PlantLegit

Native privacy hedge plants (and the invasive hedges to avoid)

Sources (73)

All sources (works cited) →

72 shrubs and small trees that USDA PLANTS records as native to at least one US state, that reach 6–40 ft at maturity per NC State Extension, and that are not on any official invasive list we track. Filter by your state and hardiness zone.

We do not have verified evergreen/deciduous data for every plant: deciduous plants screen in summer only. Check the NC State Extension link for leaf type, spread and spacing before buying a hedge’s worth.

Native plantMature heightHardinessLightDeer (Rutgers)Sources
Adam's needle
Yucca filamentosa		3 ft - 8 ftzones 4–10full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Allegheny blackberry
Rubus allegheniensis		4 ft - 8 ftzones 3–8full sun–part shadeB*NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Allegheny chinkapin
Castanea pumila		15 ft - 30 ftzones 5–9full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
American beautyberry
Callicarpa americana		3 ft - 8 ftzones 6–10full sun–part shadeB*NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
American elderberry
Sambucus canadensis		5 ft - 12 ftzones 4–8full sun–part shadeBNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
American hazelnut
Corylus americana		9 ft - 12 ftzones 4–9full-shadeB*NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
American hornbeam
Carpinus caroliniana		20 ft - 30 ftzones 3–9part shade–shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
American plum
Prunus americana		15 ft - 25 ftzones 3–9full sun–part shadeD*NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
American smoketree
Cotinus obovatus		20 ft - 30 ftzones 3–8full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
American witch-hazel
Hamamelis virginiana		15 ft - 30 ftzones 3–9full sun–part shadeBNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Arrowwood viburnum
Viburnum dentatum		5 ft - 10 ftzones 2–8full sun–part shadeANC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Black chokeberry
Aronia melanocarpa		3 ft - 10 ftzones 3–8full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Black raspberry
Rubus occidentalis		3 ft - 6 ftzones 4–8full sun–part shadeB*NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Blackhaw viburnum
Viburnum prunifolium		12 ft - 15 ftzones 3–9full sun–part shadeBNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Bottlebrush buckeye
Aesculus parviflora		8 ft - 12 ftzones 5–9part shade–shadeANC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis		5 ft - 8 ftzones 5–9full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Canadian serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis		15 ft - 25 ftzones 3–8full sun–part shadeBNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Carolina silverbell
Halesia tetraptera		10 ft - 40 ftzones 4–8full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Catawba rhododendron
Rhododendron catawbiense		6 ft - 10 ftzones 4–8full-shadeCNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Downy serviceberry
Amelanchier arborea		15 ft - 25 ftzones 4–9full sun–part shadeBNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Drooping leucothoe
Leucothoe fontanesiana		2 ft - 6 ftzones 4–6part shade–shadeANC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Dwarf palmetto
Sabal minor		2 ft - 10 ftzones 7–10full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Eastern hophornbeam
Ostrya virginiana		20 ft - 40 ftzones 3–9full-shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Eastern red cedar
Juniperus virginiana		30 ft - 40 ftzones 2–9full sun–part shadeBNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Eastern redbud
Cercis canadensis		20 ft - 30 ftzones 4–9full sun–part shadeCNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Flame azalea
Rhododendron calendulaceum		4 ft - 15 ftzones 5–7full-shadeC*NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Flowering dogwood
Cornus florida		15 ft - 25 ftzones 5–9full sun–part shadeCNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Fragrant sumac
Rhus aromatica		2 ft - 6 ftzones 3–9full sun–part shadeANC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Groundsel tree
Baccharis halimifolia		5 ft - 12 ftzones 5–9full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Hazel alder
Alnus serrulata		10 ft - 15 ftzones 4–9full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Highbush blueberry
Vaccinium corymbosum		6 ft - 12 ftzones 3–8full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Hoptree
Ptelea trifoliata		15 ft - 20 ftzones 3–9full-shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Inkberry
Ilex glabra		5 ft - 10 ftzones 4–11full sun–part shadeBNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Large fothergilla
Fothergilla major		6 ft - 12 ftzones 4–8full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Mapleleaf viburnum
Viburnum acerifolium		4 ft - 6 ftzones 4–8part—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Mountain laurel
Kalmia latifolia		4 ft - 15 ftzones 4–9full sun–part shadeCNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Mountain pepperbush
Clethra acuminata		8 ft - 20 ftzones 6–7full sun–part shadeB*NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius		5 ft - 8 ftzones 2–8full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Northern bayberry
Myrica pensylvanica		6 ft - 8 ftzones 3–7full sun–part shadeANC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Oakleaf hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia		4 ft - 8 ftzones 5–9full sun–part shadeCNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Oregon grape
Mahonia aquifolium		3 ft - 6 ftzones 5–8partANC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Pagoda dogwood
Cornus alternifolia		15 ft - 25 ftzones 3–7full sun–part shadeCNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Pawpaw
Asimina triloba		15 ft - 30 ftzones 5–9full-shadeANC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Pinxterbloom azalea
Rhododendron periclymenoides		4 ft - 10 ftzones 4–8full sun–part shadeC*NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Possumhaw holly
Ilex decidua		7 ft - 15 ftzones 5–9full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Possumhaw viburnum
Viburnum nudum		5 ft - 12 ftzones 5–9full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Rabbiteye blueberry
Vaccinium virgatum		6 ft - 12 ftzones 3–8full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Red buckeye
Aesculus pavia		15 ft - 25 ftzones 4–8part—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Red chokeberry
Aronia arbutifolia		6 ft - 12 ftzones 3–9full sun–part shadeBNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Red osier dogwood
Cornus sericea		5 ft - 9 ftzones 2–7full sun–part shadeBNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Rosebay rhododendron
Rhododendron maximum		5 ft - 15 ftzones 3–7full-shadeCNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Rusty blackhaw
Viburnum rufidulum		10 ft - 20 ftzones 5–9full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Silky dogwood
Cornus amomum		6 ft - 12 ftzones 5–8full-shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Smooth sumac
Rhus glabra		9 ft - 15 ftzones 3–9full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Sourwood
Oxydendrum arboreum		20 ft - 30 ftzones 5–9full-shadeBNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Southern wax myrtle
Myrica cerifera		20 ft - 25 ftzones 7–11full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin		8 ft - 15 ftzones 5–9partBNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Staghorn sumac
Rhus typhina		8 ft - 25 ftzones 3–9fullCNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Strawberry bush
Euonymus americanus		4 ft - 6 ftzones 6–9full-shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Striped maple
Acer pensylvanicum		15 ft - 35 ftzones 3–7part shade–shadeBNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Swamp azalea
Rhododendron viscosum		2 ft - 8 ftzones 4–9full sun–part shadeC*NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Swamp rose
Rosa palustris		3 ft - 6 ftzones 4–9full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Sweet pepperbush
Clethra alnifolia		5 ft - 10 ftzones 3–9full sun–part shadeB*NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Sweetbay magnolia
Magnolia virginiana		10 ft - 35 ftzones 5–10full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Sweetshrub
Calycanthus floridus		6 ft - 12 ftzones 4–9full-shadeBNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Titi
Cyrilla racemiflora		8 ft - 30 ftzones 5–11full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Umbrella magnolia
Magnolia tripetala		15 ft - 30 ftzones 5–8full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Virginia sweetspire
Itea virginica		4 ft - 8 ftzones 5–9partBNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
White fringetree
Chionanthus virginicus		12 ft - 30 ftzones 3–9full sun–part shadeCNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Winged sumac
Rhus copallinum		7 ft - 15 ftzones 4–9full sun–part shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Winterberry
Ilex verticillata		3 ft - 15 ftzones 3–9full-shadeBNC State Ext.; USDA nativity
Yaupon holly
Ilex vomitoria		10 ft - 20 ft 6 in.zones 7–9full-shade—NC State Ext.; USDA nativity

Deer column: Rutgers deer-resistance rating (A best to D worst; * = genus-level rating). Height, zones, light: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Nativity: USDA NRCS PLANTS state distribution; native to a state is not native to every county.

Popular hedge plants on official invasive lists

Related

Instead of privet, by stateInstead of burning bushInstead of running bambooDeer-resistant plantsShade trees

Checked 2026-10-15. Informational only; not legal advice. Check local HOA and setback rules for hedges.