Green Giant arborvitae is the fastest growing privacy hedge you can plant that also stays healthy long term. You get 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 meters) a year, which is why it tops most short lists for a quick screen. Leyland cypress, the plant you probably reach for first, gives you only 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 meters) a year. So your standout is clear once you put the numbers side by side. Few other choices hand you a tall, dense fast growing evergreen wall this quickly.
Raw speed is not the whole story for your yard, though. The best fast screen comes down to three things working together. You want a strong yearly growth rate, a tall enough mature height, and real resistance to disease. A plant can grow fast and still fail you. If your hedge browns out or never reaches the height you need, all that early speed goes to waste. So read the growth chart, but weigh it against health and final size too.
That balance is where the Green Giant type earns your trust. You get fast growth, a tall mature height of 30 feet or more, and strong defense against the cankers and root rots that wreck other conifers. Leyland cypress looks tempting at the garden center. But you take on two stem cankers and a needle blight when you plant one. Those problems spread from plant to plant, and you have no real home cure. Your fast Leyland screen can brown out and thin just as it finishes filling in.
Want a leafy look instead of a feathery conifer in your yard? Then cherry laurel is your pick. You get the fastest broadleaf screen you can plant. The dense, glossy growth blocks sightlines fast and takes hard pruning without sulking. The leaves are toxic if eaten, so skip this one where your kids or livestock roam. For a warm or coastal yard, wax myrtle is your smarter choice. You get a plant that handles salt spray, sandy soil, and heat that would stress an arborvitae, and you get soft green foliage your birds will love.
Notice the pattern here. Your right answer shifts with your yard, not just the growth chart. The arborvitae wins for most cool to temperate yards because you get speed plus toughness. Cherry laurel wins when you want broadleaf cover and a glossy hedge face. Wax myrtle wins along your coast and in real heat. Match the plant to your climate first. Then let speed break the tie between the options that already fit your conditions.
Spacing matters more than you might expect with any quick screen. Crowding plants to grab instant cover chokes off airflow. Poor airflow is exactly what invites disease and kills the lower branches you want for a solid base. Give each plant the room your plant tag calls for, usually 5 to 8 feet (1.5 to 2.4 meters) apart for these big growers. A staggered double row fills your gaps faster than a tight single line and still lets air move through your planting.
So here is your short version. Pick the fastest plant that also fits your climate and resists disease, rather than chasing the biggest number on the label. For most yards that points you straight to Green Giant arborvitae at 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 meters) a year. Plant it with proper spacing, water it deeply through your first two summers, and feed it once each spring. Do that and you will have a thick, private screen in just a few seasons.
Read the full article: Best Fast Growing Hedge Plants Guide
