Best Trees for Shade and Privacy: 6 Picks That Do Both

Five trees that deliver real shade and proper privacy. Deciduous and evergreen picks for backyards that need both.

DeciduousEvergreenFeature TreeHedgingPrivacy TreesShade Tree

The strongest backyard plantings answer two questions at once — summer shade and year-round privacy. The right pick gives the home both, in one tree, without separate plantings competing for space.

The six picks below cover the full range — dense evergreen privacy screens, long-lived native shade trees, deciduous picks for cool-climate gardens.

Ulmus parvifolia — the semi-deciduous Chinese Elm. Broad summer shade with sculptural bark.
Ficus hillii — the dense formal evergreen privacy screen.
Waterhousea floribunda — the soft tall native screen.
Magnolia 'Coolwyn Gloss' — the polished evergreen Magnolia feature.
Lophostemon confertus — the dense evergreen native shade.
Quercus palustris — the long-lived deciduous shade tree.

How to choose a tree that gives shade and privacy

Shade or privacy first

Shade dominant: Chinese Elm, Brush Box, Pin Oak. Privacy dominant: Ficus hillii, Waterhousea. Both: Coolwyn Gloss.

Block size

Pin Oak at 15 to 20m. Chinese Elm and Brush Box at 10 to 15m. Coolwyn Gloss and Ficus hillii at 5 to 10m. Waterhousea at 5 to 8m.

Evergreen or deciduous

Evergreen for year-round privacy: Ficus hillii, Waterhousea, Coolwyn Gloss, Brush Box. Deciduous shade with winter light: Pin Oak, Chinese Elm semi-deciduous.

1. Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm)

Chinese Elm is a reliable medium-large shade tree with a graceful vase shape and dense foliage. The semi-deciduous habit means dappled shade in summer and good light through winter.

Type: Semi-deciduous shade tree
Height: 10-15m
Width: 8-12m
Growth rate: Moderate to fast
Foliage: Small dark green leaves, yellow autumn tones
Form: Vase-shaped with spreading crown
Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil, drought tolerant once established
Maintenance: Low. Light formative pruning in winter
Best for: Backyard shade, street planting, rear-garden privacy

Why choose it

Dense summer foliage delivers proper shade and screens neighbours, while the winter loss lets the sun back in when you want it.

Perfect pair

Underplant with Ficus Hillii hedge for permanent screening below the elm's spreading crown.

Tips for planting

Plant in a spot with room to spread. Water deeply for the first two summers. Stake young trees in exposed positions.

Shade where you want it, light when you need it.

Shop Ulmus parvifolia

2. Ficus microcarpa var. hillii (Hill's Weeping Fig)

Ficus Hillii is the go-to evergreen for fast, dense screening. Glossy leaves, an upright form and a moderate-fast growth rate make it the most reliable hedging tree for shade and privacy in one.

Type: Evergreen hedging tree
Height: Can be pruned to desired height, naturally 8-10m
Width: 3-5m
Growth rate: Fast
Foliage: Glossy dark green, dense
Form: Upright columnar when clipped
Conditions: Full sun to part shade, adaptable soil, drought tolerant once established
Maintenance: Two prunes per year to maintain a tight hedge
Best for: Privacy hedges, boundary screens, pleaching above fences

Why choose it

Few hedges hit the sweet spot of growth rate, density and tidy form like Ficus Hillii. Clips into a wall of glossy green that screens overlooking properties year round privacy.

Perfect pair

Pair with Ulmus parvifolia as the deciduous canopy above. Year-round screening at the base with seasonal interest overhead.

Tips for planting

Space 1-1.5m apart for a hedge. Avoid planting close to pipes or pools. Prune in early summer and late summer for a dense face.

The privacy hedge benchmark.

Shop Ficus microcarpa var. hillii

3. Waterhousea floribunda (Weeping Lilly Pilly)

Weeping Lilly Pilly is the choice when you want softness with screening. Glossy weeping foliage, a dense form and quiet fluffy white flowers in spring.

Type: Evergreen native screening tree
Height: Can be pruned to desired height, naturally 10-15m
Width: 5-8m
Growth rate: Fast
Foliage: Glossy mid green with weeping habit
Flowers: Cream fluffy clusters, spring
Form: Rounded weeping
Conditions: Full sun to part shade, prefers moist well-drained soil
Maintenance: Low to moderate. Can be pruned to desired height
Best for: Privacy screens, shaded backyards, courtyards needing a soft feel

Why choose it

Dense foliage plus a weeping form gives a softer screen than upright hedges, while still hitting full privacy. Native and bird-friendly.

Perfect pair

Pair with Magnolia Coolwyn Gloss as a glossy feature beside the soft Lilly Pilly hedge line.

Tips for planting

Mulch heavily to retain moisture. Water through dry spells until established. Prune late spring and again in autumn.

Soft, shaded and screened.

Shop Waterhousea floribunda

4. Magnolia grandiflora 'Coolwyn Gloss' (Coolwyn Gloss Magnolia)

Coolwyn Gloss is an upright evergreen magnolia with exceptionally glossy foliage and large fragrant white flowers in summer. A polished feature tree that also screens beautifully.

Type: Evergreen feature and screening tree
Height: 5-7m
Width: 3-4m
Growth rate: Moderate
Foliage: Glossy dark green with bronze underside
Flowers: Large fragrant white, summer
Form: Upright pyramidal
Conditions: Full sun to part shade, rich well-drained soil
Maintenance: Low. Light shaping after flowering
Best for: Feature planting, narrow screens, formal entrances

Why choose it

Upright form takes less ground space than other magnolias, with the same glossy presence. Works as a feature or in a row as a refined screen.

Perfect pair

Run as a feature row above a Waterhousea floribunda hedge for layered evergreen privacy with seasonal flowers overhead.

Tips for planting

Plant in rich soil with good drainage. Mulch but keep clear of trunk. Water through first two summers.

Glossy, fragrant, polished.

Shop Magnolia grandiflora 'Coolwyn Gloss'

5. Acer rubrum 'October Glory' (October Glory Canadian Maple)

October Glory is a tall deciduous shade tree with a broad symmetrical form and brilliant red autumn colour. Dense summer foliage drops in autumn so winter sun reaches the house.

Type: Deciduous shade tree
Height: 10-15m
Width: 6-8m
Growth rate: Fast
Foliage: Glossy green summer, brilliant red autumn
Form: Broad symmetrical crown
Conditions: Full sun, fertile well-drained soil, moist conditions preferred
Maintenance: Low. Light winter pruning if needed
Best for: Backyard shade, autumn feature, large lawns

Why choose it

Delivers proper summer shade and a knockout autumn show. The deciduous drop lets winter light back in when shade is the last thing you want.

Perfect pair

Pair with Ficus Hillii hedge along the boundary for evergreen privacy underneath the maple's seasonal canopy.

Tips for planting

Plant in a spot with space to spread. Mulch heavily. Avoid hot dry spots, this tree likes some soil moisture.

Summer shade, autumn fireworks.

Shop Acer rubrum 'October Glory'

Compare at a glance

Cultivar	Height	Width	Form	Foliage	Best if you…
Ulmus parvifolia Chinese Elm	10-15m	8-12m	Vase-shaped with spreading crown	Small dark green leaves, yellow autumn tones	Backyard shade, street planting, rear-garden privacy
Ficus microcarpa var. hillii Hill's Weeping Fig	Can be pruned to desired height, naturally 8-10m	3-5m	Upright columnar when clipped	Glossy dark green, dense	Privacy hedges, boundary screens, pleaching above fences
Waterhousea floribunda Weeping Lilly Pilly	Can be pruned to desired height, naturally 10-15m	5-8m	Rounded weeping	Glossy mid green with weeping habit	Privacy screens, shaded backyards, courtyards needing a soft feel
Magnolia grandiflora 'Coolwyn Gloss' Coolwyn Gloss Magnolia	5-7m	3-4m	Upright pyramidal	Glossy dark green with bronze underside	Feature planting, narrow screens, formal entrances
Acer rubrum 'October Glory' October Glory Canadian Maple	10-15m	6-8m	Broad symmetrical crown	Glossy green summer, brilliant red autumn	Backyard shade, autumn feature, large lawns

How to plant and care for them

Pick the position

Full sun for the strongest form.

Prepare the planting hole

Twice the rootball width, same depth.

Plant level

Rootball level with surrounding soil.

Mulch out to the drip line

75 to 100mm of organic mulch.

Water through the first two summers

Twice a week deep watering.

Frequently asked questions

How long until a shade tree gives proper shade?

Fast species like October Glory Maple and Chinese Elm cast useful shade by year four and full shade by year seven to ten.

What's the best privacy tree for a narrow yard?

Ficus Hillii or Magnolia Coolwyn Gloss. Both stay relatively narrow when clipped and screen tall.

Can I mix deciduous and evergreen trees?

Yes, and most good gardens do. A deciduous shade tree over the deck with an evergreen hedge along the boundary covers both jobs without compromise.

The wrap up

Pick the species that delivers both shade and privacy at the right scale. The strongest plantings layer a tall shade tree behind an evergreen screen for both at once.