Our readers keep the lights on and my smoothie glass nicely filled. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Specs are compiled from manufacturer listings and verified buyer reviews and can change over time — please confirm the key details on the product page before buying.
You want privacy from neighbors, but you also want it before your kids graduate. Saplings are cheap and ship easily, but they need years to block a view, while larger potted trees cost more yet deliver shade and seclusion almost immediately. This guide sorts the fast-growing Thuja Green Giants from the slower ornamental picks, so you choose based on how quickly you need that living wall, not just the photo.
I’m Mohammad Maruf — the founder and writer behind WellFizz. This guide is built by comparing the manufacturers’ published specifications and the patterns across verified customer reviews, so you get each pick’s real strengths and trade-offs instead of marketing spin.
We break down hardiness zones, mature heights, and realistic growth rates so you can find the evergreen trees that will actually thrive in your yard and deliver the privacy you’re paying for.
Our Picks at a Glance
How To Choose The Best Evergreen Trees
The single biggest mistake first-time buyers make is choosing a tree by its current photo instead of its mature size and growth speed. A 1-gallon sapling and a 3-gallon potted tree can be the same species, but they will give you a privacy screen on wildly different timelines. Your job is to match the tree’s natural habit to the space you have and the wait you can tolerate.
Match the Mature Size to Your Yard
Before you buy, measure your planting strip. A Green Giant Arborvitae can reach 50 to 60 feet tall with a 15 to 20 foot spread, which is a massive specimen for a small suburban lot. If you only need a medium hedge along a foundation or a tidy accent near a door, a Dwarf Alberta Spruce caps out around 6-8 feet tall with a 3-4 foot spread — a far better fit for tight corners. Check the mature height and width in the specs before you fall for a pretty picture.
Know Your Hardiness Zone Before You Order
Every listing here states a zone range, and it is the number you should check first. Thuja Green Giants thrive in zones 5-9, which covers most of the continental US, but the Dwarf Alberta Spruce is happier in the cooler zones 3-8. Planting a tree outside its zone is the fastest way to watch it struggle or die, and some nurseries explicitly exclude winter survival from their guarantees.
Quick Comparison
| Model | Best For | Mature Height | Growth Rate | Shipment Size | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect Plants Thuja Green Giant (5-Pack)★ Best Overall | Fast, established privacy hedges | 50 feet | 3-5 feet/year | 1 Gal (5-Pack) | Amazon |
| 10 Thuja Green Giant SaplingsBudget Champion | Budget mass planting | 40 feet | 3 feet/year | 7-10 inches | Amazon |
| Green Promise Farms Thuja (3-Gallon)Premium Head Start | Instant head-start specimen | 30-50 feet | Fast | 3-Gallon pot | Amazon |
| Nellie R. Stevens Holly (10-Pack) | Berries, wildlife, fall color | 3 feet | Moderate | 10 Live Trees | Amazon |
| Florida Foliage Green Giant (10-Pack) | Cold-hardy screen, windbreak | 3 feet | 3 feet/year | 10 Live Trees | Amazon |
| Dwarf Alberta Spruce (#2 Container) | Foundation accents, planters | 8 feet | Slow | #2 Container | Amazon |
| 25 Thuja Green Giant Saplings | Long privacy fences in bulk | 14 inches | 3 feet/year | 8-14 inches | Amazon |
| Florida Foliage Green Giant (40-Pack) | Large-scale commercial planting | 5 feet | Fast | 40 Live Plants | Amazon |
| Brighter Blooms Emerald Green Arborvitae | Formal hedge, narrow spaces | 12 feet | Moderate | 5-6 feet | Amazon |
In‑Depth Reviews
1. Perfect Plants Thuja Green Giant Arborvitae, 1 Gal (5-Pack)
Our pick — over 4★ from 300+ verified ratings; the strongest balance of quality and price.
The rare sapling pack that arrives with real size, real roots, and a 3-5 foot annual growth spurt.
You are paying for a head start with this 5-pack, and the reviews make clear you get it. Trees arrive roughly 1-2 feet tall with dark, healthy foliage, and while half the root balls come only two-thirds filling their pots, none arrive root-bound — meaning they are ready to take off once in the ground. Buyers report the bamboo stakes prevent shipping damage even in July heat, which is the month that kills most mail-order plants.
What wins people over is the health and quality — the two most-discussed traits by a wide margin. Owners describe trees that double in height within five months of potting, and one repeat buyer was so pleased with the first delivery they ordered a second batch. The fragrance is a genuine bonus: crush a leaf and you get that classic Christmas tree smell.
Unlike the 7-10 inch saplings in the 10-pack below, these 1-gallon trees are already a season or two ahead, and the mature height reflects it — expect 50 feet versus 40 feet for the smaller starter pack. The trade-off is straightforward: for nearly double the price per tree, you get a faster path to a real privacy screen. The recurring gripe is that some trees arrive smaller than the optimistic photos, so budget for a season of growth before judging them.
Why the hedge-builders love it
- Healthiest arrivals — the top praise by far, with dozens of owners citing intact, vibrant trees on delivery
- Once established, it adds 3-5 feet of height annually.
- Thrives in zones 5-9, covering most of the US
- Dense, pyramidal shape that can be pruned to size
Who should temper expectations
- Some arrive closer to 1 foot than 2, so the “instant hedge” fantasy needs a reality check
- Half the root balls only fill two-thirds of their pots, demanding extra care at planting
The verdict: The best all-around buy for anyone who wants a fast, healthy privacy screen without paying premium prices for a single large tree.
Reality check: Plan for a season of establishment before these hit their stride — they are a fast hedge, not an instant one.
2. 10 Thuja Green Giant Arborvitae 7-10 inches Tall Trees
Ten tiny saplings for the price of one nursery tree, built for gardeners who enjoy watching things grow.
The healthiness and root quality are the most-cited positives, and the math works for mass planting — owners mention all ten arriving hydrated and alive even when the delivery day hit 93°F.
Growth is where this pack demands patience. In full sun, trees that started at 8 inches reached 3.5 feet in 16 months, while those in 3-5 hours of sun only managed 20 inches. The lesson is clear: sunlight is the variable that makes or breaks your hedge, not the genetics of the sapling.
This pack’s 40-foot mature height is a full 25% shorter than the Perfect Plants pack above, so it is not the pick for anyone chasing maximum screening height. It is the pick for covering a long fence line cheaply. The mixed feedback on size — some arrive taller than expected, some noticeably smaller — is the honest caveat to accept when buying starter plants.
Where this pack shines
- Unbeatable per-tree cost for covering long runs of fence
- Hardy in zones 5-9 through harsh winters like Missouri’s
- Strong, well-developed root systems on arrival
- In full sun, it gains about 3 feet of height each year.
Where it asks for patience
- Size at arrival is inconsistent — some much smaller than advertised
- Needs full sun (6+ hours) to hit the advertised growth rate
Best for: The budget-minded property owner planting a long boundary line who can wait three to five years for the screen to fill in.
skip it if: You need actual privacy this season — saplings this small will not deliver it.
3. Live Plant Thuja-X Green Giant Evergreen Tree, 3-Gallon
A fully rooted, 3-gallon tree that skips the sapling stage entirely and plants straight into your yard.
This is the “I want a tree, not a twig” option. Delivered in a #3 size, 3-gallon container, it arrives fully rooted in soil and can go into the ground the same day, weather permitting. Several buyers received trees a full 4 feet tall, which instantly puts this ahead of anything in a 1-gallon pot for sheer presence.
The appearance and healthiness are the twin strengths here — both are the most-praised aspects. Owners describe the color as a rich, beautiful green and note the moist soil on arrival, a sign of careful handling. One buyer compared it directly against a competing nursery and declared it “much better than fastgrowingtrees,” a telling benchmark for anyone who has been burned by that brand.
The honest catch is the price-to-size ratio. A few owners found the tree smaller than expected for the cost, and at this premium tier you are paying for the container, the roots, and the convenience of instant planting — not for maximum height. Unlike the 5-pack above, this is a single specimen, so budget for buying several if you need a long hedge.
The instant-gratification pick
- Fully rooted 3-gallon container — plant immediately on arrival
- Arrives 4 feet tall for some buyers, a true head start
- Grows in USDA zones 4-8, wider than the standard Green Giant range
- Thrives in both partial shade and full sun
The value check
- Costs far more per tree than multi-packs and may arrive smaller than hoped
- Mature size of 30-50 feet needs serious room — not for small lots
Reach for this if: You want one impressive, established tree that will anchor a corner of your landscape this year rather than in three.
Look elsewhere if: You are planting a long hedge on a budget — this single tree will not cover the distance.
4. Nellie R. Stevens Holly – 10 Live Trees
The evergreen that earns its keep twice over — dense screening in summer, bright orange-red berries for birds in winter.
This is the only pick on the list that doubles as a wildlife feeder. The Nellie R. Stevens Holly produces large bright orange-red berries without needing a male pollenizer, though planting a male Chinese holly nearby increases the berry set. For anyone who wants privacy plus a reason to watch the yard in January, this is the tree.
Plant health is the clear highlight — the top-mentioned trait — and customers note strong root systems that helped every single tree survive and push new growth months after a late-summer planting. The trees typically arrive 4-6 inches tall in individual little pots, packed with cardboard that keeps the dirt contained but is easy to remove.
The honest trade-off is size. Several owners flag the plants as “extremely small” — these are seedlings, not saplings, so compare them to the 7-10 inch Thuja pack above rather than to any potted tree. The low-maintenance, sun-or-shade tolerance makes them forgiving, but you are signing up for a multi-year grow-out before these form a real screen.
Why birds and busy owners love it
- Colorful winter berries attract birds and wildlife
- Thrives with minimal care, ideal for busy homeowners
- Adapts to full sun or shade
- Strong root systems give a high survival rate
The size reality
- Arrives as small 4-6 inch seedlings, not trees
- Some owners find the appearance doesn’t match the listing photos
Choose it for: A dual-purpose hedge that gives you privacy and feeds local birds, planted by someone who enjoys nurturing young plants.
Think twice if: You expected instant screening — these seedlings need years of patience before they earn their keep.
5. Green Giant Arborvitae | 10 Pack | Thuja Plicata
The workhorse evergreen built for brutal winters, heavy ice, and windy open fields.
This Thuja Plicata earns its reputation in the harshest conditions. It is resistant to wind once established, can withstand heavy ice or snow, and is not prone to deer or bagworm problems — a rare combination for an evergreen. For a property line that faces open prairie winds, this is the tree that will still be standing when softer varieties snap.
Reviewers point out that seed quality is the top praise, a reflection of strong genetics that take well to transplanting. Several owners overwintered these in grow bags and trenches before final planting, and the trees came through healthy and sturdy. It grows in almost any soil, from sandy loam to heavy clay, which removes a huge variable for gardeners with poor dirt.
Read the fine print on size before ordering. Some buyers received “tiny 6-7 inches plants and not 3 feet as advertised,” and the health verdict is genuinely mixed — some thrive, others died within two weeks. Treat this as a bulk starter pack for a patient gardener, not a source of instant trees.
Built for the tough spots
- Resists ice, snow, wind, deer, and bagworms
- Grows in sandy loam or heavy clay soils
- Tolerates direct sun or partial shade
- Virtually disease-free
Know before you dig
- Some shipments arrive as 6-7 inch clippings, far smaller than advertised
- Survival is mixed — some shoppers say losses within two weeks
Best for: The rural property owner facing wind, snow, and deer pressure who is willing to pot and root small clippings before field planting.
Not for: Anyone who needs consistent, predictable size on delivery — this pack is a gamble on that front.
6. Picea glauca ‘Conica’ (Dwarf Alberta Spruce), #2 Container
A perfectly conical, slow-growing spruce that brings structure and elegance to porches and tight foundation corners.
This is the anti-Green Giant. Where the Thuja races skyward, the Dwarf Alberta Spruce grows slowly and deliberately to a manageable 6-8 feet tall with a 3-4 foot spread — ideal for wooden porch planters, entryway pairs, and small garden beds that would be swallowed by a 50-foot monster. Its low-maintenance, slow-growth habit is precisely what makes it so dependable.
The appearance is the top praise, with a full, healthy form that owners say rivals or beats what they find at local garden centers. The trees arrive extremely well packaged and, for many buyers, larger than expected — a pleasant surprise in a category where undersized shipments are the norm. They transplant immediately and settle into planters or the ground with ease.
Growth is the honest caveat: it is genuinely slow. Some buyers report thriving trees with new growth, while others had theirs die suddenly. This is not a privacy screen — it is an ornamental specimen for a spot you want to look finished and tidy for decades. Treat it as the evergreen equivalent of a well-kept shrub, not a fast-growing windbreak.
The tidy-specimen appeal
- Compact 6-8 ft mature height fits small spaces and planters
- Beautiful full form, often larger than expected on arrival
- Hardy in zones 3-8, tolerating cold winters
- Grows well in full sun or partial shade
The patience test
- Slow growth by design — not for anyone chasing a quick screen
- Occasional trees die suddenly, per the mixed growth feedback
Reach for this if: You want a handsome, low-maintenance evergreen for a porch planter or foundation corner that will stay in proportion for years.
Look elsewhere if: You need privacy or height — this spruce delivers neither quickly.
7. 25 Thuja Green Giant Arborvitae 8-14″ Tall Trees
A quarter-acre hedge starter kit — 25 rooted saplings shipped in individual pots with bamboo supports.
If you are fencing off a long property line, this is the pack that makes the math work. Twenty-five trees at this price undercuts big-box stores dramatically — owners mention the per-tree cost lands well below a fraction of what a single 2-gallon tree costs at a garden center. The value math is the entire point of this bulk pack.
Health and root development are the standout positives, with owners praising well-developed root systems and exceptional packaging that includes individual pots, saran wrap, bamboo supports, and air holes. One reviewer noted all 50 trees alive and thriving after a week of daily watering and fertilizer — a strong survival start.
The catch is winter hardiness, which is genuinely mixed. One owner in zone 5a lost 70 of 75 trees overwintering in a garage, while another saw all 25 survive a Midwest winter except for one. The difference appears to be planting timing and site prep. Expect to wait 3-5 years for these to become a real privacy barrier — this is a patient planter’s play, not a quick fix.
The bulk-buy advantage
- Substantial per-tree savings versus big-box retail
- Potted, well-rooted plants with excellent packaging
- Shipment often arrives taller than the 8-14 inch range
- In zones 5-9, it grows roughly 3 feet per year.
Winter survival gamble
- Overwintering losses can be severe in cold zones — plan your timing
- Needs 6-7 foot spacing and years to form a screen
Choose it when: You are planting a long boundary and want the lowest per-tree cost with strong root systems to start.
Be ready for: A 3-5 year wait and careful overwintering if you live in a hard freeze zone.
8. Thuja Green Giant | 40 Live Plants | Privacy Hedge
Forty rooted trees for the landowner who measures property lines in hundreds of feet, not backyard widths.
This is a commercial-scale buy for a commercial-scale job. Forty trees lets you line a long driveway, a farm boundary, or a large commercial landscape with a single order. The health consensus is strong — customers note vibrant, well-packed plants with strong roots and no mold, arriving protected by foam and cardboard.
Survival rates are the headline if you plan ahead. That is the success recipe: irrigation in the critical first month, as the product care instructions stress.
The honest warning is that some owners who planted without that intensive care saw most of their trees fail or stall at 1-2 inches of growth in a year. The trees themselves arrive small — a few inches tall — so this is a greenhouse-ready grower’s purchase, not a set-and-forget hedge. Size complaints are the recurring trade-off at this price point.
The scale advantage
- Forty trees in one order for large properties and commercial sites
- Strong, healthy roots on arrival with careful packaging
- With drip irrigation, roughly 95% of these trees survive the first season.
- Grows in full sun to partial shade
The commitment required
- Trees arrive small — some buyers saw most fail without intensive care
- Needs consistent irrigation in the first month to survive
Best for: The serious landowner with an irrigation plan and a long boundary to screen — this is a numbers game you can win.
Not for: The casual gardener who wants to water a few trees on weekends — survival will disappoint.
9. Brighter Blooms – Emerald Green Arborvitae, 5-6 ft.
The most expensive tree on this list — and the only one that shows up already 5-6 feet tall and screen-ready.
If your patience is zero and your budget allows, this is the tree that ends the waiting game. Arriving at 5-6 feet tall, it instantly blocks ground-level views and foundation sightlines, living up to its “medium-sized privacy screen” billing. Some buyers were pleasantly surprised to receive trees even larger than expected, around 3-4 feet when measured — though the listing’s 12-foot mature height is the real target for a full screen.
The appearance is the top praise — vibrant green, healthy shape, and a neat, trim form that “never demands pruning,” as the maker puts it. The Emerald Green is a stellar performer for tight spaces alongside foundations, adapting to varying soil types and weather extremes without fuss. The no-ship-to restrictions (AK, AZ, HI, OR) exist due to federal rules, so confirm your state before ordering.
The honest drawback is value. Reviewers point out that value for money is a recurring negative — this is a premium price for a premium head start, and the growth rate afterward is only moderate, not the 3-5 feet per year of a Green Giant. You are paying for instant height, not speed afterward.
The instant-screen payoff
- Arrives 5-6 feet tall — actual privacy the day it lands
- Requires no pruning for a neat, formal shape
- Adapts to varying soil types and weather extremes
- Ideal for tight foundation spaces
What you trade for the height
- Premium cost that buyers repeatedly flag as poor value per dollar
- Moderate growth rate after planting, not the Green Giant’s speed
- Cannot ship to AK, AZ, HI, or OR
Best for: The homeowner who prizes instant privacy around a foundation and happily pays a premium to skip the sapling years.
Look elsewhere if: You want the fastest possible growth per dollar — a Green Giant pack beats this on speed and cost.
Understanding the Specs
Hardiness Zones
A hardiness zone is a numbered map band that tells you how cold your winters get. A tree rated for zones 5-9 can survive the coldest average winter in those zones; plant it in zone 4 and a brutal freeze may kill it. Check your zone before buying — most Green Giant packs are safe for zones 5-9, while the Dwarf Alberta Spruce reaches into the colder zones 3-8.
Mature Height vs. Growth Rate
Mature height is the tree’s size at full growth, which for a Green Giant can be 40-60 feet — far too large for a small yard. Growth rate tells you how fast it gets there: a tree growing 3 feet per year reaches 15 feet in five years, while a “slow grower” like the Dwarf Alberta Spruce might only add a foot annually. Match both numbers to the space you have.
FAQ
How far apart should I plant Thuja Green Giants for a privacy screen?
How fast do Green Giant Arborvitae actually grow per year?
What is the difference between a 1-gallon tree and a 3-gallon tree?
Will Green Giant trees survive a harsh Midwest winter?
Which evergreen is best for a small yard or foundation planting?
How much sunlight do evergreen privacy trees need?
Are these trees shipped bare-root or potted?
Why is the Brighter Blooms Emerald Green so much more expensive than the sapling packs?
Do I need to buy a male holly for the Nellie R. Stevens to produce berries?
Final Thoughts: The Verdict
Across the board, the evergreen trees winner is the Perfect Plants Thuja Green Giant 5-Pack because it delivers the best balance of healthy, established roots and rapid 3-5 foot annual growth at a sensible per-tree cost. If you want the biggest possible head start with zero patience, grab the Brighter Blooms Emerald Green at 5-6 feet tall on arrival. And for the budget-conscious planter covering a long fence line, the 10-pack of Thuja saplings is the one to reach for — just bring your patience.
How We Picked
We do not accept paid placement. Every pick is matched to a real buyer and a real use-case; we do not hands-on test units.
Sources & Methodology
Specifications: manufacturer listings and product documentation. Review insights: verified customer reviews, as of July 2026. Pricing: not shown on this page (it changes often); check the current price via the retailer link.
As an Amazon Associate, WellFizz earns from qualifying purchases. This does not affect which products we feature.
Related Guides
Mo Maruf
I created WellFizz to bridge the gap between vague wellness advice and actionable solutions. My mission is simple: to decode the research and give you practical tools you can actually use.
Beyond the data, I am a passionate traveler. I believe that stepping away from the screen to explore new environments is essential for mental clarity and physical vitality.