A Brief Look At The Types Of Evergreens
When we think of the different types of evergreens, we most often think in terms of the conifers, the cone-bearing trees with needle-shaped leave so common in most of our forests. The conifers we are most familiar with are the different kinds of firs, pines, cedars, and hemlocks.
We can expand on a list of types of evergreens we're familiar with by considering those most commonly found in our gardens or in landscaped areas. These include the boxwoods, rhododendrons and azaleas, holly, juniper and privet. Many evergreen shrubs grow in the wild as well. There are at least two advantages of growing evergreen shrubs. They are attractive the year around, and they are generally low maintenance, you don't have to rake the leaves every fall.
Just given the conifers and the evergreen shrubs we plant will make a fairly long list of evergreens, especially when in listing the types of evergreens, all the varieties and cultivars are included. There are over 600 different species of conifers in the world and nearly as many species of holly alone, and we haven't even touched upon the group that undoubtedly contains the greatest number of different evergreen species of all. What rapidly makes any listing of all the types of evergreens virtually impossible to compile is the addition of the tropical plants.
And Then There's The Tropical Evergreens - When adding tropical plants to our list of types of evergreens, we begin to get some clues as to why evergreens are the way they are, as opposed to the deciduous trees and shrubs which lose their leaves every autumn. Evergreens, at least most of them, lose their leaves, but more on a one-at-a-time basis. An individual leaf or needle on an evergreen may be several years old. A needle on a pine tree typically lives for 3 to 4 years before eventually dying and falling off. The leaves and needles on some types of evergreens can get to be many years old.
Why Evergreen? - Trees get some of their nutrients from the soil and some through their leaves. In climates having cold or dry seasons, when nourishment in the ground is not as readily available, deciduous trees drop their leaves and become dormant until better times return. Evergreens hang on to their needles or leaves and continue to get energy from sunshine and air, even when sunshine is scarcer. Evergreens also fare better in poor soil, where deciduous trees cannot get sufficient nourishment to form new leaves. While leaves are a source of energy for a tree, it takes energy, usually in the form of nutrition found in the ground, to create them.
A Few Types Of Evergreens To Consider - Looking for some types of evergreens to brighten up your yard or garden? We've mentioned holly and juniper, one being a broad-leafed type, the other featuring needles. Consider planting a flowering broad leaf evergreen or two. Mountain laurel is a very attractive plant, both when its pale pink flowers are in bloom as well as when they are not. The rhododendron, also mentioned earlier, is a good choice, with a great many varieties available that will put on quite a spectacular showing. Rhododendrons are generally classified as shrubs, but some varieties can grow tall enough to be considered small to medium sized trees. And, if it's twists and turns and colorful bark you're interested in, consider the Japanese pine. Various types of cypress are also popular, due to the many different colors and textures the leaves the various species exhibit. If you live in a subtropical or tropical location, your range of choices is practically limitless, especially if bright shiny leaves, coupled with spectacular blossoms are to your liking.