Recommended Privacy Shrub/Tree for shady area

odanny

Diamond Member
May 7, 2017
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Midwest - Trumplandia
I'm looking for something to provide privacy that won't grow too tall (8-10 ft. maximum) but can grow as wide as it wants. It will be in area where it does not get much sun, other than early morning sun. I don't want to plant an arbor vitae, and while they provide great privacy, I have 4 huge ones on the sunny side of my home. I'd like to plant another burning bush but don't think it will grow very well in the shady conditions. Has anyone had any success with this scenario before?
 
Look into forsythia. They do well in shade, are within you height range, have bright yellow blooms, and are fast growers. In my opinion they grow a little too fast, as I am constantly trimming them back.

Probably should have added that they are deciduous so you will lose some of your privacy in the winter.
 
I'm looking for something to provide privacy that won't grow too tall (8-10 ft. maximum) but can grow as wide as it wants. It will be in area where it does not get much sun, other than early morning sun. I don't want to plant an arbor vitae, and while they provide great privacy, I have 4 huge ones on the sunny side of my home. I'd like to plant another burning bush but don't think it will grow very well in the shady conditions. Has anyone had any success with this scenario before?
Azaleas would work. There are lots of different types, that grow to different heights. I don't know what Zone you're in, but there are cold hardy ones that will grow as far north as Zone 5.
 
I'm looking for something to provide privacy that won't grow too tall (8-10 ft. maximum) but can grow as wide as it wants. It will be in area where it does not get much sun, other than early morning sun. I don't want to plant an arbor vitae, and while they provide great privacy, I have 4 huge ones on the sunny side of my home. I'd like to plant another burning bush but don't think it will grow very well in the shady conditions. Has anyone had any success with this scenario before?
Azaleas would work. There are lots of different types, that grow to different heights. I don't know what Zone you're in, but there are cold hardy ones that will grow as far north as Zone 5.
And they look freakin awesome when different colors are planted together.

f8c9da6ec16911d7356d0bf13ccffd67.jpg
 
Wow, excellent suggestions, and so fast, too! I am in zone 5, and those azaleas look amazing. Never heard of forsythia, and will definitely research those as well. (Winter privacy not necessary, my house is next to a park and I need to block the view of kids and families looking into my den window.
 
I'm looking for something to provide privacy that won't grow too tall (8-10 ft. maximum) but can grow as wide as it wants. It will be in area where it does not get much sun, other than early morning sun. I don't want to plant an arbor vitae, and while they provide great privacy, I have 4 huge ones on the sunny side of my home. I'd like to plant another burning bush but don't think it will grow very well in the shady conditions. Has anyone had any success with this scenario before?
Azaleas would work. There are lots of different types, that grow to different heights. I don't know what Zone you're in, but there are cold hardy ones that will grow as far north as Zone 5.
And they look freakin awesome when different colors are planted together.

View attachment 358005
When I was in Charleston, we visited a plantation with amazing formal gardens, and the Azalea Walk was unbelievable. I loved the fuscia right next to the bright orange.
 
Wow, excellent suggestions, and so fast, too! I am in zone 5, and those azaleas look amazing. Never heard of forsythia, and will definitely research those as well. (Winter privacy not necessary, my house is next to a park and I need to block the view of kids and families looking into my den window.
If you try forsythia, make sure you know how to shape and prune them. Around here, a lot of times they get lanky and kinda rangy lookin. But the place next door to my office has some that are beautiful, full and BIG. They have a professional garden outfit take care of the grounds.
 
Wow, excellent suggestions, and so fast, too! I am in zone 5, and those azaleas look amazing. Never heard of forsythia, and will definitely research those as well. (Winter privacy not necessary, my house is next to a park and I need to block the view of kids and families looking into my den window.
If you try forsythia, make sure you know how to shape and prune them. Around here, a lot of times they get lanky and kinda rangy lookin. But the place next door to my office has some that are beautiful, full and BIG. They have a professional garden outfit take care of the grounds.

I've read the same thing on those, I'm little concerned that they won't get bright yellow since they won't get much sun, and I'm trying to find something that will thrive in the shade. I did read about how fast they grow, some up to 2 feet a year. I'm guessing those need sunlight to get that, and mine will only get the early morning sun.
 
Wow, excellent suggestions, and so fast, too! I am in zone 5, and those azaleas look amazing. Never heard of forsythia, and will definitely research those as well. (Winter privacy not necessary, my house is next to a park and I need to block the view of kids and families looking into my den window.
If you try forsythia, make sure you know how to shape and prune them. Around here, a lot of times they get lanky and kinda rangy lookin. But the place next door to my office has some that are beautiful, full and BIG. They have a professional garden outfit take care of the grounds.

I've read the same thing on those, I'm little concerned that they won't get bright yellow since they won't get much sun, and I'm trying to find something that will thrive in the shade. I did read about how fast they grow, some up to 2 feet a year. I'm guessing those need sunlight to get that, and mine will only get the early morning sun.
Well, there's a small azalea, maybe 4' by 3' or so, on the southwest side of the house that my mom found somewhere a couple years before I moved up here. I babied it and gave it the stuff to keep the soil acidic, watered it regularly, fed it Miracle Gro, and it took years for that thing to start growing. We really thought it was a goner at times. Now it's a nice sized foundation shrub, but it was the same thing with the shrub rose I planted for her (a rugosa variety). It took about 20 years to mature to it's promised size, and she died long before it hit its glory. Maybe the larger azalea varieties grow faster, but you might want to consider getting curtains, just in case it takes awhile for it to cover your windows.
 
Wow, excellent suggestions, and so fast, too! I am in zone 5, and those azaleas look amazing. Never heard of forsythia, and will definitely research those as well. (Winter privacy not necessary, my house is next to a park and I need to block the view of kids and families looking into my den window.
If you try forsythia, make sure you know how to shape and prune them. Around here, a lot of times they get lanky and kinda rangy lookin. But the place next door to my office has some that are beautiful, full and BIG. They have a professional garden outfit take care of the grounds.

I've read the same thing on those, I'm little concerned that they won't get bright yellow since they won't get much sun, and I'm trying to find something that will thrive in the shade. I did read about how fast they grow, some up to 2 feet a year. I'm guessing those need sunlight to get that, and mine will only get the early morning sun.

forsythia grow everywhere but I wouldn't want for a hedge. If a hornet nest gets in there, it is going to be a PITA to get rid of without a flamethrower.
 
Wow, excellent suggestions, and so fast, too! I am in zone 5, and those azaleas look amazing. Never heard of forsythia, and will definitely research those as well. (Winter privacy not necessary, my house is next to a park and I need to block the view of kids and families looking into my den window.
If you try forsythia, make sure you know how to shape and prune them. Around here, a lot of times they get lanky and kinda rangy lookin. But the place next door to my office has some that are beautiful, full and BIG. They have a professional garden outfit take care of the grounds.

I've read the same thing on those, I'm little concerned that they won't get bright yellow since they won't get much sun, and I'm trying to find something that will thrive in the shade. I did read about how fast they grow, some up to 2 feet a year. I'm guessing those need sunlight to get that, and mine will only get the early morning sun.

forsythia grow everywhere but I wouldn't want for a hedge. If a hornet nest gets in there, it is going to be a PITA to get rid of without a flamethrower.
Forsythia have thorns? I never noticed that.
 
Wow, excellent suggestions, and so fast, too! I am in zone 5, and those azaleas look amazing. Never heard of forsythia, and will definitely research those as well. (Winter privacy not necessary, my house is next to a park and I need to block the view of kids and families looking into my den window.
If you try forsythia, make sure you know how to shape and prune them. Around here, a lot of times they get lanky and kinda rangy lookin. But the place next door to my office has some that are beautiful, full and BIG. They have a professional garden outfit take care of the grounds.

I've read the same thing on those, I'm little concerned that they won't get bright yellow since they won't get much sun, and I'm trying to find something that will thrive in the shade. I did read about how fast they grow, some up to 2 feet a year. I'm guessing those need sunlight to get that, and mine will only get the early morning sun.

forsythia grow everywhere but I wouldn't want for a hedge. If a hornet nest gets in there, it is going to be a PITA to get rid of without a flamethrower.

Yea, I read it is a Chinese plant that is actually considered an invasive species (not by everyone, mind you, but by some horticultural organizations) It seems like everything that comes from China is considered an invasive species. Yea, I do have some hornets around here, and last summer I got stung twice when inadvertently rousting them from their nests when trimming some overgrown hedges in my back alley
 
Wow, excellent suggestions, and so fast, too! I am in zone 5, and those azaleas look amazing. Never heard of forsythia, and will definitely research those as well. (Winter privacy not necessary, my house is next to a park and I need to block the view of kids and families looking into my den window.
If you try forsythia, make sure you know how to shape and prune them. Around here, a lot of times they get lanky and kinda rangy lookin. But the place next door to my office has some that are beautiful, full and BIG. They have a professional garden outfit take care of the grounds.

I've read the same thing on those, I'm little concerned that they won't get bright yellow since they won't get much sun, and I'm trying to find something that will thrive in the shade. I did read about how fast they grow, some up to 2 feet a year. I'm guessing those need sunlight to get that, and mine will only get the early morning sun.

forsythia grow everywhere but I wouldn't want for a hedge. If a hornet nest gets in there, it is going to be a PITA to get rid of without a flamethrower.
Forsythia have thorns? I never noticed that.
Not sure where you got that from my post. No they do not
 
Wow, excellent suggestions, and so fast, too! I am in zone 5, and those azaleas look amazing. Never heard of forsythia, and will definitely research those as well. (Winter privacy not necessary, my house is next to a park and I need to block the view of kids and families looking into my den window.
If you try forsythia, make sure you know how to shape and prune them. Around here, a lot of times they get lanky and kinda rangy lookin. But the place next door to my office has some that are beautiful, full and BIG. They have a professional garden outfit take care of the grounds.

I've read the same thing on those, I'm little concerned that they won't get bright yellow since they won't get much sun, and I'm trying to find something that will thrive in the shade. I did read about how fast they grow, some up to 2 feet a year. I'm guessing those need sunlight to get that, and mine will only get the early morning sun.

forsythia grow everywhere but I wouldn't want for a hedge. If a hornet nest gets in there, it is going to be a PITA to get rid of without a flamethrower.

Yea, I read it is a Chinese plant that is actually considered an invasive species (not by everyone, mind you, but by some horticultural organizations) It seems like everything that comes from China is considered an invasive species. Yea, I do have some hornets around here, and last summer I got stung twice when inadvertently rousting them from their nests when trimming some overgrown hedges in my back alley

I posted that as someone who discovered an enormous wasp nest in one and it took burning it down it was so intertwined among the many branches. I am guessing hornets would be even worse.
 
I'm looking for something to provide privacy that won't grow too tall (8-10 ft. maximum) but can grow as wide as it wants. It will be in area where it does not get much sun, other than early morning sun. I don't want to plant an arbor vitae, and while they provide great privacy, I have 4 huge ones on the sunny side of my home. I'd like to plant another burning bush but don't think it will grow very well in the shady conditions. Has anyone had any success with this scenario before?
Azaleas would work. There are lots of different types, that grow to different heights. I don't know what Zone you're in, but there are cold hardy ones that will grow as far north as Zone 5.
And they look freakin awesome when different colors are planted together.

View attachment 358005
Once a year..for a little while..
Azaleas or Privet.
 

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