There are so many gorgeous trees to plant in Southern Ontario, but waiting for them to reach maturity can be a real test of patience! If you want shade and high-impact colour in your landscape ASAP, opt for fast-growing varieties. With vibrant foliage, gorgeous texture, and shade from the hot sun, these beautiful, fast-growing trees will dramatically boost your property value and curb appeal.
Discover the Best Fast-Growing Shade Trees for Southern Ontario
Here are six-star performers that never fail to amaze us with their impressive growth speed and stunning displays!
Autumn Blaze Maple
This mega-vibrant maple features those signature lobed leaves that we can’t resist. They emerge as rich emerald green, then transition to a brilliant blazing red that lights up the landscape. Under ideal conditions, this powerhouse can grow as fast as 3–5 feet per year, making it one of the most fast-growing trees in North America! At maturity, Autumn Blaze Maples reach 40–55 feet tall with a 30–40 foot canopy. Plant it 15–20 feet from your home to prevent the roots from causing foundation damage.
Tulip Tree
Ah, the Tulip Tree—a stunning sight to behold! Yellow-green blossoms flushed with orange emerge through May and June, making this flowering tree a real showstopper for Southern Ontario. Its maple-like foliage transitions to a sunny yellow shade in autumn, casting a beautiful golden glow across the landscape. This behemoth can reach up to 70–90 feet tall, but its canopy only spreads about 40 feet wide, so it isn’t too difficult to accommodate in a standard-sized yard. You can expect your tulip tree to grow over 2 feet per year if it’s planted in full sun and has moist, well-drained soil full of compost and essential nutrients.
Regal Petticoat Sycamore Maple
Bring spectacular prismatic colour to the landscape with this fast-growing, two-toned maple tree! Also known as the Planetree Maple, this magnificent variety has foliage that emerges as a soft olive green tinged with burgundy. As the leaves age, they change to a deeper, glossy green with rich burgundy undersides and a luxurious, velvety texture. In autumn, the leaves turn gold with salmon pink undersides!
This manageable maple only reaches about 40 feet high and 30 feet wide, and you can rely on it growing at impressive speeds! The Regal Petticoat Sycamore Maple is incredibly pollution tolerant, so if you live in the city centre, it’s a perfect addition for smaller, urban yards.
Brabant White Cedar
On the hunt for fast-growing evergreen trees in Ontario? The Brabant White Cedar is a fantastic choice. It has that distinctive, nostalgic cedar scent and beautifully textured foliage that remains lush and green all year. They only reach about 15 feet high and 6 feet wide, creating a lovely columnar shape that makes them ideal for border planting. Create a cedar privacy hedge all around your property instead of a plain old fence—you’ll love the feeling of being surrounded by vibrant greenery! These beautiful cedars grow 2–2.5 feet yearly, so they’ll be nice and tall in no time.
Eastern White Pine
A classic evergreen pine featuring that signature pyramidal shape is iconic. The Eastern White Pine has soft, slender blue-green needles, creating a wispy, whimsical look. They reach 50–80 feet tall at maturity, with a 20–40 foot spread. Eastern White Pines only need a minimum of four hours of direct sunlight per day, so if your yard is a bit on the shady side, you’ll have no trouble with this fast-growing tree. You might not believe it, but this incredible evergreen can grow as fast as 5 feet per year!
Krauter Vesuvius Flowering Plum
Looking for an ornamental tree that makes a statement? The Krauter Vesuvius Flowering Plum explodes with sweet pink blooms every spring, followed by deep purple foliage that lasts all through the summer! It reaches 20 feet tall and only spreads 15 feet wide, so it’s an ideal choice for front yards or smaller spaces—just ensure it gets full sun! Its growing speed maxes out at about two feet per year under ideal conditions, so you won’t have to wait long for this phenomenal tree to have a big impact on your landscape.
Discover ever more fast-growing trees in Ontario by visiting Eising Garden Centre! From evergreens to maples, fruit trees, and so much more, there is no shortage of options for growing here in Simcoe.
