Privacy is one of the most common reasons homeowners look for screening trees and shrubs. Whether you’re trying to block a neighboring two-story home, create privacy around a pool, or soften the view of a fence or roadway, the right plants can make a tremendous difference.
In Austin and the surrounding Texas Hill Country, choosing screening plants requires some thought. Our hot summers, occasional hard freezes, rocky limestone soils, and varying sun exposures can make certain plants better choices than others.
At Vivero Growers Nursery, we help homeowners throughout Austin, Bee Cave, Lakeway, Barton Creek, West Lake Hills, and Dripping Springs select screening trees and shrubs suited to their landscapes. From tall evergreen trees to dense shrubs that provide privacy closer to the ground, there are several excellent options for Central Texas.
Recommended Screening Plants for Austin Landscapes:
Here are a few great evergreen screening shrubs that provide year-round privacy and are well suited for the landscape here in the Austin area.
Arizona Cypress ‘Blue Ice’ (Hesperocyparis glabra ‘Blue Ice’) /
(Cupressus arizonica)
‘Blue Ice’ Arizona Cypress is a beautiful evergreen tree with striking silvery-blue foliage and a naturally upright, pyramidal shape. It makes an excellent choice for creating a tall privacy screen, blocking unwanted views, or providing a year-round backdrop in the landscape.
This drought-tolerant tree thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it particularly well suited to many Central Texas and Hill Country landscapes. Allow plenty of room for its mature size, as ‘Blue Ice’ looks best when allowed to develop its natural shape rather than being maintained as a tightly clipped hedge.
Pineapple Guava (Feijoa sellowiana)
Pineapple Guava is an attractive evergreen shrub with soft, silvery-green foliage that makes an excellent natural privacy screen. Its dense growth, distinctive leaves, and beautiful spring flowers add year-round interest to Central Texas landscapes. The flowers are edible, and established plants may also produce edible fruit.
Pineapple Guava grows best in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. Once established, it is drought tolerant and can be maintained as a hedge or allowed to develop a more natural, rounded shape. Although extreme winter freezes can cause foliage and branch damage, established plants often recover, as many did following Winter Storm Uri in 2021.
Southern Wax Myrtle (Myrcia cerifera)
Wax Myrtle is a fast-growing evergreen shrub or small tree with fragrant, olive-green foliage that makes an excellent natural privacy screen. Its dense, informal growth habit is especially attractive when planted in groups, creating a soft, natural-looking screen that provides privacy without the appearance of a tightly clipped hedge.
Southern Wax Myrtle grows in full sun to partial shade and adapts to a variety of soil conditions, including many Central Texas landscapes. Once established, it has good drought tolerance, although supplemental watering during extended dry periods helps maintain healthy, dense foliage. It can be pruned to control its size or allowed to grow naturally into a large screening shrub.
Compact Cherry Laurel (Prunus caroliniana ‘Compacta’)
Compact Cherry Laurel is one of our favorite evergreen shrubs for privacy screening in Austin and Central Texas. Its dense growth, glossy dark green leaves, and naturally compact habit make it an excellent choice for creating a beautiful year-round screen. It can be maintained as a formal hedge or allowed to grow into a more natural shape.
This durable shrub grows well in full sun to partial shade and tolerates heat and a variety of soil conditions, provided drainage is adequate. Once established, it has good drought tolerance, although regular watering during establishment is important. Compact Cherry Laurel also demonstrated excellent cold hardiness during Winter Storm Uri in 2021, making it one of our preferred choices for homeowners looking for a dependable, long-term privacy screen.
Magnolia – ‘Little Gem’ and ‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’
Magnolias are beautiful evergreen trees that provide year-round privacy with their dense, glossy green foliage and large, fragrant white flowers. At Vivero, we particularly recommend ‘Little Gem’ and ‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’ for screening in Austin and Central Texas.
‘Little Gem’ has a narrower, more compact growth habit, typically reaching 15–25 feet tall, making it a good choice for smaller spaces or where a more controlled screen is desired. ‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’ grows larger, often reaching 30–40 feet or more, and develops a dense, pyramidal shape that works beautifully as a tall privacy screen. Both grow best in full sun to partial shade with well-drained soil and consistent watering during establishment. They also demonstrated excellent cold tolerance during Winter Storm Uri in 2021.
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)
Loquat is a beautiful evergreen tree with large, textured green leaves that give it a lush, tropical appearance. Its dense foliage makes it an attractive choice for creating privacy, screening neighboring properties, or adding a distinctive backdrop to a Central Texas landscape. Fragrant flowers appear in cooler months, followed by edible fruit when conditions are favorable.
Loquat grows best in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained soil. Once established, it has moderate drought tolerance but benefits from supplemental watering during extended dry periods. Although severe freezes can damage foliage and branches, many established Loquats in our area came through Winter Storm Uri reasonably well. Its broad leaves and natural growth habit make it especially appealing for informal screening.
Planting and Caring for Screening Trees and Shrubs
Proper planting and watering are especially important when establishing screening trees and shrubs in Central Texas. Our rocky limestone soils, summer heat, and occasional droughts can make establishment challenging. Dig a planting hole approximately twice as wide as the root ball, but no deeper than the root ball itself. Set the plant so the top of the root ball is level with or slightly above the surrounding soil, and backfill primarily with the existing native soil. Avoid burying the trunk or planting too deeply.
Water thoroughly after planting and continue watering regularly while the roots become established. The amount and frequency will depend on the plant, its size, soil drainage, and weather conditions. Apply 2–3 inches of mulch around the root zone to help retain moisture, keeping mulch away from the trunk. Even drought-tolerant screening plants need consistent attention during their first growing seasons, especially through our hot Central Texas summers.
Find the Right Privacy Screening Plants at Vivero Growers Nursery
Choosing the right screening plants depends on more than just how tall they grow. The amount of space available, sun exposure, soil conditions, and the height of the neighboring homes or structures you want to screen all play a role. Whether you’re creating privacy around a new pool, screening a neighboring property, or adding a natural backdrop to your landscape, selecting the right plants from the beginning can make a big difference.
At Vivero Growers Nursery, we help homeowners throughout Austin, Bee Cave, Lakeway, Barton Creek, West Lake Hills, and Dripping Springs find trees and shrubs suited to their specific needs. Bring photos of your landscape, approximate measurements, and an idea of what you’d like to screen when you visit. Our team can help you compare plant options and choose the right combination for your space.
