Best evergreens for northern climates The following is a list of just some of the evergreens suitable for Minnesota landscapes. Open all Close all. Evergreens for Zone 2 Red pine Pinus resinosa : 80 feet tall by 40 feet wide, medium growth rate, upright form, full sun; the state tree of Minnesota. Also called Norway pine Tannenbaum Mugo pine Pinus mugo var. Evergreens for Zone 3 Concolor fir Abies concolor : 60 feet tall by 24 feet wide, slow-to-medium growth rate, pyramidal form, full sun, blue foliage - good substitute for Colorado blue spruce Ponderosa pine P inus ponderosa : 70 feet tall by 40 feet wide, medium growth rate, pyramidal form, full sun Scotch pine Pinus sylvestris : 50 feet tall by 30 feet wide, slow-to-medium growth rate, pyramidal form, full sun Eastern White pine Pinus strobus : 80 feet tall by 40 feet wide, medium growth rate, pyramidal form, full sun to part sun Balsam fir Abies balsamea : 60 feet tall by 24 feet wide.
These broadleaf evergreens do well in Zone 4, but prefer protection from drying winds and bright winter sun. Botanical Name Common Name Height Comments Arctostaphylos uva-ursi common bearberry " Prostrate native shrub with small, thick persistent leaves; small red berries; may be hard to find at garden centers.
Buxus microphylla koreana Korean boxwood ' Hardy; good for low hedges and knot gardens; deep-green fine-textured foliage persists throughout winter; prefers well-drained soil; protect from winter sun and wind; 'Green Velvet' and 'Wintergreen' are good dwarf varieties.
Daphne x burkwoodii 'Carol Mackie' daphne ' Officially rated as USDA Zone 5; beautiful specimen plant; provide winter protection; often shortlived but well worth it. Euonymus fortunei vegeta bigleaf wintercreeper under 1' Can be grown as a groundcover, small shrub, or trained to a wall; flowers insignificant; needs protection from winter sun; do not plant where it can escape into a native area.
Kalmia latifolia mountain laurel ' Marginally hardy in Zone 4; attractive, leathery dark green leaves are maroon when emerging from the snow in spring; needs moist acidic site; 'Sarah' has large pinkish-red flowers.
Microbiota decussata Russian cyprus 1' x 6' Low radiating arborvitae-like evergreen shrub; fan-like foliage changes from light green in spring to deep green in summer and bronze-brown in winter. Pachysandra terminalis Japanese spurge " Attractive whorls of evergreen foliage; good for under maple and other trees; 'Green Carpet' and 'Variegata' are common varieties; needs winter cover from sun and wind.
Rhododendron 'P. Yucca filamentosa yucca 30" Bold focal point; leaves are pointed and very sharp; drought and salt tolerant; flowers up to 5' tall. Vinca minor myrtle, periwinkle " Attractive thick foliage; showy blue flowers in spring; creeping stolons. Share this page:. Page survey. Pine trees are well known for their fragrant, decorative cones. Below are more facts that differentiate these trees. Pine trees are not like their spruce and fir cousins in that their needles grow in clusters, rather than individually from a branch.
A pine needle cluster can be anywhere from 2 to 5 needles. Pine cone scales are stiff and rough to the touch. Unlike spruce tree cones, pine cones cannot be bent. About Cookies on this site Davey uses cookies to make your experience a great one by providing us analytics so we can offer you the most relevant content. Topics evergreen trees tree identification evergreen tree care. Keep reading for tips on identifying these three evergreen trees. How to Identify a Fir Tree Fir trees are widely considered the most common evergreen to use as a Christmas tree.
The tip of the needle is round, not sharp. Texture: Fir needles are soft and easy to bend. The branches can grow in twisting and dropping forms. Despite being an evergreen, this tree shows some subtle color change. This occurs as the tree matures. The foliage begins as a yellowish-green then turns dark green. The bark begins as reddish-brown then becomes nearly black. Instead, it is a good option for poor soil conditions. Pitch Pine is a good option for poor soils.
It adapts to moist sandy soils. This is why it often near seashores in certain areas. This tree can handle dry rocky soils as well.
When soils prove to be too nutrient deficient for other evergreens, pitch pine is a good choice. Give this plant plenty of sun. Instead, do so in spring so the tree has time to heal the wound before harsh weather arrives. Spruce trees often feature a perfect pyramidal form. These trees are likely to grow to great heights at high elevations. Their needles are usually stiff and sharp. Below are two spruces with very different colors and branching habits.
The best aspect of blue spruce is its striking color. This vibrant blue stands out all year round as it gives a stark contrast to the greens offered by other species. In the winter, it is especially noticeable. Blue spruce also has a consistent pyramidal form. It maintains this Christmas tree-like shape throughout its life. The needles of blue spruce are stiff and sharp. They cover the majority of each stem and are often painful to grasp.
Because of its colorful foliage, blue spruce makes for a great specimen tree. However, it can also grow as a part of a mass planting for privacy or wind screening. Blue spruce also carries the name Colorado spruce. This is because it is native to the Rocky Mountains.
Plant blue spruce in acidic soils with full sun. This species is tolerant of harsh winters up to zone 2. Not much pruning is needed since blue spruce has a consistent growth habit. Prune in early spring if you wish to control growth. Native to central Europe, Norway spruce is a fast-growing conifer. This rapid growth rate is especially prevalent in youth. They grow in all directions covering the entirety of each stem.
The cones are large and long. The hang in the same pendulous manner as the branches. Prune in late winter. For those interested in a dense screen, consider clipping the central leader. This will promote more horizontal growth. It is easy to mistake fir trees for spruces. Many species share the same Christmas tree-like shape. But the needles offer an easy way to tell the difference. While spruce trees are sharp, fir trees are soft.
The fir trees listed here are both great evergreen tree options. One is a staple plant of the Pacific Northwest. The other offers vibrant foliage.
Douglas fir is a massive conifer that is native to the Pacific Northwest. It is one of the most prominent trees in the forests of this area. It can grow in low-lying coastal areas as well as higher mountain elevations. One of the best ways to identify this tree is by the bracts on its cones. These bracts are unlike those of any other conifer.
They have a forked pointed shape like a v or a trident. The needles are thin and short. They can be green to blue-green in color. Sometimes they have a shiny appearance as well. This tree also has a unique branching habit. The mid-level branches are stiff, growing horizontally to the ground. The branches below droop downward, the branches above reach more towards the sky.
Because of its extreme mature size, Douglas fir can be challenging to grow in residential settings. Prune in late winter to attempt to control the height. White fir is native to the mountain regions of the American West. They often grow in rocky soils. In those settings, it can grow much taller than in residential and commercial plantings.
White fir offers a consistent color that is similar to the color of blue spruce. The difference between the foliage of these two species is in the feel. If you grab a white fir tree, you will find that the needs are soft and flexible. The needles of blue spruce are sharp and painful. White fir is generally conical in form. It often has a thin central leader that sticks straight up out of the canopy like a spire.
Cedar trees may be best known for the fact that they produce great wood for construction. But you will find that they have many other uses in the landscape as well.
These trees make for some of the best privacy screens. While they are overplanted in some areas, it is for good reason. Their dense evergreen foliage effectively blocks both sight and wind. Eastern white cedar, also known as American arborvitae, has a large native range in the eastern united states.
This plant commonly grows in the wild and in residential and commercial settings. The dense foliage of this tree makes it a top choice for privacy screening. That foliage consists of bright-green scale-like needles. Eastern white cedar typically has a single trunk and a conical form. At times it is slightly pyramidal.
The wood of this tree is rot-resistant making it useful in construction. Others seem to have evolved to suit a warmer local climate, where being evergreen is an advantage.
There are some strange anomalies. Many species of holly are deciduous but the most familiar one, European holly, is evergreen despite coming from a region with cold winters. Holly was used as a substitute.
One interesting example is the cycad family. Palms are evergreen too, and grow in many parts of the southern USA. The best gardens use an imaginative mix of species, and evergreens have a place in that mix. Plant a few hardy conifers and no matter how cold the weather there will always be something to look at when you admire the outdoors. Contact Info Need Help? Type below to search.
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