Trees are among the first plants that should be planted in a garden. They are the ones that will reach the largest size, and therefore will be, as it were, the pillars around which the place will come to life. Precisely for this reason, species that are fast are often sought, since depending on which areas we are interested in having a screen that offers us privacy or that cuts the wind a little as soon as possible.
Although we may be very used to seeing plants that lose their leaves in autumn-winter, fortunately There are several fast growing evergreen trees that we can have planted in the ground.
What are the characteristics of evergreens?
It is often thought that a tree or an evergreen or evergreen plant is one that never loses its leaves, but the reality is not like that. The leaves are living organisms, with a limited life expectancy, and therefore at some point they will fall. That moment will depend on the conditions in which the plants live and the evolution they have had.
In general, there are many species that chose to drop all their leaves in a certain season of the year, either because the temperature is very cold, or very warm, or because the drought prevents them from keeping them healthy. But there are also many others that on the contrary they drop their leaves little by little, a long the whole year. The latter are the evergreen.
The best fast growing evergreens
If you want to enjoy a garden with evergreen trees, that is, with those that will provide you with shade throughout the year, take a look at our selection:
Acacia decurrens
Image - Wikimedia / J Brew
Picking just one species of acacia is difficult: they all grow fast and bloom spectacularly. But unfortunately there are several that are considered invaders in Spain, such as the acacia dealbata or the acacia longifolia. So we are left with the Acacia decurrens, who it is a tree about 10 meters high native to the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. It produces compound leaves of 30 to 40 pairs of green leaflets. Its flowers are small, yellow and perfumed.
It resists frosts down to -7ºC.
Eucalyptus gunnii
Image - Flickr / shirokazan
It is known as the cider gum or decorative eucalyptus, and is a fast-growing evergreen tree native to Australia and Tasmania that can exceed 30 meters in height. Its leaves are blue-greyish in color once adult, and it produces flowers grouped in umbel-like inflorescences.
It has an invasive root system, so it should only be planted in large gardens, at a distance of at least ten meters from walls, pipes, etc. Resists up to -18ºC.
Ficus elastica
Image - Wikimedia / PseudoscienceFTL
The Rubber plant They usually have a very bad reputation when they are in the gardens, because their root system is quite invasive. But if you have a large piece of land, where you can plant one at a distance of at least ten meters from walls, pipes and so on, one of the most beautiful species is undoubtedly the Ficus elastica. Known as rubber tree or rubber tree, it is a fast-growing shade tree native to India and western Indonesia. Reaches a height of 40 meters, and develops large green leaves about 35cm long by 15cm wide.
It resists down to -7ºC, but prefers warmer climates. get yours here.
Grevillea
Image - Wikimedia / PseudoscienceFTL
Grevillea are a genus of fast-growing evergreen shrubs and mostly trees native to Australia and Papua New Guinea that can reach heights of 1 to 50 meters depending on the species. Any of them will give you a lot of joy, but for this list, we recommend the Grevillea banksii, who it is a little tree 7 meters high with pinnate leaves that produce bright red or creamy white flowers throughout the year.
Resists up to -4ºC.
Delonix direction
Image - Wikimedia / Anna Anichkova
Known as flamboyant, flamboyant, sneak or tabachín, it is a tree native to Madagascar that, depending on the climate, behaves as perennial, semi-perennial or deciduous. Why is it on this list? Well, because if you live in an area with a frost-free climate and it rains frequently, you will have it with leaves all year long. It grows up to 12 meters in height, developing a parasol crown composed of green leaves. Its flowers are large, about 8cm long, and red or orange depending on the variety.
It does not resist frost. Adult and acclimatized specimens can withstand up to -1ºC as long as it is brief and punctual, but in order to maintain the leaves it is necessary that the temperature does not drop below 10ºC. Here you can buy seeds.
Laurus nobilis
The laurel is an evergreen tree native to the Mediterranean region that reaches between 5 and 10 meters in height. Its crown is dense, formed by bluish and lanceolate, aromatic leaves. In spring it produces small yellowish flowers, grouped in umbel-shaped inflorescences.
It resists frosts up to -7ºC. Want one? Click here.
magnolia grandiflora
Image - Wikimedia / SABENCIA Guillermo César Ruiz
It's probably the slowest grower on this list, but not by much either. I can tell you that I have one in a pot and it grows at a rate of 10-20cm/year. This tree is a wonder. It is found wild in the southeastern United States, and although can reach 35 meters in height the normal thing is that it stays in 10-12m. Its flowers, which sprout in spring, are very large, up to 12cm wide, white and highly perfumed.
Resists up to -6ºC.
pachira
La Pachira is an evergreen tree that It can reach a height of 10 meters, or even exceed it. It has beautiful green, webbed leaves and is usually sold in a pot with several saplings whose trunks are intertwined. It is a species that cannot stand the cold, so it must be kept indoors if the temperature drops below 0 degrees.
Spathodea campanulata
Known as the Gabon tulip tree, African tulip tree, fontana tree or galeana, it is a native tree of the African intertropical zone that can reach a height of 7 to 25 meters. The crown is rounded and not very wide, formed by branches from which greenish odd-pinnate leaves sprout. The flowers are beautiful, red or orange in color and bloom in spring.
It is very sensitive to cold. It resists up to -1ºC only if they are specific and short-term frosts. Here you have seeds.
Do you know other fast growing evergreens? What do you think of the ones we have shown you?