Best columnar and narrow evergreen trees for privacy and small spaces

The best columnar evergreen trees for residential yards are Italian Cypress, Taylor Juniper, Spartan Juniper, and Emerald Green Arborvitae. Each one grows tall and narrow enough to fit between your house and the fence line without swallowing the whole yard.

I’ve lived on a small lot in Northern California for over twenty years. When you’ve got 15 feet between your house and the property line, you can’t plant a 40-foot-wide Live Oak and call it a privacy screen. You need trees that grow up, not out. Here’s what actually works, organized by size so you can match the right tree to your space. If you’re working with a tight lot, our best trees for small yards covers broader options beyond just columnar picks.

What makes a tree “columnar”?

Columnar (also called fastigiate) trees grow with a height-to-width ratio of roughly 4:1 or greater. A 20-foot-tall columnar tree might be only 4-5 feet wide. Compare that to a standard shade tree that spreads nearly as wide as it is tall.

The difference between columnar, pyramidal, and conical matters when you’re shopping. Columnar means straight up like a column with minimal taper. Pyramidal is wider at the base and narrower at the top. Conical is similar to pyramidal but more rounded. For privacy screening along a fence line, columnar and narrow pyramidal forms give you the most height in the least width.

Best for tall screening (20+ feet)

Italian Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)

The classic Mediterranean column. Italian Cypress grows 40-70 feet tall but only 3-6 feet wide, giving you the most dramatic height-to-width ratio of any common landscape tree. Growth rate runs 1-3 feet per year. Zones 7-11.

Italian Cypress thrives in Sacramento and the Bay Area’s Mediterranean climate. It handles drought once established and needs virtually no pruning to maintain its tight columnar shape. The UF/IFAS factsheet warns against pruning Italian Cypress because it can ruin the natural form.

The honest downsides: susceptible to Seiridium canker and spider mites, root rot in wet soils, and it can get too tall for some residential sites. Plant it where you want a 50-foot vertical exclamation point, not where you need a 15-foot hedge. Expect $80-200 for a 5-7 foot nursery specimen.

Taylor Juniper (Juniperus virginiana ‘Taylor’)

My top pick for drought-proof screening in hot climates. Taylor Juniper grows 15-25 feet tall and just 3-4 feet wide with tight silvery-green foliage. Growth rate is 1-2 feet per year. Zones 4-9.

This is a cultivar of Eastern Red Cedar, a native species bred for toughness. It handles Sacramento’s zone 9 heat, drought, alkaline clay soil, and everything else our Central Valley throws at trees. The Missouri Botanical Garden profile confirms its wide adaptability.

One thing to know: Eastern Red Cedar hosts cedar-apple rust. If you have apple trees within a few hundred yards, the spores can travel between them. Otherwise, Taylor is about as low-maintenance as a tree gets. Budget $40-80 per tree.

Spartan Juniper (Juniperus chinensis ‘Spartan’)

The fastest-growing juniper you can buy for a privacy hedge. Spartan grows 15-20 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide at 12-18 inches per year. Dark green year-round with a formal pyramidal shape. Zones 4-9.

Spartan handles heat, drought, and alkaline soils that are common in California’s Central Valley. It’s deer resistant, takes shearing well for formal hedges, and rarely has pest problems. The downsides per UF/IFAS are tip blight in wet conditions and the same cedar-apple rust potential as Taylor. Budget $35-65 per tree.

Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata ‘Green Giant’)

The fastest columnar evergreen you can buy. Green Giant grows 3-5 feet per year and can reach 40-60 feet tall. It’s more deer resistant than other arborvitae varieties. Zones 5-8.

But here’s the warning I wish someone had given my neighbor: Green Giant gets 12-18 feet wide. On a 50-foot suburban lot, that’s not a hedge. That’s a wall that blocks your entire side yard. The Clemson HGIC factsheet on Leyland Cypress alternatives recommends Green Giant for large properties but acknowledges the size gets out of hand on small lots.

If you’ve got the room and need privacy fast, nothing beats Green Giant. If your lot is under half an acre, look at Taylor or Spartan Juniper instead. Green Giant also struggles in Sacramento’s zone 9b heat. It’s rated for zones 5-8 per the NC State Plant Toolbox. Budget $50-100 per tree.

Best for medium screening (10-20 feet)

Emerald Green Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’)

The most popular privacy hedge tree in America. Emerald Green grows 12-15 feet tall and just 3-4 feet wide. It retains bright green color year-round without the winter bronzing that plagues other arborvitae varieties. Zones 2-8.

The catch: it grows slowly at 6-8 inches per year. You’re playing a long game. Penn State Extension covers why it’s still worth the wait for smaller yards. The bigger catch: deer treat Emerald Green like an all-you-can-eat buffet. In deer country, you’ll need burlap wraps or 8-foot fencing. And zone 9 Sacramento is too hot for this tree. It belongs in zones 3-7 where it excels.

We wrote a full guide to Emerald Green Arborvitae with spacing charts, deer protection strategies, and honest zone-by-zone advice. Budget $25-50 per tree, making it one of the cheapest screening options available.

Degroot’s Spire Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Degroot’s Spire’)

An ultra-narrow arborvitae with unique twisted, scalloped foliage texture. Degroot’s Spire grows 15-20 feet tall but stays just 3-5 feet wide. It needs almost no pruning to maintain its tight form. Zones 3-7.

Like Emerald Green, it’s deer susceptible and not suited for hot climates. The slow growth rate of 6-12 inches per year means patience. Best for tight spaces between buildings or formal gardens in cooler climates. The NC State Plant Toolbox profile has the full details. Budget $40-70 per tree.

Columnar Blue Spruce (Picea pungens ‘Iseli Fastigiata’)

A color statement tree. The silvery-blue needles stand out year-round in a landscape full of green. Grows 20-30 feet tall and 5-10 feet wide. Extremely cold-hardy to -40F. Zones 2-7.

This is a mountain tree, not a valley tree. Sacramento’s zone 9 heat will stress it badly. But if you’re in the Sierra foothills, Tahoe area, or anywhere in zones 4-7, Columnar Blue Spruce is a striking specimen. UMN Extension recommends it as a residential-scale alternative to the massive standard Blue Spruce. Budget $80-150 per tree.

Best for accents and tight spaces (under 15 feet)

Sky Pencil Holly (Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’)

The narrowest evergreen on this list. Sky Pencil grows 4-10 feet tall and just 1-3 feet wide. It’s an architectural exclamation point, perfect for flanking doorways, planting in containers, or tucking into narrow beds against walls. Zones 6-9.

It’s not a screening tree. But for tight spaces where nothing else fits, Sky Pencil delivers vertical structure. The NC State Plant Toolbox notes it tolerates shade and urban pollution. The trade-off: it demands acidic soil and yellows in alkaline conditions. Sacramento’s clay soils may need amendments. Budget $30-60 per tree.

Slender Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Gracilis’)

The shade-tolerant beauty of the group. Slender Hinoki grows 8-15 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide with gorgeous ferny dark-green foliage that takes on bronze tones in winter. Zones 4-8.

Most columnar evergreens demand full sun. Hinoki Cypress tolerates light shade, making it useful for north-facing spots or understory plantings. It needs protection from harsh afternoon sun in hot climates and supplemental water when young. In Sacramento, give it afternoon shade and regular irrigation. The Bay Area’s coastal influence suits it better. Budget $60-120 per tree.

How to space columnar evergreens for a privacy screen

The general rule: plant at half to two-thirds of the mature width for a dense screen. Here’s what that means in practice:

• Italian Cypress: 3-5 feet apart
• Taylor Juniper: 3-4 feet apart
• Spartan Juniper: 4-5 feet apart
• Emerald Green Arborvitae: 3-4 feet apart
• Green Giant: 5-6 feet apart (but it fills to 12-18 feet wide)

Real math: a 50-foot fence line needs 12-15 Emerald Greens at $25-50 each. That’s $300-$750 for trees alone. The same fence line with Taylor Junipers runs $480-$960 but you get faster growth and zero deer problems. For a staggered double-row that creates instant density, offset the rows by half the spacing distance and add 50% more trees. For planting technique, see our tree planting tips and bare root planting guide.

Don’t make a monoculture wall

Clemson’s HGIC factsheet on mixed screens makes a case I agree with completely: plant groups of 3-5 different species instead of one continuous row of the same tree.

The reason is simple. One disease or pest can wipe out a monoculture row. That’s exactly what happened with Leyland Cypress. Homeowners across the Southeast planted millions of them as privacy screens, then Seiridium canker and Botryosphaeria rolled through and killed entire hedges.

Mix it up. A row of alternating Taylor Juniper, Spartan Juniper, and a broadleaf evergreen like Wax Myrtle gives you a more resilient screen that still looks intentional. You lose some visual uniformity but gain insurance against losing everything at once.

Biggest mistakes with columnar evergreens

Planting Green Giant on a small lot. It grows 3-5 feet per year and hits 60 feet tall and 18 feet wide. That “cute little evergreen” from the nursery becomes a monster in five years.

Ignoring deer pressure. Emerald Green Arborvitae is deer candy. If you live anywhere with a deer population, you’ll wake up to a hedge stripped bare to 6 feet. Junipers and Italian Cypress are deer resistant.

Overwatering Italian Cypress. These Mediterranean trees need well-drained soil and infrequent deep watering. Root rot from soggy soil kills more Italian Cypress than any pest.

Forgetting that fast-growing means fast to outgrow. The Green Giant that gives you quick privacy at year 3 needs major pruning by year 8 and removal by year 15. Slower growers like Emerald Green are more work up front but less work long-term.

For storm protection advice on any of these trees, see our guide to protecting trees from storms. For a broader look at how trees add value to your property, this property value guide covers the financial side.

Frequently asked questions

What is the tallest skinny evergreen tree? Italian Cypress at 40-70 feet tall and just 3-6 feet wide. It’s the tallest, narrowest option for residential landscapes, though it only works in zones 7-11.

What is the fastest growing narrow evergreen? Green Giant Arborvitae at 3-5 feet per year, but it gets massive (60 feet tall, 18 feet wide). For a truly narrow fast grower, Spartan Juniper at 12-18 inches per year stays 4-5 feet wide.

What narrow evergreen is deer resistant? Taylor Juniper and Spartan Juniper are both deer resistant. Italian Cypress is also rarely browsed. Avoid all Eastern arborvitae varieties (Emerald Green, Degroot’s Spire, North Pole) in deer country.

What columnar evergreen grows best in shade? Slender Hinoki Cypress tolerates light shade better than any other tree on this list. Most columnar evergreens need full sun (6+ hours) for dense growth.

How far apart should I plant columnar evergreen trees? Half to two-thirds of the mature width. Emerald Green: 3-4 feet. Italian Cypress: 3-5 feet. Spartan Juniper: 4-5 feet.

Are columnar evergreens good for zone 9? Italian Cypress and both junipers (Taylor, Spartan) handle zone 9 heat. Arborvitae and spruce varieties generally struggle above zone 8.