With a population of about 80,996, keeping prying eyes off your property or blocking out noise are among the key privacy concerns for Redwood City homeowners. Planting privacy trees in Redwood City is cheaper than erecting a wall and a more beautiful alternative to a fence or lattice.
While it may take some time, growing evergreen privacy trees provides long-term screening benefits at maturity. Ahead, we’ve detailed the best, fast-growing privacy trees in Redwood City to provide a visual appeal and screen your home all year round.
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Top 5 Privacy Trees to Grow in Redwood City
According to the USDA plant hardiness map, California’s Redwood City is in zone 9b and 10a. With temperatures ranging between 25°F and 35°F), drought-resistant, fast-growing screening trees are the best alternatives for this area. Here are some of the top evergreen trees for privacy in Redwood City:
1. Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
As the name suggests, Redwood (California Redwood/Coastal Redwood) is among the best native privacy trees that thrive in Redwood City. This tree’s ability to grow quickly during winter and spring makes it your ideal privacy solution if you want to create a live screen hurriedly.
Redwood trees are among the tallest in the world, reaching up to 116.07 m (380.8 ft.). They can also grow to surprising heights, spreading their needle-like leaves to form a conical shape.
Although redwood species make great privacy trees, they can take up reasonable space in your yard. Ensure you have enough space and prune your trees consistently to create maximum privacy without invading your neighbor’s property.
2. Italian Cypress
Scientifically known as Cupressus sempervirens, the Italian Cypress is among the top fast-growing trees for privacy that Redwood homeowners can’t ignore. It can reach up to 3 feet yearly and requires constant pruning as it can touch overhead power lines.
Aside from its drought-resistance benefits, the Italian cypress saves space considerably. The tree’s symmetrical, tall, and narrow design makes it excellent for screening small spaces.
With a spread of up to 4-5 ft. and a height reaching up to 50 feet, this tree species allows you to enjoy privacy quickly. In addition, Italian Cypress grows green-blue foliage that adds beauty to your home.
3. California Bay Laurel (Umbellularia californica)
Here’s another excellent hardwood tree that’s great for live screening. Endemic to the coastal forests of California, the California Bay Laurel adapts well to various climatic conditions, including Redwood City’s warm Mediterranean climate.
The California Bay Laurel grows tall vertically, creating a dense, rounded canopy perfect as a privacy screen. Further, its dark-green broad leaves, clustered creamy-colored flowers, and round greenish-purple fruits offer ornamental value in your home.
This is an excellent option if you’re looking for evergreen privacy trees in Redwood City that also doubles up as ornamental plants. For maximum screening, avoid planting your trees far apart, as it may leave unnecessary open spaces.
4. Photinia (Red Robin)
A list of privacy trees in Redwood City isn’t complete without mentioning Photinia (Red Robin). This tree is versatile and adaptable to Redwood City’s climate, making it an ideal privacy solution.
Photinia, an evergreen, medium-sized shrub, thrives in Redwood’s well-drained soils and grows fast to provide a hedge, border, or screen for your property. When mature, a red robin shrub reaches a height of 12-25 feet and a width of 8-10 feet.
It has wide, shiny leaves that emerge with a bronze-red color and turn into a beautiful dark-green hue on reaching maturity. In addition, its tiny white flowers turn into pink-reddish berries (Christmas berries) during fall, making your property a beauty to behold.
5. Green Giant Arborvitae
Here’s another pick if you’re looking for a privacy tree suitable for tight spaces. The green giant arborvitae (Thuja ‘Green Giant’) is a low-branching tree with needle-like leaves and a dense columnar shape.
With optimal conditions, this evergreen tree can grow up to 3-4 feet annually, reaching a height of 40-60 feet on maturity. The Green Giant’s fast-growing nature ensures you have a windbreaker or noise screen in no time. Plant these tree groupings close together and trim them into your desired privacy screen for better privacy.
Get Privacy Trees in Redwood City
With over 73 thousand tree species worldwide, picking privacy trees in Redwood City can be daunting. The area’s unique climate, humidity levels, and soil types only support some tree types. Our detailed list of the best privacy trees to grow in your Redwood home offers a location-specific guide to choosing top trees for live screening.
At Fire Fighter Tree Services, we have certified arborists to help you get a quick privacy solution without a struggle. From tree planting to trimming to stump removal, we offer across-the-board professional tree services.
