thrives in zones 7 to 10 where it will grow to 20 feet (6 m.).
Another interesting possibility for zone 9 privacy trees is loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) that thrives in zones 7 to 10. It grows to 20 feet (6 m.) with a 15-foot (4.5 m.) spread. This broad-leaved evergreen has glossy green foliage and fragrant blooms.