I am looking for a small tree that will give me privacy quickly (an uphill tree has just been cut down and now we have several neighbours above us looking down). We are in Vernon, BC, zone 5 with very dry and hot summers. I need a tree that will reach 10 feet to 15 feet maximum quickly and that will be very drought tolerant and will provide a good privacy screen in spring, summer and fall. I am thinking that a Western Redbud would work but cannot find any reference to how fast it grows. Cedars are not going to work as they are too thirsty and have already died in that area!
Maybe try a Western Juniper Juniperus occidentalis? Very drought tolerant. Cedars are drought tolerant, but will fail in zone 5 from winter cold (they're only hardy to zone 7, exceptionally zone 6). The hardiest (Turkish Cedar Cedrus libani var. stenocoma) might be worth another try though.
What about redbud, dogwood, or hornbeam (decidous)? Understory trees tend to grow slowly, even here... and the fast growers tend to be short-lived junk... for fast growing junk, think bradford pear, empress tree... but don't plant them... I dunno if they'll grow up there, but high bush blueberry seems tailor-made for the spot... or maybe a sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum) ok, that one won't do...
Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia) fits your criteria - fast growing, not thirsty, hardy to zone 3.....
Just a note, I have personally seen about a dozen groves of cedars growing outside of 100 Mile House, zones 3 - smaller than coastal trees and well hidden by the pines but they are there, and being logged.
Michael is talking, I am sure, about True Cedars (Pine family), while the Cedars you and cheryl55 are referring to must be Thujas (Cypress family), quite different from true Cedars but very confusingly commonly referred to as Cedars.
