5 Fastest Growing Trees — TN Nursery

8 min readJul 9, 2021

What Are Five of the Fastest Growing Trees?

The empress tree paulownia is a native Chinese plant that is making inroads in the United States. The tree can grow to between 33 and 82 feet high and grows fast. However, the growth of the empress tree paulownia is minimal for the first year, and it may take several years for it to attain the height needed.

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The silver maple is another fast-growing tree. It grows between three and seven feet per year with a steady widening during that time. The fast-growing time of the silver maple makes it an excellent choice for shading and is being considered for biofuel production. The leaves grow to be about five inches long on average and come in colors of silver and gray.

The tulip poplar, otherwise known as the yellow poplar, is one of the largest trees in North America. It can grow to a height of up to 190 feet with a trunk diameter of up to ten feet. The tulip poplar grows about 18 inches per year, but the fastest growth is during the first ten years. The growth rate of this tree and the straightness of the trunk makes this an excellent source of hardwood.

The red maple is a native tree of North America and reaches a height of sixty to ninety feet. The tree grows at an average of two feet per year after the first year. The red maple also can achieve a spread of up to 35 feet, and the leaves have colors between red and orange. A downside of the red maple is that the bark of the tree tends to be thin and can be easily damaged — a good tree for fast growth yard shading.

The river birch tree, also known as the black birch, is a tree native to the Eastern United States. This tree can grow up to seventy feet tall and spread up to sixty feet. The river birch tree grows up to 3 feet in a single growing season. It also has the advantage of being resistant to boring insects and good for hot climates.

These are some of the most common fast-growing trees. Their growth can be limited by season and condition. It is a good idea, therefore, to research your local conditions before selecting a tree to plant

Toothwood Fern

Originating in Northern North America, Europe, and Asia, a Toothwood Fern(Dryopteris Carthusian) is the ideal solution for gardeners looking to transition to larger ferns. Used as border plants, these medium-sized ferns generally are suitable for almost any location. While they prefer moist, acidic humus-filled soil, they will grow in average, medium, and well-drained soil as well. Toothwood Ferns are frequently used to enhance gardens with varying shades of green or as ground cover in shaded areas. Moreover, they work well in large planters. These plants quickly grow and mature to a height ranging from 24 to 36 inches, although 2 feet is typical and spreading 12–18 inches. Toothwood Fern’s splendid green foliage blooms from April till winter when they become dormant. Old fronds can then be trimmed back in late winter. With a reputation for their unique beauty, Toothwood Ferns thrive in areas of partial shade to full shade and are relatively tolerant of sun.

Appearing in early spring, the ferns feature narrow, finely-divided, outward growing fronds. Reaching 2 to 3 feet, they are frequently used by florists for greenery. Easily recognizable, the fronds feature a lacy appearance and leaves that have small serrated edges. Additionally, with a rich, deep verdant coloring, the Toothwood Ferns grow in an almost vase-like cluster. Given space to roam, these ferns will mass in a shady area of woodland, nearby native plants, and wild gardens. Both deer and groundhog resistant, they are the ideal garden companions when planted with other perennials, offering a change of texture. Easy to maintain, there are no serious insect or disease issues related to these plants. And as an added bonus, they will prevent soil erosion if planted beneath the eaves of your home. Simply put, Toothwood Ferns are as sturdy and tough as they are delicate and lovely. With their unique shape and eye-catching lime green coloring, they will bring new life to all gardens and enclosures.

Toothwood Ferns — Spinulose Shield Fern

The Toothwood Ferns or Spinulose Shield Fern have the Scientific name of Dryopteris Carthusian. It’s native to the northern hemisphere in both Europe and North America. The dark green lacy fronds are commonly used in the floral industry and are known for being butterfly friendly. They turn yellow in the fall, but their fronds will stay green into the winter and starts blooming in April, right after the last frost.

The fronds are erect, vase-shaped, and taper towards the tip, while the lower part of the plant is made up of branches giving a whole appearance to the plant. It has no glandular hair on the blade.

This plant is used for ground cover and is seldom damaged by deer or rabbits. It can even be found naturally occurring in swamps and wet woods with full or partial shade. The height of the plant is 1.5 to 2.5 feet and will grow approximately 1 to 1 and 1/2 feet wide. Though it prefers a more neutral condition, it does grow well in clusters in moist, wet, sandy, rocky, alkaline, or acidic environments and is considered easy to grow.

This Fern is often used by a florist for greenery in arrangements. It is deciduous, or in other words, loses its leave annually. It is often used for a ton of landscaping purposes because it is excellent for an accent to plants and because it attracts butterflies while making a great border. It can be planted in a planter and sat on the porch or deck.

This extremely adaptive plant would look great in any yard or on any porch. Toothwood ferns can be used to hide small imperfections in your garden with the array of dark green leaves and the way that it attracts butterflies it would add beauty to any landscape or garden.

Toothed Wood Fern — Dryopteris Carthusiana

The toothed wood fern is native to both North America and Europe. It is deciduous in the northern reaches of its habitat and semi-evergreen in the southern reaches. These ferns are naturally found in a wide variety of woodland settings. They favor sandy, moist, and slightly acidic soil. They thrive in light, partial, and full shade. Mature plants reach a height of around 24–36 inches with a spread of about 18–24 inches. These ferns have a medium growth rate. They are very easy to grow, as they only require regular watering, being careful to keep the soil moist between waterings. It’s no wonder these beautiful light green ferns are a favorite of landscapers and gardeners alike. They are used for massing, for borders, and for brightening up a shady garden. Another trait of these plants is the fact that they are resistant to deer and rabbits, giving the owner peace of mind. Typically, the toothed wood fern consists of tall bright green fronds. These fronds produce 1–5 ascending leaves. The leaves are hairless and ovate in shape, divided into up to 18 pairs of pinnate leaflets. Each leaflet is oblong in shape, having up to 18 pairs of subleaflets. Each subleaflet is sharply toothed, giving it an almost spiny appearance. The basal subleaflets ( the ones closest to the bottom ) are usually longer than the second and third subleaflets. This is a fundamental identifying feature of the species. The leaves are very lacy and resemble microshrubbery when viewed up close. The toothed wood fern will begin to die back at the first frost and spring back to life around the first of April in most zones. Whether you’re planning a hardy border for an existing garden or adding vibrant green to an otherwise dull patch under a tree, this easy-to-grow fern is sure to please.

Toothwood Fern- Dryopteris spinulosais

Planting Zone: 3–8 (nearly the entire continental United States)

Mature Height: 12–24 inches

Soil Requirements: widely adaptable, grows successfully in most soils

Growing Speed: slow-medium

Characteristics: tuberous root, dark green lacy fronds that grow in a spiral from the center mound, propagates through spore dispersal in late summer

Landscaping Uses: borders, backgrounds, fill larger spaces, used in cut flower arrangements.

The Toothwood Fern or Toothed Wood Fern, sometimes also called the Narrow Buckler Fern, is a beautiful addition to any garden. It has the classic fern shape with dark green, long triangle-shaped fronds that are each made up of hundreds of small leaflets. The Toothwood Fern is a semi-evergreen deciduous perennial. This means that in the northern areas of its zone, it will shed its leaves as the season changes, but in the southern area of its zone, it will remain green all year round. Its deep green color would make a lovely backdrop for other flowering plants, or the size and shape of a mature plant would cover larger spaces beautifully. Because it can be planted in full shade or partial sun, this fern is very versatile and adaptable. It is found to grow successfully in many places other plants just can’t handle. It has also been found to be resistant to deer and rabbits, meaning you don’t have to worry about all your hard work becoming the local wildlife salad bar! The Toothwood Fern has also been found to attract butterflies, so there is no easier way to add a touch of enchantment and whimsy to your garden or landscaping than with this delicate yet hardy plant. By far one of the easiest ferns to grow successfully, the Toothwood Fern is sure to become a fast favorite among gardeners and landscapers of every experience level.