Growing shrubs is a smart way to add structure, privacy, and seasonal color to your landscape. But waiting years for them to mature can be frustrating. That’s why fast-growing shrubs are a favorite among gardeners looking to fill in space quickly or create a lush backdrop without the long delay. Whether you’re planting a hedge, a flowering focal point, or a foundation plant, these fast-growing shrubs will deliver beauty and coverage in record time.
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Benefits of Fast-Growing Shrubs
Choosing fast-growing shrubs can completely transform your yard in just a season or two. These vigorous growers offer several practical and aesthetic advantages for anyone interested in growing shrubs effectively.
1. Quick Privacy
Fast-growing shrubs are ideal for creating living screens or borders, offering privacy from neighbors or roads without waiting years.
2. Erosion Control
Their speedy root development helps stabilize soil on slopes or disturbed areas, making them useful for erosion prevention.
3. Instant Color and Texture
Many fast growers offer vibrant blooms, colorful foliage, or unique textures, giving your garden instant curb appeal.
4. Great for New Landscapes
If you’re starting fresh, fast-growing shrubs can quickly define garden beds and create structure in an otherwise bare yard.
1. Forsythia
Forsythia is one of the earliest signs of spring, bursting into bright yellow blooms before most plants wake up. It’s not only eye-catching—it’s also one of the fastest-growing shrubs around, with some varieties gaining up to 2 feet of height per year.
This deciduous shrub thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. It makes a great informal hedge, border plant, or vibrant focal point. Regular pruning after flowering keeps it neat and encourages even more growth the following season.
If you’re growing shrubs to add seasonal impact fast, forsythia is a top choice.
2. Lilac
Lilacs are beloved for their fragrant, cone-shaped blooms and classic cottage-garden charm. While they’re traditionally known for moderate growth, several modern cultivars grow quickly—especially in their early years—making them an excellent choice when growing shrubs for both scent and speed.
Lilacs prefer full sun and well-drained soil. They work beautifully in borders, near patios, or as loose hedges. Prune immediately after flowering to maintain shape and encourage new wood, which produces the best blooms.
For fast-growing elegance and fragrance, lilacs bring both beauty and nostalgia to your landscape.
3. Beautyberry
Beautyberry stands out with its arching stems and clusters of vivid purple berries that appear in late summer and fall. This shrub grows quickly—often adding 1 to 2 feet of new growth annually—and offers a bold pop of color when many plants are winding down.
It thrives in full sun to partial shade and adapts well to different soil types. Beautyberry is ideal for mass plantings, naturalized borders, or pollinator gardens. Birds also love its berries, making it a wildlife-friendly option.
When growing shrubs with seasonal drama in mind, beautyberry is a low-maintenance stunner.
4. Rose of Sharon
Rose of Sharon is a fast-growing member of the hibiscus family, prized for its large, tropical-looking blooms that appear from midsummer into fall. It can grow up to 2 feet per year and reaches heights of 8–12 feet, making it perfect for hedges or standalone accent plants.
This hardy shrub thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. It’s drought-tolerant once established and needs minimal care beyond occasional pruning to shape and remove dead wood.
If you’re growing shrubs for long-lasting blooms and vertical interest, Rose of Sharon delivers color and height fast.
5. Weigela
Weigela offers a perfect mix of fast growth and showy flowers, blooming in spring and often again in late summer. This deciduous shrub grows rapidly—typically up to 1–2 feet per year—and comes in a variety of foliage and flower colors to suit any garden style.
It thrives in full sun and moist, well-drained soil, though it can handle partial shade. Use weigela in mixed borders, as a low hedge, or to attract pollinators like hummingbirds and bees.
For gardeners focused on growing shrubs with lasting appeal and minimal fuss, weigela is a reliable favorite.
6. Privet
Privet is a classic choice for fast-growing hedges and privacy screens. Some varieties can grow more than 2 feet per year, quickly forming a dense, formal barrier with small, glossy leaves and delicate white flowers in spring.
It adapts well to various soil types and light conditions but performs best in full sun. Privet responds well to regular trimming, which encourages thicker, more uniform growth—ideal for shaping neat borders.
If you’re growing shrubs to create structure or define boundaries quickly, privet remains one of the most efficient and versatile options available.
7. Spirea
Spirea is a reliable, fast-growing shrub known for its soft, cascading blooms and attractive foliage. Depending on the variety, it can grow 1 to 2 feet per year and comes in both spring-blooming and summer-blooming types.
This low-maintenance shrub thrives in full sun and tolerates a wide range of soils. It’s ideal for borders, foundation plantings, or mass plantings in cottage or pollinator gardens. Light pruning after flowering helps keep it tidy and encourages more blooms.
For gardeners growing shrubs that combine quick growth with beauty and ease, spirea is a dependable choice.
8. Viburnum
Viburnum is a diverse group of fast-growing shrubs that range from compact flowering types to large screening varieties. Many can grow 1 to 2 feet annually, with fragrant blooms in spring, vibrant berries in summer, and colorful foliage in fall.
These adaptable shrubs do well in full sun to partial shade and a variety of soil types. Viburnum works well in mixed shrub borders, privacy hedges, or as a wildlife-friendly anchor plant in naturalized landscapes.
When growing shrubs that offer four-season interest and dependable growth, viburnum is an outstanding and versatile option.
9. Hydrangea
Hydrangeas are beloved for their large, showy flower clusters and rapid growth, especially in their first few years. Some varieties, like panicle and smooth hydrangeas, can grow 1 to 3 feet per season under the right conditions.
They prefer morning sun and afternoon shade, with rich, well-drained soil. Hydrangeas are perfect for borders, foundation plantings, or as focal points in shady garden areas. Consistent watering and mulch help support their fast development and lush blooms.
For those growing shrubs to add instant impact and romantic color, hydrangeas offer both beauty and speed.
10. Red Twig Dogwood
Red twig dogwood is a fast-growing deciduous shrub that adds year-round interest, especially in winter when its vivid red stems stand out against bare landscapes. It grows quickly—often more than 2 feet per year—and thrives in a wide range of conditions, including moist or poor soils.
This shrub prefers full sun to partial shade and works well in borders, naturalized areas, or rain gardens. Prune older stems in early spring to maintain its color and shape, as the youngest growth displays the brightest red.
If you’re growing shrubs with visual interest in every season, red twig dogwood delivers bold contrast and low-maintenance beauty.
Conclusion
Fast-growing shrubs are a smart choice for gardeners who want quick results without sacrificing long-term beauty. Whether you need privacy, color, or structure, these shrubs can fill in your landscape faster than slower-growing alternatives. With the right care and placement, growing shrubs like these can transform your yard in just a few seasons.