Best fast-growing trees: 10 trees to bring superfast impact in your yard

Looking for fast-growing trees to fill your empty yard quickly? Need a tree that will take off like a rocket? Want to make your garden seem mature in no time at all? Does your yard need something with real presence – like, yesterday? The good news is there are plenty of options to solve your tree dilemmas. 

There are evergreen trees that are galloping into growth almost as soon as you have planted them, and there are deciduous trees whose youthful maturity comes in almost an instant. 

But here’s the thing. These express evergreens and deciduous foliage flyers will not stop growing just because you ask them nicely. They will keep getting taller and taller, way beyond the 10 years for which I have given the height in the below selections. So it is vital to choose the right tree and plant it in the right place – right tree, right place.

A fast-growing tree in the wrong place too often means a tree that you’re tempted to prune from the top of a wobbling stepladder. Think about it: just as your tree is getting too tall for the space you gave it, it is becoming too tall to prune without hiring an expert. And, anyway, pruning may ruin its shape.

So I repeat my mantra: right tree, right place. Certainly, plant one of these fast-growing trees, but always plant the right one in the right situation.

Choosing fast-growing trees is about more than planting a racer that will grow 3ft, 4ft or 5ft a year. Consider its shape as well as its height. Think about how much shade it will cast, on your neighbors’ gardens as well as your own. Even if you choose one of the best backyard trees, will its roots suck moisture from your flower garden? Will its roots get into your foundations or block up your drains? Where are the overhead utility lines? And remember, trees grow faster in favorable climates.

With all that in mind, we've rounded up some of the best options so you can find the right fast-growing tree to suit your location and size of plot.

By Graham Rice