What To Plant For Privacy Around Missouri Outdoor Living Patios

Missouri homeowners looking to screen patios have many good plant options, but success depends on matching species to site conditions, maintenance tolerance, deer pressure, and the level and timing of privacy you want. This article explains climate and site factors specific to Missouri, gives practical design principles, lists suitable trees, shrubs, grasses, and vines with concrete planting and spacing guidance, and offers sample planting plans you can adapt to a narrow city lot or a wide suburban yard.

Missouri climate and patio site considerations

Missouri spans USDA hardiness zones roughly 5a to 7b depending on elevation and latitude. Summers are hot and humid; winters can bring hard freezes and periodic ice storms in the north. Soil in many areas is clayey; some pockets have sandier or loamy soils. Deer are common across the state and will browse many ornamental plants.
Key site factors to assess before you plant:

• Exposure: full sun, part shade, full shade on different sides of a patio will change species choices.
• Soil drainage and texture: heavy clay benefits from added organic matter and raised beds; very sandy soils need more frequent irrigation.
• Wind and winter sun: evergreens can suffer desiccation on exposed sites; consider windbreaks or burlap screens for newly planted evergreens.
• Proximity to structures and hardscape: avoid trees with aggressive surface roots near pavers, patios, and foundations.
• Desired screening height and timing: fast screens for immediate privacy versus layered plantings that mature over several years.

Privacy goals and design principles

Decide the primary goals before selecting plants: visual screening, noise reduction, wind shelter, or all three. Use these principles:

• Height: choose plants that reach the height you need. For screening a neighbor at eye level, 6 to 8 feet is common; to block a second-story view, select trees or mature hedges 20 feet or higher.
• Density and opacity: evergreens give year-round opacity; deciduous trees and tall grasses provide seasonal privacy and are best layered with evergreens if winter screening is required.
• Layering: place taller trees and large shrubs at the back of a planting bed, with mid-height shrubs and low plants in front. Layering increases visual depth and sound absorption.
• Spacing: plant according to mature width to avoid overcrowding that invites disease and heavy pruning.
• Maintenance: simple sheared hedges look formal and require regular trimming; native shrub masses are lower maintenance and better for wildlife.

Recommended plants for Missouri patio privacy

Below are practical, site-specific suggestions organized by type. For each species I list mature height, preferred exposures, soil tolerance, deer resistance, and special notes.

Evergreen trees and tall screening shrubs (year-round privacy)

• Thuja standishii x plicata ‘Green Giant’ (Green Giant Arborvitae)
• Mature height and width: 30-60 ft tall, 10-15 ft wide.
• Exposure: full sun to part shade.
• Soil: adaptable, tolerates clay.
• Deer: moderately resistant.
• Notes: fast-growing, excellent tall screen; space 8-12 ft apart for dense wall.
• Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’ or ‘Emerald Green’ (Arborvitae)
• Mature height and width: 12-20 ft tall, 3-5 ft wide.
• Exposure: full sun to part shade.
• Soil: moderately adaptable.
• Deer: sometimes browsed.
• Notes: good for narrow hedges or formal screens.
• Juniperus virginiana (Eastern Redcedar)
• Mature height and width: 30-40 ft, 8-20 ft.
• Exposure: full sun.
• Soil: very adaptable, drought tolerant.
• Deer: deer-resistant.
• Notes: native, good for wildlife, dense foliage.
• Ilex x ‘Nellie R. Stevens’ (Nellie R. Stevens Holly)
• Mature height and width: 15-25 ft tall, 8-12 ft wide.
• Exposure: sun to part shade.
• Soil: prefers well-drained soil.
• Deer: moderately resistant.
• Notes: glossy evergreen leaves and berries (need male pollinator).
• Taxus x media (Hybrid Yew)
• Mature height and width: 6-12 ft tall, 4-8 ft wide depending on cultivar.
• Exposure: part shade to shade.
• Soil: prefers well-drained soil.
• Deer: sometimes browsed but generally acceptable.
• Notes: toxic to pets; good for shady screens.

Deciduous trees and large shrubs (seasonal privacy, height)

• Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud)
• Mature height and width: 20-30 ft tall.
• Exposure: full sun to light shade.
• Soil: adaptable but prefers good drainage.
• Deer: moderate browse risk.
• Notes: spring flowers, good understory tree for filtered privacy.
• Amelanchier arborea (Serviceberry)
• Mature height and width: 15-25 ft.
• Exposure: sun to part shade.
• Soil: adaptable.
• Notes: multi-season interest — spring bloom, summer fruit, fall color.
• Chionanthus virginicus (Fringe Tree) or Crataegus phaenopyrum (Washington Hawthorn)
• Mature height: 15-30 ft.
• Notes: useful as understory or small street trees that break line-of-sight.

Tall shrubs for screening and hedging

• Ilex glabra (Inkberry)
• Mature height and width: 6-8 ft x 4-8 ft.
• Exposure: sun to part shade.
• Soil: tolerates wet sites; native.
• Deer: relatively resistant.
• Notes: evergreen in many areas, good for informal hedges.
• Viburnum spp. (e.g., Viburnum dentatum, Viburnum plicatum)
• Mature height and width: 6-15 ft depending on species.
• Exposure: sun to part shade.
• Notes: good seasonal structure, flowers, and berries; deer browse can vary by species.
• Cornus sericea (Red Osier Dogwood)
• Mature height: 8-12 ft.
• Notes: fast-growing shrub for a dense screen; multi-stem habit good for wildlife.

Ornamental grasses and perennial understory (soft layer)

• Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass, cultivars like ‘Shenandoah’)
• Mature height: 3-6 ft.
• Exposure: full sun.
• Notes: native, clump-forming, adds summer texture and winter screening.
• Miscanthus sinensis (Maiden Grass)
• Mature height: 4-8 ft.
• Notes: good for mixed screening beds; some cultivars can be invasive in certain areas — check local recommendations.
• Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ (Feather Reed Grass)
• Mature height: 4-6 ft.
• Notes: upright and narrow, good in front of taller shrubs.

Vines for fences and trellises

• Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper)
• Exposure: sun to shade.
• Notes: fast cover, good fall color; not evergreen so winter screening limited.
• Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris (Climbing Hydrangea)
• Exposure: part to full shade.
• Notes: slow to establish but attractive and clings to walls; deciduous.
• Lonicera sempervirens (Coral Honeysuckle, native)
• Exposure: full sun to part shade.
• Notes: less invasive than Japanese honeysuckle; attracts hummingbirds.

Avoid highly invasive vines such as porcelain berry and Japanese honeysuckle in favor of native or well-behaved species.

Planting, spacing, and maintenance best practices

The right plant choices will fail without proper planting and follow-up care. These are the practical steps that matter.

Planting and soil preparation

• Dig a hole no deeper than the root ball and 1.5 to 2 times wider. Break up compacted soil around the hole for root penetration.
• Backfill with native soil amended with compost only if the native soil is extremely poor; over-amending can create a “bathtub” effect. For heavy clay, mix in coarse compost and gypsum if recommended by a soil test.
• Add 2-3 inches of mulch in a 2-3 foot radius, keeping mulch away from stems to prevent rot.
• Plant during spring or early fall in Missouri; fall planting often gives roots time to establish before heat stress next summer.

Spacing and layout rules of thumb

• For a formal evergreen screen using arborvitae, space plants at 2/3 of the mature width if you want a dense hedge sooner. For example, a cultivar 10 ft wide planted 6-7 ft apart will close faster.
• For informal native hedges, space plants at or near mature width so each specimen has room to develop.
• Keep large trees at least 15-20 ft from patios and foundations to limit root and shade issues; choose non-invasive root species near pavers.

Watering, fertilizing, pruning

• Water deeply and infrequently after planting: 1-2 inches per week depending on rainfall. First two years are critical.
• Avoid heavy nitrogen applications; use a balanced slow-release fertilizer in early spring if growth is poor.
• Prune evergreens minimally; when shaping a hedge, do formative pruning in the first 3-4 years. For deciduous trees, prune to maintain clear trunks and good branching.

Deer and pest management

• Use deer-resistant species as a first line of defense. Deer-resistant does not mean deer-proof; multiple strategies like repellents, fencing, and planting less-palatable species together work best.
• Monitor for common pests in Missouri such as bagworms on arborvitae/cedar, hollies can have scale, and boxwood can be affected by boxwood blight. Remove infested material and consult extension resources for control methods.

Winter care

• Protect young evergreens from winter dessication by wrapping or using anti-desiccant products if in a very exposed site.
• After heavy snow/ice, brush snow off branches carefully to avoid breakage. Prune broken limbs in late winter to reduce disease entry.

Example planting plans

Here are three straightforward layouts you can adapt.

• Narrow city patio (6-10 ft strip): plant a staggered double row of columnar arborvitae (Emerald Green) 3-4 ft from the fence spaced 4-5 ft apart, with a front border of Karl Foerster grass spaced 2-3 ft apart for softening.
• Suburban wide patio (backyard screen 20-30 ft): create a three-layered bed: back row Green Giant Arborvitae 8-12 ft apart for tall evergreen backdrop; middle row of Viburnum plicatum and Inkberry at 6-8 ft spacing for mid-level privacy; front row of switchgrass and native perennials.
• Shady patio (north side under tree canopy): use yews or inkberry for shady evergreens spaced to mature width, interplanted with climbing hydrangea on a trellis to cover unsightly views.

Practical takeaways and checklist

1. Define the privacy objective: height, opacity, and whether year-round screening is required.
2. Assess the site: sun, soil, wind, deer, and space constraints.
3. Choose a mix of evergreen and deciduous species for year-round interest and resilience; favor native species where possible.
4. Plant with correct spacing and soil preparation; mulch and water deeply during the first two seasons.
5. Maintain with formative pruning, periodic fertilization if needed, and winter protection on exposed evergreens.
6. Consider a layered design or berm plus planting for best screening and sound reduction.

A thoughtful planting plan will create privacy, add value to your outdoor living space, and reduce maintenance headaches later. Start with the site assessment, pick a planting palette suited to your exposure and deer pressure, and invest in good planting and early care. With the right mix of trees, shrubs, vines, and grasses, Missouri patios can become private, beautiful, and resilient outdoor rooms.