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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.
Fast-growing trees deliver shade, privacy, or wind protection in just a few seasons. Growth speed varies by species, USDA zone, and whether you plant a bare cutting or a potted sapling. The right pick, planted this season, can form a real screen within a few years, with some adding several feet in one summer.
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.
You want shade, privacy, or erosion control fast, and these fast growing trees deliver measurable growth in a single season. Each pick below targets a specific job, so you can match the tree to your yard’s real need.
Our Picks at a Glance
How To Choose The Best Fast Growing Trees
Before picking, answer three questions: sun exposure, soil type, and desired mature height. Getting these wrong is the top reason a promising tree struggles in its first year.
Match the Zone Before You Match the Price
Every tree here carries a USDA hardiness zone range, and that number tells you whether it can survive your local winters. A tree rated for zones 5-9, for instance, will not thrive in a zone 4 climate that dips far below freezing for long stretches. Check your USDA zone first, then filter this list to species that can survive your winters.
Decide What “Fast” Means for You
Some of these trees add 3-5 feet per year once established, while others push a dramatic 10 feet annually. Speed often trades off wood strength or longevity. A privacy screen that fills in fast is worth a little less structural durability; a shade tree for the front yard might deserve a slower, sturdier grower.
Quick Comparison
| Model | Best For | Mature Height | Growth Rate | Type | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thuja Green Giant (5-Pack)★ Best Overall | Year-round privacy hedge | 50 ft | 3-5 ft/year | Evergreen | Amazon |
| Maple Autumn BlazeBest Fall Color | Fall color & shade | 50 ft | Fast | Deciduous | Amazon |
| 24 Jumbo Willow CuttingsBudget Champion | Budget privacy barrier | 10 ft | Fast | Deciduous | Amazon |
| 10 Thuja Green Giant | Large hedge projects | 40 ft | 3 ft/year | Evergreen | Amazon |
| Southern Red Cedar | Salt & drought tolerance | 40 ft | Fast | Evergreen | Amazon |
| 50 Hybrid Willow Trees | Mass planting & erosion | 10 ft | 10 ft/year | Deciduous | Amazon |
| Weeping Willow 4-5 ft | Large shade feature | 40 ft | 8-10 ft/year | Deciduous | Amazon |
| Weeping Willow 7 gal | Established shade tree | 45 ft | Fast | Deciduous | Amazon |
| 30 Thuja Green Giant | Long property lines | — | Fast | Evergreen | 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 privacy screen that turns a bare fence line into a solid green wall in about three years.
For year-round screening, the Thuja Green Giant is the gold standard, and this 5-pack gives you the start of a real hedge. These are 1-gallon potted plants that arrive with healthy root systems — buyers report trees arriving at 1-2 feet tall and looking vibrant even after a month in the ground. The dense, dark green foliage releases a Christmas-tree scent when you bruise the leaves, which is a lovely bonus for a privacy border.
The growth math is what sells it: this evergreen adds 3-5 feet per year once established, which is noticeably faster than most screening trees. It can reach 50 feet tall at maturity with a wide, pyramidal shape, and you can prune it to keep it at whatever height you want. It thrives across zones 5-9, so it grows almost anywhere in the continental US, and once it’s settled in, it needs very little hands-on care.
What wins people over here is the health of the plants on arrival — dozens of buyers single out how sturdy and well-rooted these trees are, with the value being the second most-praised aspect. Even a delivery during a heat dome, packed haphazardly, arrived undamaged with healthy top growth. The one practical note: these are young plants, so you’re investing in a hedge that pays off over a few seasons rather than an instant screen.
Why it wins
- Adds 3-5 feet of height each year once established
- Grows in zones 5-9, covering most of the country
- Healthy, well-rooted 1-gallon plants on arrival
Know before you plant
- Young plants need a few seasons to become a full screen
- Prefers regular watering while it establishes
Reach for this if: you want a low-maintenance evergreen hedge with real vertical speed.
Think twice if: you need instant privacy this summer — these need time to stretch up.
2. The Maple Autumn Blaze Tree, 1 gal
A shade tree that sets the whole yard on fire with orange and red every autumn.
If you want a classic shade tree with a show-stopping seasonal display, the Autumn Blaze Maple delivers both. Its leaves transition from green to bright orange and red in the fall, creating the striking canopy that makes these maples so popular. At maturity it reaches 40-50 feet tall with a 30-40 foot spread, forming a symmetrical, rounded crown that casts serious shade over a patio or yard.
It’s genuinely fast for a hardwood, which is why homeowners choose it for quick landscape impact. Once established, it’s moderately drought-tolerant, though it wants regular watering for the first few years and well-draining acidic soil. It’s hardy in zones 3-8, making it one of the more cold-tolerant trees on this list. One thing to note: the seller cannot ship to California, Arizona, Alaska, or Hawaii due to agricultural laws.
Buyers consistently describe these trees as healthy and well-established, with one delighted owner reporting hers arrived taller and healthier than expected with not a single dead leaf. The trees show up in perfect condition thanks to careful packing — one was even delivered upside down and came through completely unharmed. It’s a deciduous tree, so you get bare branches in winter, which is the honest trade-off for that autumn brilliance.
The draw: A fast, cold-hardy shade tree whose fall color is the main event.
The trade-off: Loses its leaves each winter, so it offers no cold-season screening.
3. 24 Jumbo Hybrid Willow Tree Cuttings
Two dozen thick willow cuttings that root in days and race toward the sky.
If you want the cheapest possible start to a privacy barrier or windbreak, these 24 hybrid willow cuttings are the budget pick. Each cutting is about 10 inches tall with root stock 5/8 to 1+ inch thick — much chunkier than the thin twigs some sellers ship, so you get strong first-year growth. You plant them directly in the ground in full sun, keep them watered, and they take off.
The speed is the headline: these are known to establish quickly and, as owners mention, “blooms within 1 week, even without leaving them in water.” One owner measured willow cuttings reaching 10 feet tall in just two years. That kind of pace makes them ideal for creating instant green barriers, roadside erosion control, or a quick property-line marker. They’re GMO-free and need only moderate watering once planted.
Rooting and growth are the two things owners praise most, but the cutting performance does get mixed feedback — some batches thrive while others see notable losses. These are bare cuttings, not potted saplings, so they demand a little more attention in the first weeks, and some buyers reported losing a portion despite following the instructions. The upside is the sheer volume: 24 cuttings at this price is an exceptional value for anyone planting a long border.
Where it shines
- Thick 5/8 to 1+ inch root stock for strong starts
- Roots and grows incredibly fast once planted
- 24 cuttings make it a budget-friendly mass planting
Where it’s fussy
- Bare cuttings need consistent moisture to root
- Some customers note uneven survival rates
Best for: filling a long fence line or ditch bank on a tight budget.
Not for: anyone who can’t commit to regular watering through the first season.
4. 10 Thuja Green Giant Arborvitae 7-10 inches Tall
A ten-pack of hardy evergreens that doubles in size each year with steady care.
For a dense, living fence that stays green all winter, this 10-pack of Green Giants is the workhorse. These ship as potted plants in their own soil, arriving hydrated and alive even in summer heat. Each is hardy in zones 5-9, grows about 3 feet per year, and reaches a mature height of 40 feet with a 15-foot width — so you get a tall screen without waiting a decade.
The recommended spacing of 6-7 feet apart means 10 trees can cover a surprising amount of property line. Buyers who planted them 16 months ago report spectacular results: saplings that arrived at 8 inches rocketed to 3.5 feet in full sun, with those in 6-10 hours of sun reaching 2-3 feet. The key variable is sunlight and consistent watering — trees in shadier spots grew noticeably less, so pick the sunniest line you have.
The overwhelming consensus is that these arrive healthy with well-developed root systems, and buyers repeatedly call them a great value compared to buying mature trees. The one mixed note is size: some buyers find them larger than promised, while others say they’re smaller than advertised. These are young plants, so treat the first year as the establishment period and they’ll reward you with rapid growth down the line.
The appeal: Ten healthy evergreens that grow 3 feet a year for the price of a single nursery tree.
Balance the size: Expect small 7-10 inch starts that need a season or two to take off.
5. Southern Red Cedar Tree | 10 Live Plants
The feathery evergreen that shrugs off salt spray, drought, and coastal winds.
Despite the name, the Southern Red Cedar is actually a juniper, and its real talent is surviving conditions that kill other trees. It’s tolerant of salt, drought, and wind, and it thrives in well-drained sandy soils in full to partial sun — making it the standout choice for coastal yards or dry, tough sites. The feathery emerald-green foliage stays lush year-round with very little maintenance, and it reaches up to 40 feet tall at maturity.
This 10-pack is ideal for planting a tall hedge or a single specimen along a path or driveway. It also serves as an effective windbreak and provides wildlife habitat, with aromatic wood and attractive reddish-brown bark. Notably, it’s resistant to cedar apple rust, a common disease that affects other junipers. You can plant year-round, which gives you flexibility that potted seasonal trees don’t.
The honest reality is that these ship as small seedlings, typically 1-4 inches tall, and that surprises some buyers. A few report that the tiny starts dried up despite immediate planting, while others found that with potting, regular watering, and weekly fertilizing, all 10 grew and greened up nicely. This is a builder’s tree — it asks for patience and care in year one, then rewards you with a tough, self-sufficient evergreen that needs little from you afterward.
Built for tough spots
- Salt, drought, and wind tolerant once established
- Evergreen foliage stays green all year
- Resistant to cedar apple rust
Expect small starts
- Seedlings arrive just 1-4 inches tall
- Needs consistent care in the first weeks to survive
Choose this for: coastal properties, dry sandy soil, or a low-water privacy screen.
skip it if: you want a sizable tree on day one — these are true starters.
6. 50 Hybrid Willow Trees – Austree Grow 10 Ft/Yr
Fifty cuttings that grow up to 10 feet a year — the fastest green screen you can plant.
If speed is the only metric that matters, this 50-pack of Aussie Hybrid Willows has no rival on this list. These are marketed as growing 10 feet per year, which makes them the fastest-growing trees here by a wide margin. They’re popular for fast privacy and shade, and they produce no seeds or cotton, keeping your yard cleaner. They’re also deer resistant, which is a massive benefit in rural and suburban areas where browsing animals destroy young plantings.
Beyond screening, these willows pull environmental duty: they’re good for erosion control, drying up boggy areas, and filtering the air, and they produce oxygen as they grow. The seller includes detailed instructions and links to YouTube videos on the best method for rooting, which makes a real difference in success rates. Owners who followed the video method — soaking all 50 cuttings in a bucket of water for a week — reported nearly every cutting sprouting roots and buds.
The story here is genuinely split. Some reviewers point out fantastic results, with only 5 failures out of 120+ cuttings across four batches, rooting vigorously even in dry, high-altitude, alkaline soil. Others received a mix of thick and pencil-thin cuttings and lost most of them. The common thread in the failures is almost always water — willows are thirsty trees, and under-watering in the first weeks is the most frequent killer. This is a high-reward, moderate-risk project for someone willing to follow the rooting instructions closely.
The upside
- Up to 10 feet of growth per year
- Deer resistant and good for erosion control
- 50 cuttings cover a lot of ground cheaply
The catch
- Survival depends heavily on consistent watering
- Cutting quality can vary from order to order
Go for it if: you want the absolute fastest coverage and can water diligently.
Look elsewhere if: you can’t commit to weekly watering through the first summer.
7. Perfect Plants Weeping Willow Tree, 4-5 ft
A live 4-5 foot willow with arching branches, grown for poolside drama and deep shade.
For a bold, single landscape accent, a weeping willow stands alone. This one ships as a live 4-5 foot tree with easy-to-use plant food included, and its light-green, wispy foliage arches up and around the trunk in the graceful form the species is famous for. It prefers full sun throughout the day and thrives in zones 4-9, making it among the most cold-tolerant willows you can buy.
The growth rate is the jaw-dropper: the trunk can add nearly 8-10 feet per year, with a mature height of 30-40 feet and a width of 35 feet. Shoppers say trees planted in April reaching 30 feet tall by the next year — the fastest single-tree growth on this list. It’s best used as a stand-alone feature beside a pool, patio, or deck where its spreading canopy provides generous shade and playful, interactive limbs.
The thing everyone raves about is the growth rate, and owners describe it as a tree that simply takes off once planted. There are two honest caveats: the size on arrival gets mixed feedback since some trees arrive taller than the listed 4-5 feet, and a few buyers report finding a cheaper willow at a local big-box store. An occasional tree has arrived with damaged branches or orange-spotted leaves, so inspect yours on delivery.
The magic: A 4-5 foot start that can hit 30 feet within about a year by the pool.
The reality: Check local nurseries for price comparison, and inspect the tree on arrival.
8. Weeping Willow, Deciduous, 7 gal, Nursery Pot
A bigger, more established willow that gives you a head start on the shade you want.
Where the other willow on this list is a 4-5 foot sapling, this one comes in a larger 7-gallon nursery pot, which means a more substantial root system and a faster transition into your landscape. It’s a graceful deciduous tree with cascading branches that sweep toward the ground, creating the distinctive weeping canopy. It reaches up to 45 feet tall at maturity, slightly taller than the 4-5 foot option, and prefers moist, well-drained soil.
This tree is hardy in zones 4-9 and adaptable to a range of soil types, so it’s forgiving about where you plant it as long as it gets full sunlight and regular water. It also attracts pollinators, adding ecological value to the ornamental beauty. Owners describe receiving trees with healthy trunks, green leaves, and moist soil, with one noting theirs survived severe temperature swings without issue.
The consistent praise is for healthy, fast-growing trees that arrive in perfect shape — one tree got lost in the mail and crossed the country twice, yet still arrived intact thanks to careful packing. The main feedback is that the size can run smaller than anticipated, so don’t expect a towering tree on day one. This is the pick for someone who wants a more established start and is willing to pay for the head start.
The head start
- Larger 7-gallon pot means a bigger root system
- Fast-growing and adaptable to many soils
- Attracts pollinators to your yard
The fine print
- Size on arrival can be smaller than expected
- Cannot ship to CA, AZ, AK, or HI
Pick this if: you want a more established willow that establishes faster.
Pass if: you live in one of the restricted shipping states or want instant height.
9. Thuja Green Giant | 30 Live Plants
Thirty evergreens for a long property line, at a price that makes mass planting feasible.
When you need to screen a long property boundary or a farm tree line, this 30-plant pack of Thuja Green Giants is the most economical way to do it. This is the same fast-growing evergreen species as the top pick, but in bulk quantities that let you plant an entire border in one go. They’re ideal for hedges, windbreaks, and backyard borders, with feathery, vibrant green foliage that stays lush all year.
The value is the overwhelming theme in buyer feedback, with owners calling it a great price point for mass planting. One buyer ordered 200+ and reported roughly 95% survival with drip irrigation, with half the trees growing over a foot in just four months. Others found all 40 trees they ordered healthy and vibrant, packed securely in spray foam and cardboard, ready for transplant into grow bags or the ground.
The key consideration is that these are young plants, and size gets mixed feedback — some find them decent while others say they’re very small. They also need consistent irrigation during the critical first month after planting, so plan your watering schedule before you commit to 30 trees. This is a project for someone with a long stretch of land to fill and the patience to nurture young evergreens into a mature screen.
The scale advantage
- 30 plants cover a long property line in one order
- Strong survival rate when given drip irrigation
- Low-maintenance evergreen stays green year-round
Plan for the first month
- Needs consistent watering immediately after planting
- Plants arrive small; expect a few years to fill in
Worth it for: big properties, farm screens, or anyone planting 30+ trees.
Not the one if: you only need a small hedge — a 5-pack will do the job with less work.
Understanding the Specs
USDA Hardiness Zone
This is the single most important number on any tree listing. It tells you the coldest climate a plant can survive, so a tree rated for zones 5-9 will not make it through a zone 3 winter. Match the zone range to your location before you fall in love with a species.
Mature Height & Growth Rate
These two numbers work together. A tree that grows 3 feet per year but tops out at 50 feet gives you a tall, long-lived screen. A willow that grows 10 feet per year is faster but reaches a shorter final height and lives a shorter life. Decide if you want speed or longevity.
Evergreen vs Deciduous
Evergreens like the Thuja hold their leaves all winter, giving you year-round privacy. Deciduous trees like maples and willows lose their leaves each fall, so they offer shade in summer but a bare view in winter. Your privacy needs in January should drive this choice.
Bare Cuttings vs Potted Saplings
Cuttings are dormant sticks you root yourself — they’re cheap and fast but demand careful watering to survive. Potted saplings arrive with established root systems, cost more, but establish much more reliably. Beginners should lean toward potted plants.
FAQ
Which tree grows the fastest on this list?
Will a Thuja Green Giant survive winter in my zone?
What is the difference between a hybrid willow cutting and a potted willow sapling?
How far apart should I space Thuja Green Giants for a privacy screen?
Can I plant these trees in clay soil?
Why can’t some of these trees ship to California, Arizona, Alaska, or Hawaii?
How much water do hybrid willows need in their first year?
Is a deciduous tree like the Autumn Blaze Maple worth it since it loses its leaves?
What is the best time of year to plant these trees?
How big will the Southern Red Cedar get?
Final Thoughts: The Verdict
For most buyers, the fast growing trees winner is the Thuja Green Giant 5-Pack because it pairs a genuinely fast 3-5 feet of annual growth with evergreen year-round privacy and a reputation for arriving healthy. If you want dramatic fall color that transforms your yard each autumn, grab the Maple Autumn Blaze. And for the absolute fastest coverage on a budget, the 50 Hybrid Willow Trees are the ones to reach for, provided you can keep them watered.
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 August 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.
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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.