How long does it take for a tree to grow?

How long a tree takes to grow depends on the species and the site. Fast growers such as ‘Green Giant’ arborvitae, weeping willow, loblolly pine and red maple can give useful screening or shade within several years of planting. Slow growers such as white oak and sugar maple take decades to approach full size, but they can live for centuries. Within any species, water, sunlight and soil nutrients set the pace. NC State Extension rates each tree’s growth as rapid, medium or slow, the simplest way to compare trees before planting.

If you need privacy or shade within a few years, choose a tree that NC State Extension rates as a rapid grower, such as loblolly pine, weeping willow or quaking aspen. For a long-lived shade tree, plant a medium or slow grower such as flowering dogwood, Douglas fir or white oak and expect to wait. Either way, match the tree to your site, since a watered tree in full sun outgrows the same species on a dry, shady slope.

Growth rates of common tree species

NC State Extension rates ‘Green Giant’ arborvitae, weeping willow, quaking aspen, loblolly pine and red maple as rapid growers. These trees are often planted when a tall living screen or quick shade is wanted within a few years. Nurseries tend to stock them in several sizes.

Fast-growing trees:

• Poplar
• Weeping Willow
• Quaking Aspen
• Autumn Blaze Maple
• Arborvitae
• Sweetgum

Douglas fir and flowering dogwood are rated medium growers by NC State Extension. Trees in this group take longer to fill out than the fast growers, but they make sturdy, long-term additions to a landscape. Nurseries also tend to stock both seedlings and larger trees.

Moderate-Growing Trees:

• Tulip Poplar
• Douglas Fir
• Linden
• Flowering Dogwood

Slow growers include white oak and sugar maple, both rated slow by NC State Extension. These are investment trees that may take decades to reach their mature size.

While these trees grow slowly, they are also some of the most longest-lasting species. The famous Mingo White Oak lived to be about 600 years old, while the Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir at El Malpais is almost 1000 years old! Slow-growing trees are heirlooms worth nurturing to maturity in meaningful locations.

Slow-Growing Trees:

• White Oak
• Sugar Maple
• Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir
• Blue Cedar
• Weeping Cherry
• Japanese Maple

Table 1: Growth rate and mature height of common trees (source: NC State Extension Plant Toolbox)

Tree	Growth rate	Mature height
American sweetgum	Rapid	60 to 100 ft (18 to 30 m)
‘Green Giant’ arborvitae	Rapid	40 to 60 ft (12 to 18 m)
Douglas fir	Medium	40 to 80 ft (12 to 24 m)
Flowering dogwood	Medium	15 to 25 ft (4.6 to 7.6 m)
Loblolly pine	Rapid	60 to 90 ft (18 to 27 m)
Quaking aspen	Rapid	20 to 50 ft (6 to 15 m)
Red maple	Rapid	40 to 120 ft (12 to 37 m)
Sugar maple	Slow	40 to 120 ft (12 to 37 m)
Weeping willow	Rapid	30 to 40 ft (9 to 12 m)
White oak	Slow	50 to 135 ft (15 to 41 m)

Seed-producing age of maturity of common tree species

In addition to growth height, seed production is an important marker for tree maturity. Trees are considered “mature” when they start to produce viable seeds. The seed-bearing age is typically noted in tree species grown for their fruit or nuts but can also be informative in ornamental and general landscaping types of trees. A newly-matured seed-producing tree will not yet have reached its potential height in most situations.

Fast-growing pioneer trees like quaking aspen and weeping willow are often the first to colonize open ground.

Long-lived hardwoods such as white oak and sugar maple grow more slowly and take over later, as the quote below describes.

“Forest succession is simply the succession or the orderly and predictable change in the dominant species of forest plants. The change in dominance occurs because the plants that dominate early often die early, allowing longer lived plants dominance.”

Forest Succession and Management (2016), by Peter Smallidge, Cornell University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Small Farms Program.

Tree growth rate & effect on overall lifespan

Within a single species, a slower-growing sapling will typically have a longer overall lifespan than a faster-growing sapling nearby (Oregon State University). The faster-growing sapling may eventually reach a taller height (and bear seeds first), but the slower-growing sapling will reach an older age. Slower-growing trees tend to produce stronger wood and better defense mechanisms against insects and diseases, even within the same type of tree.

Factors affecting the length of time required to grow

Several key environmental factors affect the length of time that a tree takes to grow to a given height or to reach the point of bearing seeds. An irrigated tree grown in a sunny open field with targeted fertilizer will grow faster than a drought-stricken tree of the same species hanging onto the side of a shady slope. While ideal conditions differ between species, let’s look at the main overall factors affecting individual tree growth rates.

Water availability & tree growth rate

Water is an essential input for tree growth. Water is the main input material for photosynthesis, which is how trees produce the energy required to grow. Plant cells are made up mainly of water, and trees also use water as a transport fluid to deliver mineral nutrients to each cell. Water even wakes tree seeds out of dormancy and causes them to germinate and sprout into a baby seedling tree!

Since the majority of the volume of a tree is made up of water, it stands to reason that the availability of water is key to growth. A tree that does not have enough water to fill its cells will become stunted as it struggles to create its own building blocks. A tree experiencing water scarcity will also struggle to cool itself by evapotranspiration in hot weather. Such a tree is likely more focused on mere survival than on growing larger.

Trees rely on natural water sources such as rainfall, groundwater, and surface water streams. Trees with well-developed root systems are able to take advantage of timely rainfall with their shallow roots and go on to survive drought with their deep, groundwater-accessing roots. Trees in sandy soil may not be able to absorb much water before it drains away, while the roots of trees in clay soil may suffocate under puddles of ponding rainwater.

Sunlight availability & tree growth

The leaves of a tree absorb sunlight and allow the tree to create its own energy through a process called photosynthesis. Simple sugars are created from sunlight, along with air and water. Without adequate sunlight, the process of photosynthesis is limited, and the tree is not able to produce as much energy as it would like to. Lower available energy translates to less capacity for growth. This is why trees in overly shady spots grow so slowly.

The majority of tree species need full sun to thrive and grow to their maturity quickly. There are, however, some understory tree species that require some shade and shelter for optimal growth. Choose a tree that is well-suited to the sunlight availability in your yard to help it reach its maturity as quickly as possible. There are also certain tree species better suited to urban environments as they are able to photosynthesize in less than pristine city air.

More factors

There are even more factors that affect the tree-growing timeline than I’ve listed here. For instance, some apple tree varieties take longer to mature than others, even though they are of the same species.

Essential mineral nutrients & tree growth rates

Trees require specific essential plant nutrients to carry out their growth processes at the cellular level. Tree roots access mineral nutrients in the soil by absorbing water that holds the nutrients in solution.

If one or more essential nutrients are not present in the soil in adequate amounts or are not sufficiently broken down to be in solution, growth will be affected. The deficient nutrient will become the limiting factor in the growth of the tree. While there are several dozen mineral nutrients required for tree growth, nitrogen seems to be the most commonly deficient nutrient slowing the growth of a tree. Many tree fertilizers are high in nitrogen (the first number in the NPK ratio).

“If one of the chemical elements essential to a plant is available in insufficient amounts or in chemical combinations that are poorly absorbed, the deficiency of this element will bring about derangements in plant metabolic processes. Eventually these metabolic disturbances manifest themselves in the development of visible symptoms such as stunted growth, yellowing or purpling of leaves, or other abnormalities.”

Mineral Nutrition of Plants: Principles and Perspectives, by Emanuel Epstein and Arnold J. Bloom

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take for a tree to grow?

It depends on the species and the site. Rapid growers such as weeping willow and loblolly pine can give shade or screening within several years, while slow growers such as white oak and sugar maple take decades to approach their mature size.

What is the fastest growing tree for privacy?

‘Green Giant’ arborvitae is a common choice. NC State Extension rates it a rapid grower that reaches 40 to 60 feet (12 to 18 m) tall and 12 to 18 feet (3.7 to 5.5 m) wide.

Do slow-growing trees live longer?

Often, yes. Oregon State University research found that within a species, the oldest trees tend to be the ones that grew slowest when young.

Which trees grow slowly?

NC State Extension rates white oak and sugar maple as slow growers. Both are long-lived trees planted more for the long term than for quick shade.

What makes a tree grow faster?

Enough water, full sun and adequate soil nutrients. A watered tree in a sunny open spot grows faster than the same species struggling on a dry, shady slope, and nitrogen is often the nutrient that limits growth.