Evergreen Trees | Hearty Trees that Stay Green Year Round
By definition, evergreen trees retain their leaves or needles throughout all four seasons. As the name implies, they are always green. Conversely, a deciduous tree will completely shed all of its foliage in the winter. Evergreens are very popular since they provide year-round beauty to your landscape as well as ongoing privacy.
The most common evergreen trees in the US include the Colorado Blue Spruce, Red Cedar, White Pine, Scots Pine, and Hemlock. Popular evergreens that are planted to create a privacy barrier include the Leyland Cypress, the Eastern Red Cedar, the American Arborvitae, and the Emerald Arborvitae, and the White Spruce.
As a general rule, Evergreen trees thrive best when planted in sunny locations, although some evergreen trees will tolerate partially shady conditions. After planting, most evergreens will benefit from a layer of mulch and additional watering until they become established. In most cases is important not to overwater evergreen trees. Proper drainage around the root-ball is critical to the survival of the newly planted trees.
Popular Evergreen Trees
Colorado Spruce: When you see a Colorado Spruce you may think of Christmas. The thick branches and pyramid shape make this one of the most popular Christmas Trees.
Juniper: This is one of the hardiest of all evergreen trees making it an excellent choice for commercial property where a row of trees can create a natural barrier.
Dwarf Alberta Spruce: This is one of the slowest growing evergreen trees. Nonetheless, they create a beautiful accent when a pair of Dwarf Alberta Spruce trees are planted adjacent to a garage, deck, or entryway.
Norway Spruce: This is a fast growing tree that is idea for creating a privacy barrier. The Norway Spruce is a dense tree that grows quickly to its mature height of 50 feet. Combine this with a span of 25 feet and you can see that this tree should be planted in a large yard. To prevent the young tree from bending in the wind it must be properly staked.
Pinyon Pine: This is one of the slowest growing evergreen trees. With a mature height of only 12 to 15 feet it is the perfect species to compliment a rock garden or to create a shrub boarder along a property line. It can also be planted in large pots to enhance the entryway to your home or rear deck.
Douglas Fir: If you’re looking for a large tree, the Douglas Fir is one of the largest and fastest growing evergreen trees. It can quickly rise to a mature height of 50 to 80 feet. Young Douglas Fir trees are popular Christmas Trees.
