Tree & Shrub Calculator: How Many Trees or Shrubs Do I Need?
Planning a hedge, living fence, privacy screen, orchard or new woodlot? Tell this calculator how you're planting and it works out how many trees or shrubs you need, plus the best-value way to buy them.
How many plants for a hedge or privacy screen?
| Spacing | Plants per 50 feet | Plants per 100 feet |
|---|---|---|
| 2 feet | 26 | 51 |
| 3 feet | 17 | 34 |
| 4 feet | 13 | 26 |
| 5 feet | 11 | 21 |
| 6 feet | 9 | 17 |
| 8 feet | 7 | 13 |
These are for a single row. For two staggered rows, roughly double them.
How many trees per acre?
| Spacing | Trees per acre | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 8 × 8 feet | 681 | Reforestation and woodlots from seedlings |
| 10 × 10 feet | 436 | Wildlife plantings and timber |
| 15 × 15 feet | 194 | Small fruit and nut trees |
| 20 × 20 feet | 109 | Standard fruit trees and orchards |
| 30 × 30 feet | 48 | Large shade and nut trees |
Spacing by project
- Clipped hedges: 2 to 3 feet apart so plants knit into a solid wall. Browse our shrubs.
- Living fences and privacy screens: 4 to 6 feet apart in one row, or in two staggered rows for faster privacy. Evergreens give you year-round screening.
- Flowering shrub borders: 4 to 6 feet apart so each shrub can show its full shape and blooms.
- Fruit trees and nut trees: 15 to 30 feet apart, depending on the tree's mature size.
- Tree seedlings for woodlots and reforestation: 8 to 10 feet apart for a stand that fills in fast.
- Shade trees in a yard: 30 feet or more apart, and 15 to 20 feet from your house.
When in doubt, use the plant's mature width as your spacing. You'll find it on each product page.
Every plant ships from TN Nursery, a family nursery growing in Tennessee since 1959.
Need plants for the beds below your trees? Try our Perennial & Ground Cover Calculator, or see every tool on our Planting Calculators page.
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