The 9 Best Privacy Plants for Your Pennsylvania Yard

As the name implies, this tree makes a great privacy screen all year long. Its dense evergreen foliage blocks prying neighbors and looks great while doing it. It grows quickly, up to three feet a year, reaching a mature height of 60 feet. And it’s deer resistant!

Along with green giant, there are other versions of arborvitae that can add some variety to your privacy walls. Consider emerald green arborvitae for a smaller space or globe arborvitae for a rounded shape. 

• Water: Water young trees deeply 1–2 times a week. Once established, they are drought tolerant but need to be watered in the dry season.  
• Sunlight: Full to partial sun.
• Soil: Well-draining soil. 
• Spacing: Plant about six feet apart. 
• Fertilizer: Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring. 
• Mulching: Add two inches of mulch to retain moisture. 
• Pruning: Prune as needed to remove dead branches and maintain their desired shape.

The shrub is native to PA and is often used for hedging around a patio or yard. With it, you get several looks with just one plant: white flowers in the spring, dark berries in the summer, and fiery foliage in the fall. 

Another benefit of this privacy plant is that it attracts pollinators to your home. It can get up to ten feet tall and eight feet wide, making it an ideal screening bush. 

• Water: Keep young shrubs wet, but once grown, let the soil dry out before watering. 
• Sunlight: Full to partial sun (four hours of direct light a day). 
• Soil: Acidic, well-draining, loamy soil. 
• Spacing: For a dense hedge, plant them 5–8 feet apart. 
• Fertilizer: Annually add a balanced, slow-release fertilizer. 
• Mulching: Spread a few inches of mulch to retain moisture during its first growing season. 
• Pruning: Cut back after the shrub is finished flowering.

This PA native is fast-growing, but it won’t overwhelm your yard. It’s small to medium sized, with a maximum height and width of about 20 feet. In the summer, you’ll enjoy white, lemon-scented flowers and glossy green leaves. 

It thrives in wet areas and attracts lots of birds, including songbirds and hummingbirds. 

• Water: Water a few times a week while young, and once a week once established. 
• Sunlight: Full to partial sun. 
• Soil: Moist, well-draining, acidic soil. 
• Spacing: Space trees 20 feet apart. 
• Fertilizer: Add a balanced fertilizer in the spring, especially for young trees. 
• Mulching: Apply a few inches of mulch around the tree, avoiding the trunk. 
• Pruning: Prune after the tree is done blooming.

Despite its name, this is a Pennsylvania native plant in the grape family. It’s a fast-growing vine that loves climbing up fences and trees, adding privacy to your space. It can reach a height of up to 50 feet. It’s green in the spring and summer and turns red in the fall when the temperature drops. 

However, this vine can be aggressive, so be sure to monitor it and cut it back as needed. It also grows toxic berries that should not be eaten. 

• Water: Water regularly to establish roots, then occasionally in intense heat. 
• Sunlight: Full sun (6 hours or more for best fall color). 
• Soil: Any well-draining soil. 
• Fertilizer: No fertilizer needed. 
• Mulching: No mulch needed. 
• Pruning: Prune regularly to control the spread.

This low-maintenance, native vine is one of the best plants for privacy. It’s semi-evergreen and can easily cover chain link fences, trellises, and arbors. It can grow to 20 feet tall and six feet wide. Plus, it attracts pollinators!

In the spring, summer, and fall, you’ll get sweet-smelling flowers. Different cultivars offer different colors: yellow, orange, red, and more. While some species of honeysuckle are invasive, this one is a great addition to any Pennsylvania garden! 

• Water: Water regularly for young plants. Established honeysuckle is extremely drought-tolerant. 
• Sunlight: Full sun for the best blooms.
• Soil: Well-draining, slightly acidic soil. 
• Fertilizer: Fertilize once in the spring with a complete, slow-release fertilizer. 
• Mulching: Add a few inches of mulch in the first few years of growth. 
• Pruning: Cut back as needed after it blooms.

These flowers add an enchanting feel to your yard. This climbing woody vine grows quickly, making it a great privacy plant. It’s native to Pennsylvania and features purple, blue, or white flowers that form in clusters, drooping down from the stem. 

American wisteria can grow up to 30 feet long if cared for properly. It forms a dense screen on pergolas, fences, and trellises. But be careful! This plant is toxic if ingested. 

• Water: Water regularly in the first year and during dry spells. 
• Sunlight: Full sun (6 hours a day) for best color. 
• Soil: Moist, well-draining soil. 
• Fertilizer: Not typically needed. 
• Mulching: Apply mulch once a year, keeping it away from the stems. 
• Pruning: Prune twice a year to keep its desired shape.

This ornamental, perennial grass is native to PA and can grow up to six feet tall. If it gets too tall, it may become top-heavy and need help from a stake to stay upright. It’s gained popularity since it’s so easy to grow and adaptable. 

We often see switchgrass grown as a conservation crop, but it’s also one of the best plants for privacy. It has many wildlife benefits, and typically starts growing late in the spring 

• Water: Water well during the first year, then it’s extremely drought-tolerant. 
• Sunlight: Full sun or partial shade. 
• Soil: Thrives in wet, dry, sandy, or clay soils. 
• Spacing: Plant them two or three feet apart. 
• Fertilizer: Not needed once established. 
• Mulching: Helpful for young plants, but not required. 
• Pruning: Cut back in early spring as needed.

This perennial is native to Pennsylvania and is a pollinator favorite. Your yard will be full of bees and butterflies in no time. However, it can easily get out of hand so make sure to pull seedlings to keep the growth managed. 

Joe Pye weed can grow up to eight feet tall, making it perfect for creating a privacy screen in your yard. It’s also deer resistant! This plant is extremely adaptable and easy to care for. It doesn’t need much help from you and naturally grows in moist, sunny spots. 

• Water: Water regularly and do not let the soil dry out completely. 
• Sunlight: Full or partial sun. 
• Soil: Moist soil. 
• Spacing: Space plants three or four feet apart. 
• Fertilizer: Not needed. 
• Mulching: Not needed unless you’re struggling to retain moisture. 
• Pruning:  Cut back early in the spring and deadhead in the fall.

Who doesn’t love a field full of sunflowers? Species like the giant sunflowers are native to Pennsylvania and grow fast. They can get up to 16 feet tall—a privacy plant like no other! 

However, they do need lots of water, sun, and structural support as they get taller. These flowers attract birds and bees, so before long you’ll have a thriving ecosystem in your own backyard. 

• Water: Water every day to keep the soil damp but not waterlogged. 
• Sunlight: Full sun. 
• Soil: Moist, well-draining soil. 
• Spacing: Plant sunflowers one or two feet apart. 
• Fertilizer: Add a slow-release fertilizer once a year. 
• Mulching: Layer on a few inches of organic mulch. 
• Pruning: Remove the side shoots so the plant can focus its energy on creating one large head.