Hedge Your Bet: 5 Effective Evergreens for Screening
- Garden Heights Nursery
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
When it comes to creating privacy and beauty in your outdoor space, evergreen trees and shrubs are an excellent choice. Whether you’re looking to block unsightly views, reduce noise, or simply add year-round greenery, selecting the right evergreens is key. For those living in the St. Louis, MO, area, it’s important to choose plants that can handle the region’s hot, humid summers and cold winters. Here are five reliable choices for effective screening:
1. Taylor Juniper
A favorite among homeowners, Taylor Juniper is a narrow, upright evergreen with a striking columnar form. Its blue-green foliage offers a refined, elegant look, and its adaptability to various soil types makes it a low-maintenance choice. Hardy and drought-resistant, this juniper is perfect for creating a formal hedge or a natural screen. It performs exceptionally well in the Midwest climate, tolerating both heat and occasional cold snaps.
2. Blue Arrow Juniper
For those seeking a sleek and modern aesthetic, the Blue Arrow Juniper is a top contender. With its narrow, upright growth habit and silvery-blue foliage, it serves as an eye-catching vertical accent. It thrives in well-drained soil and is particularly resistant to harsh weather conditions, making it an excellent choice for urban and suburban landscapes in St. Louis, where clay-heavy soil and fluctuating temperatures can be a challenge.
3. Maureen Hicksii Yew
This evergreen hybrid yew is a robust and versatile screening option. The Maureen Hicksii Yew features dark green needles and produces red berries in the fall, adding seasonal interest. It tolerates shade better than many other evergreens and responds well to pruning, making it ideal for shaped hedges and natural privacy barriers. This makes it particularly useful in shaded yards or near structures where other evergreens may struggle.
4. Pragense Viburnum
For those who want a dense and lush screen with a touch of seasonal charm, Pragense Viburnum is an excellent option. This semi-evergreen shrub has glossy green leaves and produces fragrant white flowers in spring, followed by red berries that turn black in fall. It grows quickly and thrives in various light conditions, making it a reliable choice for privacy hedging. Its ability to handle the humid summers and occasional winter cold of St. Louis makes it a practical choice for local landscapes.
5. Northern Spire Arborvitae
If you prefer a classic, hardy evergreen with a pyramidal form, the Northern Spire Arborvitae is an outstanding choice. It boasts a rich green color that holds well through winter, and its strong, upright growth habit ensures excellent coverage. This arborvitae is highly resistant to winter burn and thrives in a variety of soil conditions, making it a resilient option for year-round screening in the St. Louis area, where winter weather can be unpredictable.
