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Get shade, privacy, and color in a few seasons instead of a few decades with fast-growing trees from TN Nursery, a family-owned Tennessee grower since 1959. Shop quick-growing shade trees like tulip poplar, sycamore and red maple, plus water-loving willows and river birch. We also carry fast-flowering trees like crepe myrtle and redbud. Every tree ships fresh from our fields, with prices starting at $21.99.
Buy Fast Growing Trees Online, Direct From the Grower
Most people plant trees for something they want soon: shade over a hot patio, a screen from the neighbors, or a bare new lot that finally looks like home. Slow trees can take 20 years to get there. Fast growing trees can get you most of the way in 5 to 10.
When you buy fast growing trees online from TN Nursery, you’re buying from the farm that grew them. We’ve raised trees in McMinnville, Tennessee for three generations. Our trees ship dormant and bare root, dug fresh from the field. That lets their roots grow straight into your native soil and get growing quickly in their first season.
The Fastest Growing Trees We Offer
Growth rates depend on your soil, water, sunlight and climate. In good conditions, these are among the fastest trees you can plant:
- Weeping Willow : One of the fastest-growing trees in North America, often adding several feet a year in moist soil. It’s a classic for ponds, creeks and low, wet spots.
- Tulip Tree (Tulip Poplar) : A tall, straight native shade tree that can add 2 feet or more a year, with tulip-shaped spring flowers.
- Sycamore : A fast, massive native shade tree with striking white, peeling bark. It’s one of the largest trees in eastern North America.
- River Birch : Fast growing, with peeling, cinnamon-colored bark. It thrives in wet soil but also handles heat.
- Red Maple : A fast-to-moderate native shade tree known for brilliant red fall color.
- Catalpa : Grows quickly and shades fast with huge heart-shaped leaves, plus showy white flower clusters in late spring.
- Bald Cypress : A tough, adaptable conifer that grows well in wet or dry soil. It turns coppery in fall before dropping its needles.
Fast Growing Shade Trees
To shade a house, patio or yard quickly, plant a tulip tree, sycamore, red maple, river birch or catalpa. These grow into large trees, so plant them at least 20 feet from your house and away from power lines. Plant on the west or south side of the house to block the hottest afternoon sun, which can help keep your home cooler in summer.
Fast Growing Trees for Privacy
For year-round privacy, you need an evergreen. The Green Giant Arborvitae is the go-to fast privacy tree. Once established, it can grow 3–5 feet a year into a dense living wall. See all of our evergreen trees for more screening options.
For a summer-only screen, a row of crepe myrtles or mulberries fills in quickly. These lose their leaves in winter, so they won’t block the view year-round.
Fast Growing Flowering Trees
If you want color as well as speed, these flowering trees grow quickly:
- Crepe myrtles often bloom the first summer after planting. Choose from Natchez , Muskogee , Red , Purple and Miami Pink .
- Eastern Redbud and Forest Pansy Redbud grow quickly while young and bloom pink on bare branches in early spring.
- Mimosa puts out pink powder-puff flowers above fern-like leaves in summer.
See all of our flowering trees .
Fast Growing Fruit and Wildlife Trees
The Mulberry Tree grows quickly and often fruits within a few years. Its berries draw songbirds from all over. The native American Plum blooms white in early spring and forms thickets that shelter wildlife. Sumac spreads fast and turns brilliant red in fall.
Fast Growing Trees for Wet Soil
Have a soggy yard or a spot that floods? These fast growers handle wet ground better than most trees:
- Weeping Willow
- River Birch
- Bald Cypress
- Sycamore
- Red Maple
- Sweet Bay Magnolia
The Trade-Off: Speed vs. Strength
The very fastest trees tend to have softer wood and shorter lifespans. Weeping willows, for example, can drop branches in storms and are usually best enjoyed for a few decades rather than a century. Their roots also seek out water, so plant them well away from sewer lines, septic systems and foundations.
A smart approach is to mix speeds. Plant a few fast growers for quick shade and privacy alongside long-lived trees like oaks. In 20 years, the slow trees take over as the fast ones age out.
How to Make Fast Growing Trees Grow Even Faster
- Pick the right spot. Most fast growers need full sun, at least 6 hours a day, to reach their top growth rate.
- Water consistently. Water deeply once a week through the first growing season, more often in heat or drought. Water is the single biggest factor in how fast a young tree grows.
- Mulch. Spread 2–3 inches of mulch over the root zone to hold moisture and keep grass from competing with the roots. Keep mulch a few inches away from the trunk.
- Don’t over-fertilize at planting. Let the roots establish first. Feed lightly in spring starting the second year.
- Plant at the right time. Plant dormant trees from November through April so roots can establish before summer heat. See our full planting instructions .
Fast Growing Tree FAQs
What is the quickest tree to grow?
Willows are among the quickest trees to grow, often adding several feet a year in moist, sunny spots. Tulip poplar, sycamore and river birch are among the fastest native shade trees. For privacy, Green Giant Arborvitae is one of the fastest evergreens.
What tree grows 5 feet a year?
Few trees reliably grow 5 feet a year, but a few can come close in ideal conditions. Weeping willows can reach that in moist, sunny sites. Green Giant Arborvitae can grow 3–5 feet a year once established. Growth is usually slower the first year while the roots establish.
What are the top 10 fastest growing trees?
Among trees commonly planted in the U.S., the fastest include:
- Weeping willow
- Tulip poplar
- Sycamore
- River birch
- Green Giant Arborvitae
- Catalpa
- Red maple
- Crepe myrtle
- Mulberry
- Bald cypress
Actual growth depends on your climate, soil and watering.
What is the fastest growing shade tree?
Tulip poplar and sycamore are two of the fastest-growing large shade trees, and both are native to much of the eastern U.S. Red maple and river birch are fast, slightly smaller options.
What is the fastest growing tree for privacy?
Green Giant Arborvitae is the most popular fast privacy tree. It’s evergreen, dense, and can grow 3–5 feet a year once established.
How long does it take a fast growing tree to give shade?
With good care, many fast growing shade trees like tulip poplar, sycamore and red maple give meaningful shade within 5–10 years of planting.
When is the best time to plant fast growing trees?
Plant while the trees are dormant, from late fall through early spring. Fall planting gives roots a head start before spring growth. Our trees ship in mid-to-late November, and some varieties ship in spring.
Where is the best place to buy fast growing trees?
Buy from a grower that ships fresh trees at the right planting time and stands behind them. TN Nursery has grown trees in Tennessee since 1959, ships nationwide direct from the farm, and backs every order with our warranty . Need help choosing? Get free expert advice or call 931-692-4252.
