Meet American Pillar Arborvitae: A Fast-Growing Privacy Tree for Small Yards
Quick Answer
American Pillar Arborvitae — Thuja occidentalis 'American Pillar' — is a fast-growing, remarkably narrow evergreen tree prized for creating dense privacy screens and living fences. While traditional privacy trees expand significantly in width as they mature, American Pillar maintains a strictly slender, column-like growth habit. This unique architecture makes it the premier choice for tight property lines, suburban backyards, and landscape designs where horizontal space is limited.
One of the most frequent questions we receive at Greenwood Nursery is:
"What can I plant for a fast privacy screen that won't completely take over my backyard?"
If you are trying to block out a neighboring home or soften a harsh property line, traditional evergreen choices like Green Giant or Leyland Cypress often demand 12 to 15 feet of clearance in width. For smaller yards, that means sacrificing a massive chunk of your lawn.
American Pillar Arborvitae completely solves this dilemma. It delivers the rapid vertical growth and dense, year-round green foliage you need for privacy, while maintaining a compact footprint that leaves plenty of room for your family to enjoy the yard.
Why Homeowners & Landscapers Choose American Pillar
- 🟩 GROWTH RATE: Fast (Up to 3+ feet per year)
- 📐 MATURE WIDTH: Strict 4 to 5 feet wide
- ☀️ LIGHT: Full Sun to Partial Shade
- 🍂 FOLIAGE: Dense, Year-Round Evergreen
- 🌱 HARDINESS: USDA Zones 5–9 (Heat & Cold Tolerant)
- Accelerated Vertical Growth: It establishes quickly and puts on height rapidly, meaning you don't have to wait a decade to block out an unsightly view.
- Space-Saving Narrow Silhouette: Its naturally column-like habit allows it to fit comfortably into tight side yards, patio borders, and small urban lots where wider trees simply won't work.
- Living Fence Framework: It creates a soft, vibrant green wall that looks far more natural and inviting than stone, vinyl, or wood fencing.
- Minimal Maintenance: Because it holds its uniform, tight shape naturally, it requires virtually none of the heavy, annual shearing associated with other hedge plants.
Ideal Planting Locations in Your Landscape
Thanks to its upright, slender form, American Pillar is incredibly versatile. It is highly recommended for:
- Property Boundaries: Plant them along fence lines to create a clean backdrop without encroaching on your neighbor's air space.
- Poolside Privacy Layouts: Block out overlooking windows around your patio or pool deck without casting massive shadows over your water.
- Side-Yard Screening Corridors: Ideal for narrow strips of land between closely built modern homes.
- Disguising Eyesores: Perfect for blocking the view of utility boxes, alleyways, or trash storage zones.
American Pillar vs. Traditional Privacy Trees
| Feature | American Pillar Arborvitae | Traditional Privacy Trees (e.g., Green Giant) |
|---|---|---|
| Growth Habit | Strictly Columnar / Slender | Broadly Pyramidal / Wide Base |
| Mature Width | 4 to 5 feet | 12 to 15+ feet |
| Space Required | Minimal; perfect for small yards | Substantial; requires large acreage |
| Pruning Needed | Rarely; holds narrow form naturally | High; requires regular topping/shearing to control width |
Recommended Spacing for an Instant Living Wall
To establish a solid, interlocking privacy screen that blocks sound and line-of-sight efficiently, pay close attention to your planting centers:
- For a Tight, Solid Screen: Plant on 3-foot centers (measuring from the center of one trunk to the center of the next). This tighter spacing allows the branches to weave together quickly, forming a seamless living wall.
- For a Linear Accent Row: Plant on 4-to-5-foot centers. This allows each tree to maintain its individual, stately columnar definition while still providing excellent boundary screening.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast does American Pillar Arborvitae grow?
Under proper growing conditions with consistent moisture and full sun, American Pillar is a rapid grower, often putting on up to 3 feet of vertical growth per year once established.
How wide does American Pillar Arborvitae get?
At full maturity, American Pillar stays exceptionally narrow, topping out at just 4 to 5 feet wide. This is a fraction of the width of traditional screening evergreens.
Is American Pillar Arborvitae fully evergreen?
Yes. It retains its rich, bright green foliage through all four seasons, providing critical windbreak protection and visual privacy even during the dead of winter.
Can it tolerate hot southern summers?
Yes. American Pillar is highly adaptable throughout USDA Hardiness Zones 5–9. It is notably more heat-tolerant and resistant to foliage browning in hot, humid summers than older occidentalis cultivars.
Ready to Transform Your Yard?
Don't spend another season looking at the neighborhood traffic or an open property line. Get your privacy back with a beautiful, space-saving living wall.
👉 Shop American Pillar Arborvitae at Greenwood Nursery
More Privacy Plants to Consider
If you have a bit more room or want to mix textures in your landscape, explore these other popular options from our growing fields:
- Green Giant Arborvitae: The gold standard for large, open properties needing massive evergreen screens.
- Murray Cypress: An exceptional, fast-growing option with excellent disease resistance.
- Nellie R. Stevens Holly: Features deep green, glossy leaves and bright red winter berries for structural contrast.
- Yoshino Cryptomeria: A graceful, pyramidal evergreen with soft, feathery foliage.
