Tree Planting

5 Windbreak Trees that will Blow you Away

By Sheereen Othman | December 2, 2016

A windbreak is a practical and inexpensive way to shielding heavy winds from your home, but windbreaks have additional benefits unrelated to wind. Planting trees along the outer edge of your yard or property is smart way to create a privacy barrier, buffer noise, reduce heating and cooling costs, protect livestock and add appeal to your property. Trees are also more likely to outlive any fence you build for the same purposes.

Numerous factors will influence which trees you plant: evergreen, deciduous, same species, variety, longevity, hardiness zone, the options are plentiful. Here are five evergreens that make for great windbreaks and look beautiful. We even offer a mixed screen windbreak collection to simplify your search.

Watch Ask an Arborist: Why Should I Plant Evergreens?

  1. American Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)

Hardiness zones 3-7, slow growing, 40-60 feet high

Winter Garden in the early morning. Thuy under snow

Check out Tree Care Tips for the Tree of Life: Arborvitae

2. Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis)

Hardiness zones 3-8, slow to medium growing, 40-70 feet high

Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)Branches, defocused snowy background

3. White Spruce (Picea glauca)

Hardiness zones 2-6, medium growing, 40-60 feet high

ornamental white spruce at winter on the snow.

4. Douglasfir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca)

Hardiness zones 4-6, medium growing, 40-70 feet high

Snow covers Douglas fir trees in a forest near Mount Rainier National Park.

5. Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)

Hardiness zones 2-7, slow growing, 50-75 feet high

A beautifully shaped Blue Spruce tree covered with snow in a field.

Catch up on The Five Most Popular Christmas Trees for more evergreens!

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  • Connor DeCatur February 13, 2019 at 8:07 pm

    These are all beautiful trees and as an owner of a tree service I am so happy to see you all at the Arbor Day Foundation encouraging people to keep planting trees.

    Thanks!