If you’re wondering what are the fastest growing plants, chances are it’s because you have some interest or issue to solve. Some people started gardening late and want to know what they can still plant mid season. Others, might have a landscaping or privacy issue to remedy as quickly as possible.

Believe it or not, some plants can grow up to three feet in just one day! 😲

Of course, this depends on the right conditions, including plenty of sunlight and water. The fastest growing plants include bamboo, sunflowers, and geraniums. But there are a few others that might surprise you.

For example, did you know that moss can grow up to an inch in just one day? While most people think of moss as a slow-growing plant, it can actually achieve impressive growth rates under the right conditions.

So, next time you’re looking to add a little greenery to a dish garden or a ground cover to your landscape, moss might be an option to consider. We’ll get into these and other options in this article so let’s explore some more.

What to Consider for Fast Growing Plants

When you are looking for fast growing plants, there are a few things to consider. The fastest growing plants are typically annuals, which complete their life cycle in one growing season. This means that they grow rapidly during the spring and summer months, seed, and die within a year.

Of course there are exceptions, such as THE fastest growing plant.

Learning About Fast Growing Plants

What makes some plants grow so fast? Well, the simple answer is that some plants are just made that way. For plants that have a quicker life cycle, the growing process will be shorter. You’ll see more growth in a shorter time because that is just how that particular plant works. So, when you want to grow faster, you can choose from these specific types of plants.

However, you also need to consider growing conditions. In the most perfect conditions, any plant will grow quicker, taller, fuller, and healthier. But in poor growing conditions, even the plants on the “fast growing” list will not thrive. Even the best quick-growing plants on this list need to be planted right, under the right conditions, and then cared for properly to do well.

Whether you are looking for large plants and trees that can grow quickly, or a fast spreading ground cover for your gardens, there is the perfect plant for your needs.

Whenever selecting any plants for your garden, it is important to consider your climate, sun quotient and soil type to ensure that the plant will thrive. Additionally, make sure to choose plants that are well suited for your specific yard and gardening goals.

Fastest Growing Plants For Privacy

If you’re looking for privacy, you’ll want to choose plants that grow quickly. After all, the faster they grow, the sooner you’ll have the privacy you desire. There are a few things to keep in mind when selecting plants for privacy.

First, consider the plant’s eventual height and spread. You’ll want to make sure that it will be tall enough and wide enough to provide the coverage you need. Second, take into account the plant’s growth rate. The fastest growing plants can add several inches of new growth per week, so if you need privacy in a hurry, these are the plants for you.

Finally, consider the plant’s climate requirements. Make sure that it will be able to thrive in your area before making your final selection. With these factors in mind, here are a few of the best plants for privacy.

Fast Growing Plants for a Privacy Screen

Leyland Cypress, Cupressus × leylandii

This evergreen grows quickly, reaching a height of 60 feet or more. It is also tolerant of a range of climates, making it a good choice for many different areas.

Thuja Green Giant – Thuja standishii x plicata

Another fast-growing evergreen, Thuja Green Giant can reach a height of 50 feet or more. It is also tolerant of a range of areas and soil conditions, as well as climates. They work great as privacy trees for this reason and due to their full, leafy appearance.

Bamboo

Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world, making it an ideal choice for screening, because it also grows tall. Bamboo fast and it’s easy to work with, and has very few problems with disease. As indicated previously, the main issue with bamboo is that it spreads and can take over in time, so best to buy clumping bamboo.

Princess Tree

Another option is Paulownia tomentosa, also known as empress tree or princess tree. This species can grow up to 10 feet in a single season!

North Privet

This is a shrub that grows quickly, is semi-evergreen, and can grow an average of three feet per year. This makes it one of the fastest growing hedges in America, which is why it is often chosen for privacy hedges.

These can be some of the fastest growing plants for screening so if you’re looking to create more privacy around your property, these are all good choices.

Fastest Growing Plants Indoors

We’ve talked about just a few of the many great, quick-growing plants outdoors. Now, what if you want indoor plants that can also grow fast?

If you’re looking to add some green to your indoor space, you might be wondering which plants grow the fastest. While there are many factors that can affect plant growth, some species simply mature more quickly than others. Here are a few of the fastest growing plants that you can add to your home.

Fastest Growing Potted Plants for Indoors

Pothos

A popular choice for beginners, pothos are easy to care for and can thrive in a wide range of conditions. These vines can grow up to 10 inches per year, making them a great option for filling empty space quickly.

Philodendron

Another fast-growing option for indoor spaces, philodendrons can reach lengths of several feet in just a few months. These plants prefer bright, indirect light and should be allowed to dry out slightly between watering.

Snake plant

Snake plants are well known for their durability, but they also grow quite rapidly. These succulents can add several inches of growth per year, making them a great choice for areas that don’t get much sunlight.

Chinese Fringe Flower

This is another nice plant to grow quickly in a pot. It has deep red leaves with white or pink flowers in spring. While they can also be grown in the ground, many people enjoy growing them in pots indoors.

Whether you’re looking to fill a bare corner or create an indoor jungle, there’s a fast-growing plant that will suit your needs. With a little care and attention, any of these plants can grow quickly and beautifully for you.

What Are the Fastest Growing Plants in the World?

So, what are the fastest growing plants in the world? Well, it’s easy to see that there are many plants for indoor and outdoor use that actually grow fairly quickly, especially with the right care, nutrients and growing conditions.

We’ve listed a few good choices above, depending on your needs. But, let’s explore more.

Fastest Growing Plants On Earth

Some of the fastest growing plants on Earth can reach maturity in just a few weeks. Can you imagine? Let’s take a look.

Bamboo

Certain varieties of bamboo hold the Guinness Book of World Records for being the fastest growing plant in the world, with some species capable of growing up as much as 3-4 feet in a single day. If you’re looking for a plant that will quickly fill up a space, bamboo is definitely worth considering.^[1]https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/fastest-growing-plant#:~:text=The%20world%20record%20for%20the,approximately%201%2C000%20species%20of%20bamboos.

Of course bamboo is known to be very invasive, so purchase the clumping bamboo, or else grow it in pots.

Elephant Grass

Another fast-growing option is elephant grass, which can grow up to six feet in just eight weeks. This tall grass is perfect for privacy screens or as a background for other plants.

Moss Phlox

For something a little different, consider moss phlox, a plant that grows well in shaded areas and produces delicate pink flowers. Moss phlox can spread rapidly, so it’s perfect for covering a large area.

Eucalyptus

The fastest growing tree in the world is the eucalyptus. It can grow up to 33 feet (10 meters) in a single year!

The fastest growing vine is the black pepper vine. It can grow up to 1 foot (30 centimeters), in a single day.

Red Delicious Apple Tree

One of the fastest growing fruit trees is the red delicious apple. In North America, there are over 2,500 different varieties of apple trees but Red Delicious are by far the most popular. It grows fast and can reach up to 25 feet tall with a 25-foot spread when fully mature.

These are some of the fastest growing plants in the world, but can you do anything to make them grow faster?

Why Choose Quick Growing Plants?

There are different reasons why you may want plants that grow fast. When considering the fastest growing plants and choosing which ones will meet your needs the best, it’s important to look at why you want them.

Maybe you are looking for something that grows quickly for your child to use in a science experiment that has a deadline. Or maybe you just moved into a new property and you want to fill in the landscape.

Perhaps you are placing your home for sale soon and you want to increase the curb appeal with some beautiful flowers or plants, but you’re on a time crunch. You don’t have months to wait for growth to appear. What can you do? Well, there are plants for that!

Your reasons for wanting plants is vital to helping you choose the right plants to meet the need.

One common reason people seek plant varieties that grow faster is to use them for privacy. Maybe you want backyard hedges to give you privacy from your neighbors, or perhaps you want to create a privacy screen in the front of your home for more privacy from the street view.

Fastest Growing Flowers

Most annual flowers take approximately 95 days from seed to flower. However, actual times from germination to blossoms will vary by growing conditions, genus and seed quality.

So the seed-to-bloom time cited in the list below is an average estimate to guide you on how many weeks from seeds to blooms. Beyond that, check individual plant info to hone into more specific bloom time for the flowers your considering.

What Are the Fastest Growing Flowers? Here’s Our Top 10:

1. Bachelor’s Button, Centaurea cyanus – 9.3 weeks
2. Calendula, Calendula officinalis – 8 weeks
3. Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum – 16 weeks
4. Marigold, Targetes – 8 weeks
5. Nasturtium, Tropaeolum majus – 6 weeks
6. Petunias, Petunia – 8 weeks
7. Phlox, Phlox drummondii – 7 weeks
8. Sweet Alyssum, Lobularia maritima – 10 weeks
9. Sweet Pea, Lathyrus odoratus – 7 weeks
10. Zinnia, Zinnia elegans – 6 weeks

And sunflowers get honorable mention at just under 12 weeks from seed to blossom.

HERBS: What Are the Fastest Growing Herbs?

The growth times provided are from seed to beginning to harvest, and are arranged alphabetically by plant name.

These are necessarily approximate as actually growing times vary by growing conditions. For instance, many herbs prefer cooler weather and will die back or bolt when it’s too hot.

However, these estimates should give you an idea for planning and planting purposes.

• Basil, 6 weeks
• Chervil, 9 weeks
• Chives, 11 weeks
• Cilantro, 7 weeks
• Dill, 6 weeks
• Marjoram, 10 weeks
• Mint, 12 weeks; can harvest completely for new crops to grow more than once in each growing season
• Parsley, 8 weeks
• Tarragon, 10 weeks

VEGETABLES: What Are the Fastest Growing Vegetables

• Beets, 8 weeks
• Bok choy, 5 weeks
• Cucumbers, 8 weeks
• Lettuce – varies by variety; these are some of the shorter growing times at 6 weeks
  • butterhead
  • loose leaf
• Radish, 4 weeks
• Rocket, 6 weeks
• Spinach, 6 weeks
• Spring Onions, 4 weeks
• Squash –
  • Tromboncino, 9 weeks to fully maturity, but may be eaten when very small, skin and all
  • zucchini, 7 weeks

Plants With Bigger Roots Systems Grow Faster

Plants will only grow as fast as their roots allow and most quick-growing plants are short-lived and are more susceptible to die off from disease or other problems. Smaller plants and trees will grow faster than the big-sized versions of the same plant, and this is due to the root ratio. Smaller plants grow fast because they have a larger ratio of roots to top growth.

This root ratio allows the plant to become established more quickly, serving up fast growth. This means the plant or tree can put all its energy into the aerial growth (the part of the plant you see above ground), thus making it larger.

However, taller and larger versions of the same plant cannot continue their top growth until the root systems catch up to the growth. They will have a greater risk of dying while waiting for that to happen.

How to Make Plants Grow Faster?

First, always choose the right plants for your growing conditions. You don’t want to have to fight against poor growing conditions on top of trying to speed up the growth process, too. You should also be sure to plant them correctly. Good soil preparation will go a long way toward giving your plants their best shot at quick growth.

Too much of a good thing is bad – even when it comes to plants. This means the wrong pH balance, too much water, too much fertilizer, or even too much sun after planting can all stunt growth or impact the overall health of the plant.

Take the time to test the soil and prep it according to the needs of each plant. After planting, you can add a thick layer of mulch to help.

RELATED: Deep mulch gardening

Water Deeply

Instead of frequent shallow watering, you may consider a deep watering every few days so that the water can get deep to the roots to encourage that rapid growth you’re looking for. You should also be sure not to overdo the fertilizer because it can create too much top growth that the roots are not able to adequately support.

Setting Realistic Goals for Your Fast Growing Plant

Even the quickest-growing plants will need time to establish roots and begin their growth. So it’s important to set realistic goals and expectations as to what’s possible.

How Long Will It Take?

For larger plants, you’ll typically, you’ll see the best results by the third year of planting. If you’re planting for privacy, you may need to supplement with fencing or something else until the plants or trees have enough time to reach maturity to fill that space.

If you’re trying to increase curb appeal before a sale or fix up a new home you’ve just moved into, then you may be better served by planting older, more established trees and plants. Older plants will cost more but it may be worth the extra cost if you can knock off a few years of growing time.

This is especially beneficial when it comes to fruit trees.

There’s only so much growth that can happen in a short time, even under the best of circumstances. So let’s look at what you can expect when growing from seed when you want something quick.

Quick Growing Plants From Seed

The fastest growing plants from seed are often annuals, which complete their life cycles in just one year. Some of the fastest growing annuals include marigolds, morning glories, and sunflowers.

However, there are also some perennial plants that can grow quite rapidly. Balloon flowers, for example, can reach their full height of three feet within just a few months. Likewise, spiderwort is another fast-growing plant that can reach up to two feet tall within a few months.

When choosing plants for your garden, it is important to consider not only the growth rate but also the ultimate size of the plant. Radishes are one of the fastest growing vegetables, and they can be ready to harvest in as little as 21 days. Another fast-growing option is arugula, which only takes around 30 days to mature.

Some fast-growing plants can become quite large, so be sure to choose varieties that will fit into your desired space. With a little planning, you can create a beautiful and productive garden that will thrive for years to come. What are some other fast growing plants for the garden you might consider?

Quick Growing Garden Plant Choices

Spring is the time for new growth, and there’s nothing like seeing your garden come to life after a long winter. If you’re looking for some quick results, here are a few of the fastest growing plants for garden lovers.

A great choice is the sunflower. These tall beauties can grow up to three feet in just six weeks. Sunflowers are relatively easy to care for, and they make a great addition to any garden. Another fast growing plant is the morning glory. These climbing vines can grow up to eight feet in just two months. Morning glories are perfect for covering unsightly fences or walls, and they add a splash of color to any garden.

Bamboo – Bambusoideae

This versatile plant can be used for everything from privacy hedges to decorative accents. Some varieties of bamboo can grow up to four feet per day! We keep mentioning it in this post because it really does apply to every category.

Goldenrod – Solidago

This cheerful yellow flower is not only beautiful, but also one of the fastest growing plants around. It can reach heights of six feet in just a few months.

Miscanthus – Miscanthus

A type of grass, miscanthus is one of the fastest growers out there. It’s often used as an ornamental grass, but can also be used for privacy screening or erosion control.

Blue Hydrangea – Hydrangea Macrophylla

These are the most popular of the types of hydrangeas and they can grow around 24 inches per year before reaching full maturity of 6 feet tall and 6 feet wide. It’s a deciduous shrub that requires frequent watering but is very beautiful, especially while in bloom.

Asian Jasmine – Trachelospermum Asiaticum

When you need a fast-growing ground cover, Asian Jasmine is an awesome option. It spreads very quickly and is very durable through most Hardiness Zones. In fact, it grows so quickly that it is often considered invasive, so if you do choose to use it, be sure to keep it under control. You may need to prune it regularly to prevent overgrowth.

So, if you’re looking to add some new life to your garden this spring, be sure to check out these fastest growing plants. With a little care and patience, you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful and bountiful garden in no time!

Conclusion

When you want plants to grow quickly, you need to take care of them properly. You also need to choose the best plants for the needs and for your growing conditions, as well as your local climate and Hardiness Zone. When everything is working in favor of the plant, then there is a better chance of fast growth.

Choosing any of the plants on this list and growing them under the most ideal conditions for that particular plant is the best way to get healthy plants to grow faster. At the end of the day, however, you just have to let plants move at their own pace. That’s part of the beauty of nature.

Do you have any favorite quickly-growing plants you would add to our lists?

Video Clip on the Fastest Growing Plant in the World

This is a fun and informative video clip on bamboo that ends at 1:54 minutes whereupon it goes into a commercial for Audible, the sponsor of the video.

Contributions from the Community

Planting Fast Growing Plants After Clearing Land in USDA Hardiness Zone 8a

Contributed by Shannon Schofield, writer, gardener, beekeeper, Shannon’s Sweet tooth Farm, Alabama

Clearing Weeds and Overgrowth

I have to use fast growing plants. I’m clearing land that’s full of blackberry, briar, sweetgum, mimosa, Virginia creeper, etc. I need robust, fast growing plants to choke out any that try to come back. I’ll pull out the unwanted plants as I can, go over the area with boiling water, cover with cardboard and plant quickly with prolific things, mainly edible plants.

Planting Fast Growing Ground Cover

Verbena has been my go-to for ground cover. Oregano, strawberries, and daylily cover spaces quickly too.

• Daylilies
• Oregano
• Strawberries
• Verbena

Fast Growing Trees and Bamboo for Privacy

• Bamboo / clumping bamboo
• Banana trees

Banana trees grow quickly and provide much needed afternoon shade for the garden and privacy for me. I plan on using clumping bamboo on my side property for privacy and use on the homestead.

Native and Invasive Fast Growing Plants

When I was choosing my plants I went with those that are either native or called invasive. Mints, balms, and privet fit that bill just fine. They grow well in my poor soil with little to no work. I rarely water them since the mint needs no encouragement. 
~Shannon Schofield, writer, gardener, beekeeper, Shannon’s Sweet tooth Farm, Alabama

Reasons to Grow Fast Growing Plants in Zone 4

Contributed by William Hanks, gardener, natural wood craftsman, Athol, Idaho

I have had many reasons to plant fast growing stuff through the years.

• For harvest in zone 4
• Ground cover in a rock garden,
• Wildflowers for fast color to get me out of the long winter funk

Fast color comes at the hands of the various types of Wildflowers. Just about the only stuff I plant in the fall, but not always because I have lost so many to cold wet conditions upon germination.
~William Hanks, gardener, natural wood craftsman, Athol, Idaho