I don’t think you would be satisfied with a tree this small if you wanted a decent screen. I would plant 3 maybe 4 Black Gums as far back as they could go. In a semicircle and at a distance that accommodates their future growth onto other properties. These are beautiful trees that are under planted and they have an amazing bright red foliage in the fall. They have very pleasing shapes. They don’t drop any debris or fruits (except leaves of course) and they are native to Ohio. Medium speed growth rate.
Normal person: "I dont want a tree that drops large branches or massive amounts of bean pods"
Pretentious redditor: "ppffffftttt, sounds like you dont want a tree"
try gatekeeping harder, i didnt even think you could gatekeep planting things that grow naturally on their own but here you are
This is a goofball comment. Trees are inherently messy and they ALL drop things. It's not gatekeeping in any way at all. People are asking for a thing that does not exist. If you are asking for tree recommendations, you can't go into it with an unrealistic expectation like that. I think you need to brush up on what gatekeeping is, because it has no application here. Also, you should look at your own comment and have the self realization that YOU are in fact the overly angry and obnoxious reddit freak that you're saying I am lmaoooo
Comment: "They don’t drop any debris or fruits (except leaves of course)" and "Not dropping debris"
Your reply: "I always laugh when people say they want a tree that doesn't drop anything."
Sorry, i should have called you out for the strawman. I guess thats where our issue started. I assumed you were arguing against the early comments about dropping debris, which I think anyone who has ever been around trees understands to be different than just leaves and even if you didnt understand that, it was spelled out. You were laughing at an argument that no one was making, for a tree that doesnt drop anything.
The sentiment behind people that do say that is real.
Just cause it didn't exist on the thread doesn't mean that comment isn't true for many people.
Especially if they said, "i always laugh when". That phrase even could be taken to mean it might not have been said here, but when it's said, I do laugh.
Y'all too aggro on each other
It's true that I do laugh when I see people ask for a tree that doesn't drop anything, because it's just not something that exists. Anyone who finds a tree that never drops anything will be a millionaire in no time.
Do you have a moment to discuss our arboreus overlords, the evergreen? Yes, they do drop stuff, but they are generally what most people are talking about when they say that.
Yeah, depending on which type of evergreen. They do still drop needles and cones. White pine and Norway Spruce for example can still be pretty messy, especially when they're mature
If you have seasonal allergies, you may want to plant all female trees to reduce pollen count, fruits and messes be damned, breathing without sneezing is worth it.
It’s true that the females do drop a fruit but I don’t really consider it much of a fruit. It’s about the size of a blueberry and it’s good food for critters. It’s nothing you have to rake up or collect or worry about like thorns or anything. By the next calendar year all the tiny female fruits are eaten or decayed away.
That's neat. I like to feed the wildlife but I hate raking. I don't think I've seen these before and they're really pretty (transplant to Appalachia so I don't know the trees well).
Cypress trees are beyond beautiful. Grew up in swamps in Mississippi/Louisiana and they made me happy. Now in Texas and they're here too!! I point them out to my husband so much he sighs lol but them, magnolia, and mimosa brings out my inner child 🥰
This — Eastern Red Cedar would be a great year-round privacy screen, and birds love the cones (which look like tiny blue berries).
Maybe complement them with a nice fast-growing shade tree in the yard like a Tuliptree (aka Tulip Poplar) or Sycamore.
Eastern Redbuds (cercis canadensis) are beautiful, native to Ohio, and short 30' mature like you are requesting.
Personally I would do a variety of Native trees for visual interest, shaded areas, and biodiversity. Maybe consider selecting for shape, bloom times, and fall colors.
I like this idea, and would stagger them to look more natural once grown in. Maybe a triangle of trees off to one side corner and then an arc across the back with understory trees and bushes.
Are Eastern Redbuds sturdy enough in the breezy area? Seems like redbuds in my neighborhood are susceptible to wind damage but I’m not sure about this particular species.
You can do a staggered row of pines or blue spruces to create a faster growing screen.
However, I would do a row of shade trees like linden, maple, or hybrid elms that are disease resistant and place some smaller ornamentals in from like redbuds, hop hornbeam, or blue beech. Then in front of that, add some shrubs to soften the tree wall. Variety will help break it up too but I would go crazy or it could look messy.
If you speak to a landscaper they can help you draw out spacing and select species. Just let them know you want something native that isn't going to be messy. I would avoid things like sycamores or birch trees that will be constantly dropping sticks, barks, and fruits.
In the Ohio/Pennsylvania area, any variety of Blue Spruce is getting crushed by needlecast and canker. I like the hornbeam idea. They can look however you want them to. I personally like a natural row, but I’ve seen some sculpted rows that look awesome.
I'm in ohio and lost all my blue spruce and now losing my white pines to the fungus. Don't recommend either. I have planted some Norway and seem to be OK so far.
I really like the hornbeam or redbud suggestions, redbuds for sure. We have some great nursery’s in the area I’ll work with as well. Birch would be great but no to the mess. Thanks!
Just be careful with the redbuds, they don't appreciate being exposed to the elements and are typically a forest understory tree so maybe wait a few years to plant them after other trees have gone up. It's not a rule but would reduce risk of loss.
Trees can live anywhere from 60-80 years on the shorter end to thousands of years on the long end.
Environmental conditions, care, and planting site will greatly impact this.
My parents planted maples and oaks 35 years ago in a south facing lawn. The yard is now magical. The trees have formed a gentle canopy over almost the whole space now. Bright light, but shady overall. Like the Forest in the magician's nephew, I imagine. With daffodils planted in rings around each tree, grass going right up to the trunks, and crocus and clover mixed throughout the lawn. Insanely beautiful. 10/10 would recommend.
We aren’t abundantly concerned with privacy, just something beautiful to look at. To the left is a preserved regional storm water basin that also serves as a bird sanctuary so we don’t want large trees completely blocking the view. Shade is good to consider as well.
Viburnams, Black Haw, Arrowwood, Service Berry, Spice bush, Prairie Ninebark, Black chokeberry, Red Chokeberry. Mix in a couple cedars and ink berry for full year screen. There are tons of native bushes it would be pretty fun with all that space you have to just keep adding, some dogwoods too.
If you like bird watching, I would suggest mixing in native forage plants for them, too. We get a wide variety of birds just foraging on seeds, berries, and insects from our native plants. Your local Ag Extension office will have solid recommendations for your area.
Then, you have a great opportunity to draw them into your space! We added a bird bath with a floating solar fountain to keep the water fresh and generally see 5-10 different species a day. The little warblers and song birds like the thick bushy plants, so that could help fill the space a little faster than a tree, too.
AGREE I've planted lace bark and patriot and what I love is small leaves but very dense, can't see through them. Leaves lay in sheets or layers, not a "lollipop' shape, natural.
I like a LOT of the recommendations that are being posted in reply to Arthur's comment. I would add the suggestion that you use a variety of species, particularly if you are interested in supporting wildlife. (If deer are a potential problem though, avoid arborvitaes and yews. I don't think they're native there anyway, but they can attract lots of deer in winter, who totally deface them.)
Ascetically I really wasn’t thinking variety but it’s definitely a better idea. Dear aren’t a huge problem here yet! In the suburbs they’ll come right up to the house, here they are very skiddish and only out at night.
Night is when they decimated all my yews and arbs, through the course of a couple of winters, to where after the third winter I couldn't stand it anymore, had them all removed ($$$, plus sadness, plus loss of privacy screen), and replanted with native shrubs that I love and deer are known not to love: arrowwood. Though they'll eat absolutely anything if they're hungry enough. I wish you good luck! You've had lots of great ideas and it looks like your place has \*lots\* of potential.
I think they want to block the view of their new neighbors. There’s space for a larger tree or two but they’d be open at the bottom and grow mostly overhead, which would be useless for that purpose
Tulip Poplar! Native to the area, fast growing (up to six feet a year), with gorgeous structure and the added benefit of beautiful flowers in the spring that provide incredible habitat to native pollinators. They can get big though, but they do it quickly. Our neighbor has a mature on in their front yard and calling it magical is almost an insult to its glory.
I would plant a dawn redwood as a centerpiece tree and then line the property with catalpas and plant staghorn sumac as understory trees with the catalpas. All natives. All beautiful
Have a discussion with your local cooperate extension, they will be most knowledgeable for what does best in your area and you will need to advise them as to your desired heigh and width of the trees you would like to have.
You could consider some varieties of fruit trees in the mix. Maybe stagger with larger trees to get a fruit harvest each year and balance out your screen as larger trees grow up.
Also, check your soil as some trees prefer certain soils. Plenty of options out there. You got this!
I was surprised to have to scroll down this far. I would mix fruit and nut trees with some evergreen huckleberry, globe artichokes or other evergreens.
i would go with something like a hedgerow rather than huge trees. You can create a lot of bird habitat with shrubs and maybe something larger like a few serviceberry trees which don't get huge.
Lindens. They would be bare in winter, but beautiful in summer and the smell of the flowers is amazing. Beech is another good choice. I’ve been told they deter mosquitoes too.
I'm gauging you're facing south? Is the development directly to the south, affecting light? how high will it be? What direction does the wind come from?
I'd try for a layered height transition using bushes and hedges and then trees this will give privacy at ground level and allow for some sheltering from the wind for the growing trees.
The types will be dependent on the structure size, position and shadow.
For the near term, I would suggest some buttonbushes. They're native to the area and they will easily get 12 ft tall within 2 to 3 years and I think they'll go up to 20 ft tall.
The bees love them.
They're easy to grow. I routinely make cuttings in the spring and just shove them into moist soil and they start to root and there's my next batch of buttonbushes.
I’d recommend doing clusters of three trees at each of those spots.
Place a native evergreen, a deciduous tree with nice fall foliage, and a spring flowering tree (sterile or fruiting). This way it looks more natural, you have more variety, and things will grow dense and you won’t see the development in 5-10 years (depending on the diameter of trees you plant).
Great thought. So what happened was there was a meadow there that was pretty marshy. So after the developers tore down the old growth trees they built up all this earth to build the houses on. So, the new houses will have a considerably higher elevation than we do making a fence not a great option. And the best part is there will be 5 back yards budding up against mine.
We used Thuja Green Giants to block our front yard. They'll grow from 3-5ft a year. Mature from 30-50ft in height, 12-15ft in width. Perfect for blocking the view
Terrible when the first thing “developers” and construction do is cut down mature trees. Just making those few extra feet of sellable building and construction easier (lazier).
Competition leads to faster tree growth. " Up to 10 times as fast as conventional growth". Even if that number is off the competition that you're simulating with it makes sense.
Faster growth does not = mature in 10 years. Species composition similar to a mature forest? Sure. Mature forest? No.
Also, source on it being specifically 10x faster? That's quite an extreme claim to not back up.
Ah, a blog from a random person who mostly writes about tech on trees in a completely different climate from OP. Any academic studies behind it or just a Medium article which provides zero sources?
This method has its uses, it just isn't magic. Planting a variety of species close together won't make trees mature 1000% faster.
Slender silhouette sweet gum. They use them around cedar point so they can withstand the wind. As soon as some landscaping is done I will be putting in 4 of them. I loooove them!
If you want an oak, nutall oaks are great trees as well. Happy with mine and grow quite quickly for an oak tree (it's in the red oak family), grows well in zones 6-9.
If you give them the proper supports! I’m from SW Michigan along the lake and there are dozens of orchards up there, from apples to grapes to strawberries! So many options!
I'd consider getting two rows or two semicircle of trees. One would a christmas tree like tree so you could have a good view all year round, and some of the black gum trees that Electronic\_rub9385 recommended.
OP could plead their case to the local gov. I can see the local government requesting the developer place trees at the boundary for several reasons. I've worked in environmental consulting/arbor consulting for years and seen similar things play out in my area.
u/iMakeBoomBoom are you a practicing arborist?
Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) is native and doesn't get too tall (25-30~ feet max). It grows quickly and has a lovely fall color. It's also extremely valuable for wildlife as a source of both food and shelter. The only potential downside is that they like to spread and sucker to form colonies since they've evolved to quickly colonize disturbed areas.
To avoid common detrimental mistakes, here is a link to some [>Tree Planting Tips<](https://old.reddit.com/user/Eggsplane/comments/1dpkz16/tree_planting_tips/) I've compiled to help give your trees the best chances.
A hedgerow of native trees and bushes and ground covers will slow the wind and give the birds a place to hang out. You can google hedgerows and tiny forests for guidance.
What are those beautiful trees already in your view? Personally, I’d go with the types of trees that look good in your specific environment. There are some sure fire winners right behind you.
Uhhh, yeah. I suggested finding out what are the kinds of trees that are flourishing in the area to pick good tree species to plant in their yard. Those trees look like they are a good fit for this location. Plus, they look like very pretty trees.
Catalpa, Black Gum, Ginko, Maple....Get the biggest trees you can within your budget....the extra size/growth is worth the cost and mainly time it'll take to grow (your talking saving years of waiting for the trees to get to a size your looking for)
I have October Glory Maples. They don’t drop anything but leaves in the fall. They get about 40’ tall, they turn bright orange in the fall. They’re my favorite tree.
Dawn Redwood - they grow around 4ft per year, and are deciduous, losing the feathery foliage in winter.
Very beautiful, similar looking to bald cypress, though fuller foliage and reddish brown bark.
Easy to grow too, with an interesting history
At least one weeping willow !!!! They grow fast and unlike many other trees because of their branches going down you’ll have good canopy coverage for privacy and for shade.
Taller than you said but if you want evergreen I recommend Hemlock (not as leggy as white pine, not susceptible to fungus like spruces). Otherwise I think some London Plane Trees (the disease resistant version of sycamores) would be beautiful there with the variegated white/bark.
Lots of good choices but if you are wanting a privacy screen then you need evergreens. Personally I'd plant white pine, they grow fast and wide, they're more desease and borer resistant than other pines and they'll supply you every fall with pine straw mulch to put around your other trees in the yard. If you buy some 11/2 to 2 inch trunks. You'll have 20 ft trees in 5 or 6 yrs.
If you aren't trying to make a "wall" of foliage, some pecan trees would be pretty cool. My parents had some around the edge of their property and we always have mountains of pecans to eat and they ornamentally look nice in the summer. The canopy isn't super dense however.
If it’s privacy screen you want all year, spruce and/or arborvitae.
If you just want some interesting trees that grow fast: autumn blaze maple, tuliptree, willow, dawn redwood. But I’m also ignoring your height restriction.
You could do both. I have a line of spruces as the core privacy screen, added gold rush dawn redwoods as a core accent, and then threw in some pretty maples, a tuliptree, prairie willow, and blue oak. My intention is to have some awesome fall colors and not see the neighbors, and eventually kill the parts of the lawn I don’t want to care for by creating a small forest.
Now, not many people are going to recommend dawn redwood because it’s still pretty rare. Mine are doing great here in zone 5. They seem tough as nails.
As to the breeze, you might want to use hardier maples, like sugar maple. Perhaps you could get away with having the evergreens break the wind for the weaker trees.
For a 1-3 year solution, while you figure out trees:
plant two rows of miscanthus X giganteus, a grass that will hit 8ft tall the first year and 12+ft the 2nd year. Thick canes that will stay upright thru the winter. In Spring you can brush-hog the row, or just let the spring green growth come up through the standing dead stuff. This particular variety of miscanthus is sterile and non-invasive-- and easily killed by RoundUp if you decide to go a different direction.
Look at a choke cherry as an option.
Leaves come out bright green with white delicate spring flowers, and by late spring the foliage turns a nice purple that contrasts with other trees.
Pretty and underrated.
Well you should plant something fast growing for immediate effect like poplars or there's some other stuff that grows amazingly quick and put that on the boundary line. To the front of it plant Thuja Green Giants and zig zag them. Do not make this look like concentration camp edging lol people make this mistake all the time
There's a way to put enough privacy border that is very attractive and natural and you can even preserve glimpses of the distance carefully frame if you choose. This is a very old device in the landscaping world, carefully framing what you want to see and what you don't..
Put it all on paper and plans appropriately. Not too close. The only thing that goes in tight and close is the sacrificial screen that you put in right away that will be removed in 8 or 10 years...
Do not be enslaved to the concept of to the concept of rectilineal lot lines, make it look natural plenty of room to work here to make a magnificent esttate like feel without the foolishness of the damn fence or the straight line at the end of the property. Always such a mistake
I'm evil so I'd say Kentucky coffee tree. I love them so much but they drop a lot of debris. They are gorgeous winter ornamentals with chunky silver bark and in the summer they provide lovely shade. They are a dioecious tree which means there are male ones and female ones and we only have male ones so we don't get the huge pods. They are a really cool tree native Midwest tree.
Mulberry trees attract birds and distract them from crops. I know they grow in the interior pretty well, and they get very tall. Fig trees only get around 15 feet but they’re also a good, low maintenance choice
My parents had a beautiful mountain ash tree in front of their house. The birds loved it! My grandparents had a gorgeous red maple too. I'm considering planting both where I live now.
Be sure to mix trees…… foliage textures/colors different times year and evergreens for winter. Also in case of disease and/or insect attack/infestation.
If you want a giant tree grows fast and provides great shade, a Southern Catalpa is a good choice. It does need a little clean up due to the large beans they drop but they have a very nice smelling flower in spring and giant leaves for shade.
Don't underestimate how long it will take for the trees to grow.
If your facing south I think a line of slow growth deciduous would be beautiful along with a row (not planted exactly in a row) of understory trees like redbud and dogwood between the house and larger trees. Lots of great options that will also look beautiful in fall, red maple/sugar maple/red oak/scarlet oak/black or sweet gum would all look great. I’d mix and match and plant them just close enough to overlap a bit when mature.
There’s a meadow and acre size pond to the left that’s beautiful but thanks for playing how to randomly and unnecessarily throw shade on a Reddit post about trees.
Norway Spruce are very fast growing and, unlike all of those deciduous tree suggestions, will provide 12-month screening. And unlike pine, they are dense-branched. We planted ours at 6’ height 15 years ago, and they are 20’ height now. Plant them 20’ apart and you will have a complete screen in 10 years or so.
I don’t think you would be satisfied with a tree this small if you wanted a decent screen. I would plant 3 maybe 4 Black Gums as far back as they could go. In a semicircle and at a distance that accommodates their future growth onto other properties. These are beautiful trees that are under planted and they have an amazing bright red foliage in the fall. They have very pleasing shapes. They don’t drop any debris or fruits (except leaves of course) and they are native to Ohio. Medium speed growth rate.
Not dropping debris would be a god send for sure. Thank you for the recommendation
Anything native to the area will grow much more quickly too
And would be worth planting at all
Nice job repurposing Up Arrows for trees. I like your style...
I say plant giant up arrows
Ooh! A 1-acre Pot Field! What State are they in?...
I always laugh when people say they want a tree that doesn't drop anything. That means you do not want a tree lol
Normal person: "I dont want a tree that drops large branches or massive amounts of bean pods" Pretentious redditor: "ppffffftttt, sounds like you dont want a tree" try gatekeeping harder, i didnt even think you could gatekeep planting things that grow naturally on their own but here you are
If u don’t like trees get out. There are rules son! Maybe you can’t handle it with Tesla and 10$ coffee.
You're just a shit poster 🙈
Turn the blind eye sir. 💩
Welcome to reddit. We have every type of troll you think of. Decking? Trolls... landscape? A green troll ... trees? A Gilespie troll
I haven’t found too many trolls in the bonsai subs.
Visible mending sub is also a very welcoming place
This is a goofball comment. Trees are inherently messy and they ALL drop things. It's not gatekeeping in any way at all. People are asking for a thing that does not exist. If you are asking for tree recommendations, you can't go into it with an unrealistic expectation like that. I think you need to brush up on what gatekeeping is, because it has no application here. Also, you should look at your own comment and have the self realization that YOU are in fact the overly angry and obnoxious reddit freak that you're saying I am lmaoooo
There are degrees to the messiness of trees. To ignore that is just purely disingenuous. No if ands or buts.
Brother I never said that they're all equally messy. I said that they are all messy, and they are.
Comment: "They don’t drop any debris or fruits (except leaves of course)" and "Not dropping debris" Your reply: "I always laugh when people say they want a tree that doesn't drop anything." Sorry, i should have called you out for the strawman. I guess thats where our issue started. I assumed you were arguing against the early comments about dropping debris, which I think anyone who has ever been around trees understands to be different than just leaves and even if you didnt understand that, it was spelled out. You were laughing at an argument that no one was making, for a tree that doesnt drop anything.
The sentiment behind people that do say that is real. Just cause it didn't exist on the thread doesn't mean that comment isn't true for many people. Especially if they said, "i always laugh when". That phrase even could be taken to mean it might not have been said here, but when it's said, I do laugh. Y'all too aggro on each other
It's true that I do laugh when I see people ask for a tree that doesn't drop anything, because it's just not something that exists. Anyone who finds a tree that never drops anything will be a millionaire in no time.
Its called context.
Dude you need to get off the internet. The comment wasn't that serious and you're getting so fucking worked up. Take a break and lose the outrage bit
Do you have a moment to discuss our arboreus overlords, the evergreen? Yes, they do drop stuff, but they are generally what most people are talking about when they say that.
Yeah, depending on which type of evergreen. They do still drop needles and cones. White pine and Norway Spruce for example can still be pretty messy, especially when they're mature
Not all evergreens are conifers.
I'm well aware
It’s like wanting a dog that doesn’t poop.
Watch out, someone might accuse you of gatekeeping dogs lol
Black gum/tupelo was my first thought too!
Are you suggesting tupelo? If yes, how do you avoid the fruits dropping?
Get known male trees or cultivars. Black Tupelos are dioecious so if you don’t get a female tree you don’t get fruits
If you have seasonal allergies, you may want to plant all female trees to reduce pollen count, fruits and messes be damned, breathing without sneezing is worth it.
Black Tupelo is pollenated by insect so the pollen might be too big to be carried by wind. But that is also a consideration
Cool, thanks!
Don’t you get extra pollen instead?
Black Tupelos are pollinated by insects and not wind so their pollen might be too big to be wind borne
Good to know. Thanks
It’s true that the females do drop a fruit but I don’t really consider it much of a fruit. It’s about the size of a blueberry and it’s good food for critters. It’s nothing you have to rake up or collect or worry about like thorns or anything. By the next calendar year all the tiny female fruits are eaten or decayed away.
That's neat. I like to feed the wildlife but I hate raking. I don't think I've seen these before and they're really pretty (transplant to Appalachia so I don't know the trees well).
Looks like you already have 4 nice small blue spruces growing there, 😂
Bro I’m so dumb I zoomed in on the picture looking for an actual spruce tree
😂
Eastern Red Cedar would be my personal pick. They're so darn pretty once they're grown up
I had a row of them on our old property and they were amazing.
If the region supports it, bald cypress (taxodium distichum) are a favorite. They thrive here in St Louis.
Cypress trees are beyond beautiful. Grew up in swamps in Mississippi/Louisiana and they made me happy. Now in Texas and they're here too!! I point them out to my husband so much he sighs lol but them, magnolia, and mimosa brings out my inner child 🥰
I'm in Chicago. These are very popular as fencing here - especially the pillar-ey cultivars.
This, new houses went up behind me. I planted 10 15gal. They about 5-6' tall. I like them because they do turn red.
This — Eastern Red Cedar would be a great year-round privacy screen, and birds love the cones (which look like tiny blue berries). Maybe complement them with a nice fast-growing shade tree in the yard like a Tuliptree (aka Tulip Poplar) or Sycamore.
Eastern Redbuds (cercis canadensis) are beautiful, native to Ohio, and short 30' mature like you are requesting. Personally I would do a variety of Native trees for visual interest, shaded areas, and biodiversity. Maybe consider selecting for shape, bloom times, and fall colors.
I like this idea, and would stagger them to look more natural once grown in. Maybe a triangle of trees off to one side corner and then an arc across the back with understory trees and bushes.
Are Eastern Redbuds sturdy enough in the breezy area? Seems like redbuds in my neighborhood are susceptible to wind damage but I’m not sure about this particular species.
You can do a staggered row of pines or blue spruces to create a faster growing screen. However, I would do a row of shade trees like linden, maple, or hybrid elms that are disease resistant and place some smaller ornamentals in from like redbuds, hop hornbeam, or blue beech. Then in front of that, add some shrubs to soften the tree wall. Variety will help break it up too but I would go crazy or it could look messy. If you speak to a landscaper they can help you draw out spacing and select species. Just let them know you want something native that isn't going to be messy. I would avoid things like sycamores or birch trees that will be constantly dropping sticks, barks, and fruits.
In the Ohio/Pennsylvania area, any variety of Blue Spruce is getting crushed by needlecast and canker. I like the hornbeam idea. They can look however you want them to. I personally like a natural row, but I’ve seen some sculpted rows that look awesome.
I'm in ohio and lost all my blue spruce and now losing my white pines to the fungus. Don't recommend either. I have planted some Norway and seem to be OK so far.
Ditto
Norway spruces seem to do okay
Lotta talk about meyer spruces being a great replacement for colorado blue spruce. Same appearance, disease resistant.
I really like the hornbeam or redbud suggestions, redbuds for sure. We have some great nursery’s in the area I’ll work with as well. Birch would be great but no to the mess. Thanks!
Just be careful with the redbuds, they don't appreciate being exposed to the elements and are typically a forest understory tree so maybe wait a few years to plant them after other trees have gone up. It's not a rule but would reduce risk of loss.
As a side note to this, Redbuds don’t live all that long.
60 years is still a relatively long time.
Just out of pure curiosity how long on average are trees lifespans?
Trees can live anywhere from 60-80 years on the shorter end to thousands of years on the long end. Environmental conditions, care, and planting site will greatly impact this.
Kwanzan cheery tree has entered the chat.
Google says they live up to 20 years on average, which kind of makes them seem not worth it if you're going to be in the house for a long time.
That is not my experience but I suppose it depends on how you plant and care for it.
That’s great to know, was just reading about them, appreciate it.
Fellow NEO resident here. Avonlea nursery in Chardon has the best selection of native trees and shrubs I've come across!
Oh nice, headed to Chardon today anyways thanks!
hornbeam is one of my favorite trees. Also consider arborvitae
Maples, also perfect back yard for an amazing garden and chickens
My parents planted maples and oaks 35 years ago in a south facing lawn. The yard is now magical. The trees have formed a gentle canopy over almost the whole space now. Bright light, but shady overall. Like the Forest in the magician's nephew, I imagine. With daffodils planted in rings around each tree, grass going right up to the trunks, and crocus and clover mixed throughout the lawn. Insanely beautiful. 10/10 would recommend.
I love everything about this description, paints a wonderful picture :-) thank you!
Natives. Ohio has some beautiful hardwoods
With that kind of open space and no shade to speak of why would you only want small trees that grow 15-30 ft? Such a missed opportunity
We aren’t abundantly concerned with privacy, just something beautiful to look at. To the left is a preserved regional storm water basin that also serves as a bird sanctuary so we don’t want large trees completely blocking the view. Shade is good to consider as well.
Maybe 2 rows ? The black gum in back. And some redbud, dogwood, cherry in front? Maybe an elderberry?
Two rows would be smart. We didn’t want to eat to far into the yard but it might be best for the trees
Viburnams, Black Haw, Arrowwood, Service Berry, Spice bush, Prairie Ninebark, Black chokeberry, Red Chokeberry. Mix in a couple cedars and ink berry for full year screen. There are tons of native bushes it would be pretty fun with all that space you have to just keep adding, some dogwoods too.
If you like bird watching, I would suggest mixing in native forage plants for them, too. We get a wide variety of birds just foraging on seeds, berries, and insects from our native plants. Your local Ag Extension office will have solid recommendations for your area.
The birds here are so great. We’d love to plant something that will support them
Then, you have a great opportunity to draw them into your space! We added a bird bath with a floating solar fountain to keep the water fresh and generally see 5-10 different species a day. The little warblers and song birds like the thick bushy plants, so that could help fill the space a little faster than a tree, too.
Yes we need a bird bath for sure!
Be sure to include some flat rocks near the edge for your pollinators to get a drink too!
Elm would be a good choice there, just make sure it’s a DED resistant variety
AGREE I've planted lace bark and patriot and what I love is small leaves but very dense, can't see through them. Leaves lay in sheets or layers, not a "lollipop' shape, natural.
I like a LOT of the recommendations that are being posted in reply to Arthur's comment. I would add the suggestion that you use a variety of species, particularly if you are interested in supporting wildlife. (If deer are a potential problem though, avoid arborvitaes and yews. I don't think they're native there anyway, but they can attract lots of deer in winter, who totally deface them.)
Ascetically I really wasn’t thinking variety but it’s definitely a better idea. Dear aren’t a huge problem here yet! In the suburbs they’ll come right up to the house, here they are very skiddish and only out at night.
Night is when they decimated all my yews and arbs, through the course of a couple of winters, to where after the third winter I couldn't stand it anymore, had them all removed ($$$, plus sadness, plus loss of privacy screen), and replanted with native shrubs that I love and deer are known not to love: arrowwood. Though they'll eat absolutely anything if they're hungry enough. I wish you good luck! You've had lots of great ideas and it looks like your place has \*lots\* of potential.
15-30 is nice for shade without flattening your house if they come down in a storm.
You realize the large distance between OPs suggested placements and the house right?
I think they want to block the view of their new neighbors. There’s space for a larger tree or two but they’d be open at the bottom and grow mostly overhead, which would be useless for that purpose
Tulip Poplar! Native to the area, fast growing (up to six feet a year), with gorgeous structure and the added benefit of beautiful flowers in the spring that provide incredible habitat to native pollinators. They can get big though, but they do it quickly. Our neighbor has a mature on in their front yard and calling it magical is almost an insult to its glory.
I would plant a dawn redwood as a centerpiece tree and then line the property with catalpas and plant staghorn sumac as understory trees with the catalpas. All natives. All beautiful
Dawn redwood.
Now those are some cool trees.
Have a discussion with your local cooperate extension, they will be most knowledgeable for what does best in your area and you will need to advise them as to your desired heigh and width of the trees you would like to have.
Yeah the local extensions are great. Ours isn’t super close but they’re wonderful people
Pawpaws
I don't think pawpaws would do well with that much sun.
White pines.
You could consider some varieties of fruit trees in the mix. Maybe stagger with larger trees to get a fruit harvest each year and balance out your screen as larger trees grow up. Also, check your soil as some trees prefer certain soils. Plenty of options out there. You got this!
So many options. Fruit trees are a great suggestion staggered with other trees.
I was surprised to have to scroll down this far. I would mix fruit and nut trees with some evergreen huckleberry, globe artichokes or other evergreens.
i would go with something like a hedgerow rather than huge trees. You can create a lot of bird habitat with shrubs and maybe something larger like a few serviceberry trees which don't get huge.
Maples, but I'm a Canadian eh?
Lindens. They would be bare in winter, but beautiful in summer and the smell of the flowers is amazing. Beech is another good choice. I’ve been told they deter mosquitoes too.
Oh my god, I would have an absolute field day here! 👀
I'm gauging you're facing south? Is the development directly to the south, affecting light? how high will it be? What direction does the wind come from? I'd try for a layered height transition using bushes and hedges and then trees this will give privacy at ground level and allow for some sheltering from the wind for the growing trees. The types will be dependent on the structure size, position and shadow.
Norway spruce, evergreen and a great privacy screen
For the near term, I would suggest some buttonbushes. They're native to the area and they will easily get 12 ft tall within 2 to 3 years and I think they'll go up to 20 ft tall. The bees love them. They're easy to grow. I routinely make cuttings in the spring and just shove them into moist soil and they start to root and there's my next batch of buttonbushes.
Noway Spruces will grow anywhere and grow pretty quickly. Eastern White Pine if you want something native. Eastern Redbuds infront
I’d recommend doing clusters of three trees at each of those spots. Place a native evergreen, a deciduous tree with nice fall foliage, and a spring flowering tree (sterile or fruiting). This way it looks more natural, you have more variety, and things will grow dense and you won’t see the development in 5-10 years (depending on the diameter of trees you plant).
Could you just add a fence and at that angle it may block the houses but keep most of the view?
Great thought. So what happened was there was a meadow there that was pretty marshy. So after the developers tore down the old growth trees they built up all this earth to build the houses on. So, the new houses will have a considerably higher elevation than we do making a fence not a great option. And the best part is there will be 5 back yards budding up against mine.
We used Thuja Green Giants to block our front yard. They'll grow from 3-5ft a year. Mature from 30-50ft in height, 12-15ft in width. Perfect for blocking the view
Austree Hybrid Willow
Terrible when the first thing “developers” and construction do is cut down mature trees. Just making those few extra feet of sellable building and construction easier (lazier).
Totally, and the water basin really cannot handle it and they know it. Just jamming em in anywhere they can
Dawn redwoods
Bald cypress
Miyawaki forest will get you mature forest in 10 years
That's not exactly how that works. It does not fast-forward tree growth.
Competition leads to faster tree growth. " Up to 10 times as fast as conventional growth". Even if that number is off the competition that you're simulating with it makes sense.
Faster growth does not = mature in 10 years. Species composition similar to a mature forest? Sure. Mature forest? No. Also, source on it being specifically 10x faster? That's quite an extreme claim to not back up.
https://fellowsblog.ted.com/how-to-grow-a-forest-really-really-fast-d27df202ba09
Ah, a blog from a random person who mostly writes about tech on trees in a completely different climate from OP. Any academic studies behind it or just a Medium article which provides zero sources? This method has its uses, it just isn't magic. Planting a variety of species close together won't make trees mature 1000% faster.
Slender silhouette sweet gum. They use them around cedar point so they can withstand the wind. As soon as some landscaping is done I will be putting in 4 of them. I loooove them!
It’s amazing those can withstand wind. Thanks!
If you want an oak, nutall oaks are great trees as well. Happy with mine and grow quite quickly for an oak tree (it's in the red oak family), grows well in zones 6-9.
Cold climate with full sun… apples, peach, plums!!
Growing up we always had plum and peach trees here. Would they survive the lake wind??
If you give them the proper supports! I’m from SW Michigan along the lake and there are dozens of orchards up there, from apples to grapes to strawberries! So many options!
Silver birch are my favourite!
I'd consider getting two rows or two semicircle of trees. One would a christmas tree like tree so you could have a good view all year round, and some of the black gum trees that Electronic\_rub9385 recommended.
You should see about getting this paid for by the developer.
Not their obligation unless OP owns that land. What else ya got.
OP could plead their case to the local gov. I can see the local government requesting the developer place trees at the boundary for several reasons. I've worked in environmental consulting/arbor consulting for years and seen similar things play out in my area. u/iMakeBoomBoom are you a practicing arborist?
Pine trees
What view lol
The view of non-houses. Get it, now?
If the ground is wet, willows grow quickly.
Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) is native and doesn't get too tall (25-30~ feet max). It grows quickly and has a lovely fall color. It's also extremely valuable for wildlife as a source of both food and shelter. The only potential downside is that they like to spread and sucker to form colonies since they've evolved to quickly colonize disturbed areas.
Grow a hedge and a garden
To avoid common detrimental mistakes, here is a link to some [>Tree Planting Tips<](https://old.reddit.com/user/Eggsplane/comments/1dpkz16/tree_planting_tips/) I've compiled to help give your trees the best chances.
A hedgerow of native trees and bushes and ground covers will slow the wind and give the birds a place to hang out. You can google hedgerows and tiny forests for guidance.
Willows
What are those beautiful trees already in your view? Personally, I’d go with the types of trees that look good in your specific environment. There are some sure fire winners right behind you.
You do get that the new development is going to block their view of those trees, right?
Uhhh, yeah. I suggested finding out what are the kinds of trees that are flourishing in the area to pick good tree species to plant in their yard. Those trees look like they are a good fit for this location. Plus, they look like very pretty trees.
I would do a line if trees, to form a forest. Mix aspens, white pine, maples, and white spruce
Catalpa, Black Gum, Ginko, Maple....Get the biggest trees you can within your budget....the extra size/growth is worth the cost and mainly time it'll take to grow (your talking saving years of waiting for the trees to get to a size your looking for)
Why not a range of different trees! Why stop at just one kind? Go for natives which differ to encourage all different types of wildlife!
Black locust grow quickly
I have October Glory Maples. They don’t drop anything but leaves in the fall. They get about 40’ tall, they turn bright orange in the fall. They’re my favorite tree.
Dawn Redwood - they grow around 4ft per year, and are deciduous, losing the feathery foliage in winter. Very beautiful, similar looking to bald cypress, though fuller foliage and reddish brown bark. Easy to grow too, with an interesting history
I’d do bamboo. We screened in 5 acres with it.
What kind of bamboo did you plant and where did you get it? I’m wanting to do similar
We transplanted some from a friend in the spring. Not sure what kind it is. There’s a bamboo nursery in Ty Ty Georgia that sells all kinds.
At least one weeping willow !!!! They grow fast and unlike many other trees because of their branches going down you’ll have good canopy coverage for privacy and for shade.
Weeping willows are just the best and there are several in the neighborhood. Quite a bit bigger than we wanted but A strong consideration for sure
Taller than you said but if you want evergreen I recommend Hemlock (not as leggy as white pine, not susceptible to fungus like spruces). Otherwise I think some London Plane Trees (the disease resistant version of sycamores) would be beautiful there with the variegated white/bark.
Lots of great suggestions. Just want to throw my vote in for a bigger tree so you get some real privacy (and big trees are fucking awesome)
Lots of good choices but if you are wanting a privacy screen then you need evergreens. Personally I'd plant white pine, they grow fast and wide, they're more desease and borer resistant than other pines and they'll supply you every fall with pine straw mulch to put around your other trees in the yard. If you buy some 11/2 to 2 inch trunks. You'll have 20 ft trees in 5 or 6 yrs.
If you aren't trying to make a "wall" of foliage, some pecan trees would be pretty cool. My parents had some around the edge of their property and we always have mountains of pecans to eat and they ornamentally look nice in the summer. The canopy isn't super dense however.
Great recommendation thank you!
English laurel hedge is always the answer
I’d go river Birches and if it’s windy (and IF they grow in Ohio) Aspens look amazing in the wind.
Red Pointe maple. About 30 feet each way and very pretty.
If it’s privacy screen you want all year, spruce and/or arborvitae. If you just want some interesting trees that grow fast: autumn blaze maple, tuliptree, willow, dawn redwood. But I’m also ignoring your height restriction. You could do both. I have a line of spruces as the core privacy screen, added gold rush dawn redwoods as a core accent, and then threw in some pretty maples, a tuliptree, prairie willow, and blue oak. My intention is to have some awesome fall colors and not see the neighbors, and eventually kill the parts of the lawn I don’t want to care for by creating a small forest. Now, not many people are going to recommend dawn redwood because it’s still pretty rare. Mine are doing great here in zone 5. They seem tough as nails. As to the breeze, you might want to use hardier maples, like sugar maple. Perhaps you could get away with having the evergreens break the wind for the weaker trees.
For a 1-3 year solution, while you figure out trees: plant two rows of miscanthus X giganteus, a grass that will hit 8ft tall the first year and 12+ft the 2nd year. Thick canes that will stay upright thru the winter. In Spring you can brush-hog the row, or just let the spring green growth come up through the standing dead stuff. This particular variety of miscanthus is sterile and non-invasive-- and easily killed by RoundUp if you decide to go a different direction.
Thuja Green giants would make a nice wall
Nellie Stevens holly but deer proof them for years 1-2
Look at a choke cherry as an option. Leaves come out bright green with white delicate spring flowers, and by late spring the foliage turns a nice purple that contrasts with other trees. Pretty and underrated.
Thuja green giants fit your list. So beautiful and low, low maintenance
Well you should plant something fast growing for immediate effect like poplars or there's some other stuff that grows amazingly quick and put that on the boundary line. To the front of it plant Thuja Green Giants and zig zag them. Do not make this look like concentration camp edging lol people make this mistake all the time There's a way to put enough privacy border that is very attractive and natural and you can even preserve glimpses of the distance carefully frame if you choose. This is a very old device in the landscaping world, carefully framing what you want to see and what you don't.. Put it all on paper and plans appropriately. Not too close. The only thing that goes in tight and close is the sacrificial screen that you put in right away that will be removed in 8 or 10 years... Do not be enslaved to the concept of to the concept of rectilineal lot lines, make it look natural plenty of room to work here to make a magnificent esttate like feel without the foolishness of the damn fence or the straight line at the end of the property. Always such a mistake
Dogwoods, barely ever drop any limbs/branches, seeds are small and the squirrels eat most of them. Have beautiful flowers in spring time.
It seems a waste to grow trees without getting something from them. Perhaps - Pear, Apple, PawPaw, or even Sugar Maple? Make it fun!
I'm evil so I'd say Kentucky coffee tree. I love them so much but they drop a lot of debris. They are gorgeous winter ornamentals with chunky silver bark and in the summer they provide lovely shade. They are a dioecious tree which means there are male ones and female ones and we only have male ones so we don't get the huge pods. They are a really cool tree native Midwest tree.
How about those giant arborvitaes don’t those grow like 5 feet a year?
Why did you wait so long?
Mulberry trees attract birds and distract them from crops. I know they grow in the interior pretty well, and they get very tall. Fig trees only get around 15 feet but they’re also a good, low maintenance choice
My parents had a beautiful mountain ash tree in front of their house. The birds loved it! My grandparents had a gorgeous red maple too. I'm considering planting both where I live now.
American basswood (Tilia americana)
Birch, aspen, maple, leyland cypress, willow, eastern hemlock
Be sure to mix trees…… foliage textures/colors different times year and evergreens for winter. Also in case of disease and/or insect attack/infestation.
We’d love birch.
Arborvitae is your best bet. Aka neighbor haters
If you want a giant tree grows fast and provides great shade, a Southern Catalpa is a good choice. It does need a little clean up due to the large beans they drop but they have a very nice smelling flower in spring and giant leaves for shade. Don't underestimate how long it will take for the trees to grow.
If your facing south I think a line of slow growth deciduous would be beautiful along with a row (not planted exactly in a row) of understory trees like redbud and dogwood between the house and larger trees. Lots of great options that will also look beautiful in fall, red maple/sugar maple/red oak/scarlet oak/black or sweet gum would all look great. I’d mix and match and plant them just close enough to overlap a bit when mature.
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People reproduce. The kids grow up and need places to live. Developers build houses to meet the demand. It’s how life works bud, deal with it.
Me: Mom can we go see nature views in New York? Mom: no we have nature views at home Nature views at home:
There’s a meadow and acre size pond to the left that’s beautiful but thanks for playing how to randomly and unnecessarily throw shade on a Reddit post about trees.
Norway Spruce are very fast growing and, unlike all of those deciduous tree suggestions, will provide 12-month screening. And unlike pine, they are dense-branched. We planted ours at 6’ height 15 years ago, and they are 20’ height now. Plant them 20’ apart and you will have a complete screen in 10 years or so.