What Shrubs Grow Fast: A Guide to Rapid Growth

Panicled Hydrangea

Panicled Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) is a popular shrub known for its fast growth and striking flowers. Native to Eastern Asia, this deciduous shrub can quickly reach a height of 6 to 8 feet and spread up to 10 feet wide. The plant blooms from mid-summer to fall, with large, showy white or pink flowers that gradually turn to a rich shade of burgundy as the season progresses.

With its fast growth rate, Panicled Hydrangea is an excellent choice for creating hedges, privacy screens, or adding a touch of elegance to any landscape. It thrives in full sun to part shade and prefers well-draining soil. Proper pruning can also help to encourage even faster growth and maintain the desired shape. Despite its rapid growth, Panicled Hydrangea is relatively low-maintenance and can withstand various soil conditions, making it suitable for both novice and experienced gardeners.

In addition to its rapid growth, Panicled Hydrangea offers year-round interest with its attractive exfoliating bark, which adds texture and visual appeal to the winter garden. This versatile shrub is a favorite among gardeners due to its ability to adapt and flourish in various climates and soil types.

Orange Rocket Barberry

The Orange Rocket Barberry (Berberis thunbergii ‘Orange Rocket’) is a fast-growing shrub that adds vibrant color and vertical interest to any garden. With a growth rate of up to 2 feet per year, this deciduous shrub can easily reach a height of 4 to 5 feet and spread about 2 to 3 feet wide. Its unique columnar form and striking orange-red foliage make it a standout in any landscape.

Orange Rocket Barberry thrives in full sun but can also tolerate partial shade. It is a hardy shrub that is resistant to many common diseases and pests. Its foliage emerges as bright orange-red in spring, matures to a deep burgundy in summer, and turns fiery red-orange in the fall, providing a kaleidoscope of colors throughout the year.

This fast-growing shrub is ideal for creating a focal point, adding vertical structure to a planting bed, or forming a low hedge. It adapts well to different soil types and requires minimal pruning to maintain its shape. Gardeners seeking a low-maintenance but visually stunning shrub will find Orange Rocket Barberry a perfect addition to their landscape.

Coppertop Sweet Viburnum

Coppertop Sweet Viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum ‘Brant 01’) is a fast-growing evergreen shrub that enchants with its glossy green leaves and stunning copper-colored new growth. This shrub can reach a height of 10 to 12 feet and spread up to 6 to 8 feet wide in just a few years, making it an excellent choice for creating visual screens or privacy hedges.

The Coppertop Sweet Viburnum thrives in full sun to part shade and prefers well-drained soil. It tolerates heat, humidity, and drought once established, making it an ideal addition to gardens in various climates. The shrub produces fragrant white flowers in spring, followed by small red berries that attract birds and add further visual interest.

With its rapid growth rate and attractive foliage, Coppertop Sweet Viburnum is a versatile shrub that can be used to create stunning visual contrasts or provide a backdrop for beds and borders. Regular pruning and maintenance in early spring can help promote even faster growth and maintain the desired shape.

Izu Tree (Distylium)

The Izu Tree (Distylium racemosum) is a fast-growing evergreen shrub that offers year-round beauty and versatility in the landscape. Native to Japan, this resilient shrub can reach a height of 6 to 10 feet and spread up to 8 to 12 feet wide. Its dense, compact form and attractive dark green foliage make it a perfect choice for hedges, borders, or as a foundation plant.

The Izu Tree thrives in full sun to part shade and prefers moist, well-drained soil. It is highly adaptable, tolerating a wide range of soil conditions and climates. With its tolerance to pruning, it can be easily maintained at a desired size and shape. Its small, inconspicuous flowers in late winter to early spring add a subtle charm to the landscape, while its glossy, dark green leaves provide interest throughout the year.

In addition to its rapid growth and evergreen nature, the Izu Tree is known for its high resistance to diseases and pests. This makes it an ideal choice for gardeners looking for a low-maintenance and visually appealing shrub that can withstand various environmental conditions while providing year-round beauty.

Weigela (Weigela Florida)

Weigela (Weigela florida) is a fast-growing deciduous shrub native to Eastern Asia. It is known for its showy flowers and attractive foliage, making it a popular choice for landscaping.

• It can reach a height of 5 to 10 feet and spread up to 6 to 12 feet wide, making it ideal for filling large gaps or creating a focal point in the landscape.
• The Weigela thrives in full sun to part shade and prefers well-drained soil.
• It produces trumpet-shaped flowers in late spring to early summer, with colors ranging from pink and white to deep red and purplish-red.
• These colorful flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies, adding to the beauty of the garden.
• Weigela can be used as a specimen plant, planted in groups, or formed into an informal hedge.
• It is a relatively low-maintenance shrub and requires minimal pruning to maintain its shape and promote new growth.
• The foliage of Weigela is attractive, ranging from deep green to purple, even when the plant is not in bloom.

Weigela is a versatile shrub that adds visual appeal to any landscape. Its fast growth, showy flowers, and attractive foliage make it a great choice for enhancing outdoor spaces. With proper care and maintenance, Weigela will thrive and provide years of beauty.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which bushes grow the fastest?

Of the bushes listed, the one that grows the fastest is the Date Night Strobe Weigela. This vibrant and dynamic bush is known for its rapid growth rate, quickly filling out any landscape with its beautiful foliage and charming flowers. With its vigorous growth habit, the Date Night Strobe Weigela can provide an instant impact to any garden or yard, making it a popular choice for those seeking fast-growing bushes.

What plant fully grows the fastest?

The remarkable plant that holds the title for fastest growth is the giant hogweed. Towering over other plants, the giant hogweed can grow up to 20 feet tall in a single season, making it a true botanical powerhouse. This plant’s incredible growth rate is both fascinating and impressive, truly a marvel of the plant kingdom.

Another contender for the fastest-growing plant is the bamboo. As an incredibly versatile and rapid-growing plant, certain species of bamboo can shoot up by 3 feet per day! This extraordinary growth rate, coupled with its durability and strength, makes bamboo a popular choice in many industries, including construction and agriculture.

What is the fastest growing shrub hedge?

One of the fastest growing shrub hedges is the Green Giant Arborvitae. Known for its rapid growth, this hybrid Thuja can reach a staggering 3 feet per year, and there have even been reports of it growing up to 5 feet in a single year. Remarkable for its speed, the Green Giant Arborvitae is an excellent option for those seeking a sizable, evergreen hedge that quickly fills in any desired space.

What shrub grows tallest?

Among the diverse array of shrubs, one standout in terms of height is the cypress (Cupressus). With its ability to reach towering heights of up to 70 feet, specifically the Leyland cypress variety, it outgrows many other shrubs. Its rapid growth rate and flexible branches allow for various trimmings and shaping, making it an ideal choice for creating privacy screens or hedges. The Leyland cypress’s elegant silhouette and impressive height make it an exceptional addition to any landscape, rivaling even the tallest of shrubs.

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