Best Trees for Windbreak: Protecting your Property from Wind Damage with 21 Choices.

Last Updated on March 24, 2023 by Jeremy

Introduction

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What is a windbreak? The definition of windbreak according to Wikipedia is:

” A windbreak (shelterbelt) is a planting usually made up of one or more rows of trees or shrubs planted in such a manner as to provide shelter from the wind and to protect soil from erosion. They are commonly planted in hedgerows around the edges of fields on farms. If designed properly, windbreaks around a home can reduce the cost of heating and cooling and save energy. Windbreaks are also planted to help keep snow from drifting onto roadways or yards”.[mfn]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windbreak[/mfn]

This definition alone sets up the remaining article to be explained of what the best trees for windbreak are, which are to prevent wind from doing damage to farm-yards, crops, and soil on any type of property.

It’s important to choose the right tree as just planting any tree that “looks good” takes away from the logistics of creating a carefully planned and designed solution for wind protection.

Below I will explain some factors to consider when choosing the best trees, give you examples and a list of 21 of the best trees, the benefits, maintenance tips, and design possibilities of windbreaks, as well as where to purchase many of these trees included in this list!

When you have concluded this read, you will be well-informed and deep in knowledge to plan your future property with a functional windbreak.

Pictured below is an example of a windbreak in action:

Factors to consider when choosing trees for windbreaks

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So, there are a few factors that one should consider when choosing trees for your shelterbelt. To start, you’ll need to keep thoughts about:

1) Height and density of the tree canopy – In doing this, you’ll know which shrub you should start with to which tallest tree you should plant and its orientation to where the rest of the layout of the dwellings will be.

2) Root system and ability to anchor soil – Knowing how tall your tree is equals knowing how deep the roots will be anchored. Typically, tall, well-aged trees grow sturdier and stronger anchor roots that like to absorb more water at deeper depths. Having well-developed ground soil around your planted roots will establish and hold deeper.

3) Tolerance to wind and other weather conditions – Having this knowledge factors in which tree you should place in which position for windbreak purposes. Smaller shrubs theoretically need to place on the outer limits, and taller, stronger trees that can take the brunt force of the wind should be placed in the central areas of your windbreak.

4) Maintenance requirements – How often would you consider pruning your windbreak trees, or even keep the soil worked up to prevent erosion? This factor needs to be considered to get the most longevity of your windbreak.

5) Suitability for the local climate and soil type – Each tree type has a zone, so knowing what zone you’re located in is a huge consideration to remember. Not only that, but your annual climate will prevent you from getting a palm tree in the middle of a snow blizzard for example.

Best trees for windbreak

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Time for the moment of truth. What are some of the best trees for windbreak? Here are some suggestions below that are categorized by their classification:

Conifers

• Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) –

This tree is considered the best because it can live in nearly any environment.

It can withstand temperatures up to -30 degrees Fahrenheit making this drought tolerant, cold hardy tree #1 on your list.

Wildlife animals also consider this tree home, such as porcupines and squirrels, as it boasts evergreen foliage year-round.

Growing in zones 3 to 8, the Eastern white pine can maturely get as tall as 50-80 feet, just shy of aspens and birch trees, which they should be considered planted with.

Growing as wide as 20-40 feet (mature), the Eastern white pine will grow rather fast, and prefers full-partial sun. Ideally, this tree can be planted in which it gets 4 full hours of sun each day, and in soil of any type.

This tree should be pruned every winter leaving the top 2/3 of the tree activated. Reasoning behind this is so it can grow straight and be more resistant to diseases.

• Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens) –

The Colorado blue spruce is not your every-day evergreen tree!

This conifer can grow in rows horizontally and makes for the best choice for the holidays.

This tree can grow in zones 2-7 making it the perfect option for those winter months where the temperatures get to -40 F or colder.

Its mature height is 30 to 60 feet, can get as wide as 25 to 30 feet (mature), and its growth rate is moderate. This tree requires full-partial sunlight and can adapt to a variety of different soils.

It also provides ample food and shelter for birds like nuthatches and can withstand wind better than most spruce trees due to its impressive root system.

If utilizing these trees as a windbreak, its recommended to plant them at least 20′ apart.

• Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) –

The Douglas fir tree is probably one of the most popular trees around, and not just for a shelterbelt.

This hardy, sturdy, and easy-to-grow tree is known vastly for its lumber resource at home renovation lumberyards across the country.

Because there is no maintenance required of this tree, it can be planted in zones 4 to 6, and will reach a mature height between 40 and 70 feet tall.

Able to grow in full-partial shade, the Douglas fir tree will get as wide as 20 feet, even in -20 Fahrenheit weather.

If starting out with planting this tree from small, you’ll want to ensure you have at least 6 hours of sun per day, and water it at least 1 to 4 times a month.

Should you see any disease approaching, its best to cut the infested branches to the trunk in the fall time.

 

• Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) –

Eastern red cedar trees might be known more from its Latin name (showcased above) as a Juniper species.

It’s still a hefty tree to plant for your windbreak and it’s also a beneficial tree because it can withstand any type of climate such as ice and snow to heat and drought.

Even though they have a slow growth rate, the Eastern red cedar is considered one of the best trees for windbreak due to its mature 30-60 foot height, as it can collect snow, and even protect the wildlife from its luscious foliage.

This tree is capable of growing in zones 4-9 and can reach a distance of up to 25 feet wide.

Planting the Eastern red cedar requires 6-8 hours of sun daily, does not require fertilization, and will not need any pruning making it maintenance free.

The only thing you may want to do is pick the juniper berries for making Gin, or trim some branches off to act as a natural insect repellent indoors from its earthy and sweet wood scent.

• Leyland cypress (Cupressus leylandii) –

Labeled as the most planted tree for its particular privacy feature, the Leyland cypress tree can grow very fast, up to 60 feet in mature height.

Stretching 20 to 25 feet wide, this tree can be pruned to your desired windbreak dimensions because of its architectural, textured foliage.

Only able to grow in zones 6-10, this tree requires full sun when planted, and you should expect 5 to 7 years for the space between trees to fill in (which depends on your planting reasoning).

If you are using them as hedge tree for instance, then plant the trees 8-10 feet apart and expect to prune them frequently, otherwise space them 25 feet apart, and there will be limited fertilizing and maintenance.

Other Conifers to consider while looking for the best trees for windbreak include the White cedar (Thuja occidentalis), Norway spruce (Picea abies), and Serbian spruce (Picea omorika).

Deciduous trees

• Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) –

According to Wikipedia:

” the bur oak or burr oak, is a species of oak tree native to eastern North America. It is in the white oak section, Quercus sect. Quercus, and is also called mossycup oak, mossycup white oak, blue oak, or scrub oak”.[mfn]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_macrocarpa[/mfn]

This durable and life-long tree can survive in some of the most extreme weather environments, in any soil condition, and at a moderate rate up to 100 feet tall, maturely.

Being hardy down to -40 degrees Fahrenheit, the Bur oak can survive in full sun, anywhere in zones 2-9.

• Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) –

Sugar maple trees might be known for their brightly colored red, orange and yellow leaves in the fall time, or even recognized by its leaf on the Canadian flag, but did you know why this tree is considered one of the best?

Because it can grow maturely between 55 and 75 feet tall, 30 to 50 feet wide, and down to -30 degrees Fahrenheit I reckon.

As well, it can grow at a fast rate in zones 3-8, while being tolerant to soggy, well drained, fertile soils.

You’ll want to be certain you water this tree weekly during its growing up stages and ensure that it has full to partial sun exposure when planting. You’ll also want to maintain this tree with fertilizer and pruning, when necessary, during the first few years to allow for its longevity to thrive over time.

• American beech (Fagus grandifolia) –

Here’s another tree that can grow almost anywhere and stand the test of time – the American beech tree!

Being wind and weather damage resistant, and able to grow in zones 3-9, this species of tree is able to house many of wildlife’s creatures.

These trees can grow up to 60′ tall when mature, with the same measurement in width.

Needing full sun, it is hardy down to -30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Because these branches are long and dense, they provide a unique shade covering on those hot sunny days, as well a mountain of air blockage on the extremely windy days, making it a good choice for windbreak.

• Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) –

Being related to a Pecan tree, and known for producing edible fruits, called hickory nuts, the Shagbark hickory tree can extend up to 130 feet in height and is considered one of the best windbreak trees for just that reason, its massive size.

Although its mature size is only rated at 70-90 feet tall, this tree does come with its maintenance which I will kindly guide you to learn more about on this website: Shagbark Hickory Tree: Plant Care & Growing Guide (thespruce.com)

• Black walnut (Juglans nigra) –

Also known as the classic walnut tree (and related to a pecan and hickory), this nutrient-dense soil bearing plant needs the slightly warmer growing climate of zones 4 to 9 to sprout up to its mature height of 70 to 150 feet.

For collection of this fruit, you are to wait between September and October to harvest, just before the squirrels hoard them.

But do not fret if you miss any because a single tree can produce beyond the hundred that you’d need for delicious deserts such as ice cream.

As for the reason this tree makes it on the best list for windbreak purposes, it can grow on sloped land and is hardy down to -20 degrees Fahrenheit.

This also includes it can stand alone with a spread of 30-40 feet between them, which allows for proper maintenance to these trees as well.

The maintenance required is to keep the soil well cultivated, and not allowing it to be in a flooding scenario. Ultimately, you want this type of tree to be standing alone like the “mighty oak”.

• Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) –

By Kevmin – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

Here’s a tree that can reach a height range between 60 and 100 feet, is found mostly in moist soil, and is highly tolerable to alkaline soil, heat and drought.

According to Wikipedia –

“In much of the Midwest of the United States the honey locust is also considered a weed tree and a pest that establishes itself in farm fields. In other regions of the world, ranchers and farmers who employ monocropping deem honey locust a nuisance weed; its fast growth allows it to out-compete grasses and other crops”.[mfn]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_locust[/mfn]

Due to its thorny branches, this tree can act not only as a windbreak, but as a deterrent to wildlife. However, there is an exception where the locusts produced from the tree are edible and non-toxic to cattle and horses, in which they eat these plants, without digesting the pods inside.

Hybrid trees

• Hybrid poplar (Populus deltoids x Polulus nigra) –

Here’s a tree that is crossed between a Cottonwood and a Lombardy Poplar, hence the name, Hybrid poplar.

This tree is very good at providing shade, erosion control, and pulling water out of damp ground. This type of tree has a lot of leaves, an extensive root system to support its height, and needs a lot of water to keep it healthy.

It’s a classic shade tree that can grow up to 8 feet per year and can reach a mature height between 40 and 50 feet.

Becoming as wide as 30 feet, this tree grows well in zones 3-8 up to a hardy temperature down to -30 degrees Fahrenheit.

The thing I think I dislike about these types of trees is their pre-summer seed fuzz droppings that blow everywhere, but other than that, these trees require very little maintenance except for a healthy flow of water in its early years.

Also, if you have problems with wildlife such as deer, this tree is labeled as “deer resistant”, meaning it can be utilized in a location such as crops for your windbreak purpose.

• Hybrid willow (Salix x matsudana x alba) –

I think this is my favorite pick for purposes of windbreak, privacy and noise control, especially alongside a roadway or buildings.

They can also be placed in between and amongst the taller trees to really create and ambiance of that perfect yard.

The willow hybrid tree can grow up to 6 feet per year creating a solid wall of green.

Growing in any soil and any condition (zones 4-9), they can sprout up to 35-45 feet in rows and up to 75 feet by themselves. Their width only stretches between 5-10 feet, hence why many people plant them in rows creating that fence-like feature.

Things to keep in mind with this type of tree are:

• to water it frequently when first starting out
• give it a location with full-partial sun
• maintain it by mulching near the base being careful not to over-mulch (once a year with shredded hardwood bark and not mounded around the base).

Fruit trees

Of the many choices of fruit trees that could be chosen for the best trees for windbreak, we have the following four:

• Apple (Malus spp.)
• Pear (Pyrus spp.)
• Cherry (Prunus spp.)
• Peach (Prunus persica)

Not honing in on any one in particular, the reasoning behind choosing a fruit tree to help you with your planting choices, is that fruit bearing trees, being extremely useful in a windbreak situation, also produce the bountiful harvests annually in each specific growing zone.

Some trees can get as high as 20′ in their mature height, while some can get as wide as 10′ or wider. All types of fruit trees require a fair amount of rain, which absorb the moist soil, potentially eliminating soil erosion in your area.

As well, to make sure you get the best out of your fruit trees, maintain by pruning and not to allow mulch to touch the base of the tree.

Special Mention

The Caragana tree is another useful windbreak plant that can be utilized throughout its lifetime. According to Wikipedia, the caragana is also referenced as Caragana arborescens – and apparently:

In some areas of the United States it is considered an invasive species. Introduced on the Canadian prairies in the 1880’s, the hardy caragana provided shelter-belts, wildlife habitat, nitrogen fixation, and wind-breaks to prevent soil erosion and snow drifting.[mfn]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caragana_arborescens[/mfn]

By A. Barra – Own work, CC BY 3.0, Link

Planting and maintaining windbreaks

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If, when and ever you decide to plant and maintain some of these or other types of trees for windbreak purposes, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Below are 5 key steps that will help ensure you get the most out of your specially designed windbreak.

1) Site preparation and planting techniques – With this, you have to take the outlay of the land area you intend to supply protection to. If its home and dwelling related, you’ll want to plant your trees within the recommended spacing required for each tree. As for crop and field protection, spacing isn’t as problematic, but should still be followed just the same to ensure not only wind protection, but soil erosion control as well.

** It’s best to follow the advice of a gardening or tree planting expert should you require more info on each tree. **

2) Watering, fertilization, and pruning – Planting your trees from scratch usually requires early maintenance along with it such as watering the recommended amount of times per hour, day, week, month, and year to help them get root established.

Fertilization takes precedence for certain types of trees as well, whether it be from natural methods such as wildlife droppings, or tree pellets. Certain trees require certain soil types so an example would be as follows:

The Colorado blue spruce tree listed above may not require frequent fertilizer applications, but one specific application it could benefit from for the extra boost of nutrients to obtain longer lasting needles and a deeper color would be to add a 10-10-10 slow-release fertilizer stake and follow the instructions.

Lastly, pruning the trees are important in areas in which you don’t want nature to take over, especially on specific trees such as fruit trees and some pine trees. Not only does this prevent diseases, but it also helps ensure that they grow straighter and healthier.

3) Pest and disease management – By taking care of the above, we already discovered that we could minimize or eliminate certain diseases with certain trees. This also applies to many pests that would be present during a growing season. Beetles, mites, worms and small wildlife can damage the trees but with the addition of certain trees, can eliminate those pests.

Taking for example from the Eastern Red Cedar in which it’s a natural bug repellent, or most trees which can accommodate birds, that like to eat said bugs.

4) Monitoring and maintenance schedule – By making a unique maintenance schedule that you follow diligently from the beginning planting stages, you can create some of the strongest, healthiest and best growing trees for windbreak and other scenarios.

By planting and maintaining your windbreaks with the tips and suggestions mentioned above, you will ensure your trees to grow to their mature height to do their best performance against wind.

When this occurs, take a look at the photo below so you can see how the full-grown trees accommodate wind and what it potentially does in terms of placement:

Benefits of windbreaks

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One of the biggest benefits of a windbreak is snow. Planting such trees in an area that snow accumulates will basically move that snow to another area. To understand this, if you want to move snow from one area to another, plant trees in rows to produce a windbreak.

Of course, there are other benefits to them as well. Below, they are:

• Protection of crops, livestock, and buildings
• Soil conservation and erosion prevention
• Improved air and water quality
• Reduced energy costs

Have a watch of this short 30-second video that gives you the simplified version of what a windbreak is, plus explains what some of the benefits are:

How to design a windbreak

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There are many considerations when it comes to designing your windbreak. From the above video, it mentions that it can beautify a yard amongst other things, but the basic thing we should keep in mind is based on the specific needs and goals of you, the landowner.

Have a look at this photo that suggests placement for where to plant such trees in relation to other buildings:

Suggestions for Purchasing Windbreak Trees

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If the first initial reaction you have when it comes to this title is to go to Nurseries or Garden Centers, then you’d be 100% correct. These gardening experts have, or should have a fair bit of knowledge when it comes to picking specific trees from your website.

Garden centers in such buildings like a Home Depot often carry indoor trees, but there are some outdoor trees you are able to plant. Also, other than nurseries or garden centers, you can purchase entire plants from some online stores.

One such online tree retail website that comes to mind is: Fast-Growing-Trees.com. They have a plethora of styles to choose from, including many of the mentioned one’s above. Plus, they explain what each tree is, what zone it can grow in, and even give you planting and maintenance tips.

Not only that, but the selection of what products they have on this website is beyond amazing. From Palm trees to fruit trees, and shrubs to landscape kits and grass, they have it all!

Even though they ship only within the United States, customers that receive these trees from the above website have many positive things to say. For an example of a random picked tree (the classic flowering Hong Kong orchard), here’s a screenshot of what one customer has said:

The last location that comes to mind for purchasing said trees would be Amazon. Although, mostly I discovered that these purchases through here come in seed packets, it only means more time spent growing from the very beginning of the tree stage, versus one that’s been already established and 3-4 feet tall, that you’d get from the other mentions above.

Conclusion

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To wrap this very informative article, let me encourage you to consider planting windbreaks with the best trees suited for their local environment. If one thing is for certain, we discovered a vast amount of information above including the benefits, how to maintain, and design your very own windbreak.

As each tree has their own growing styles and methods, and in certain soils and temperatures, its also important to remember to check your zone. For a map of the zones available in your area in North America, please view the picture below:

If you have any more questions or would like to showcase your own windbreak design, please reach out through the comments section or in the About Us section to our email.

I hope you enjoyed this article, until next time…

Earth is Heart!