Evergreen trees, a hearty, charismatic tree thrives in specific landscapes, preferring climates that are bound for a long, cold winter season. Evergreens prefer the cold and snow. It's where their blooming growth gains the most strength. Hot, humid climates, on the other hand, are less conducive to growth. Just ask an evergreen. Its way too hot and sticky for this dense, stiffly needled tree.



In specific area in the United States, such as Minnesota for example, evergreens grow in an environment where half of the year the deciduous trees and shrubbery are leafless. The perennials lie dormant due to the cold climatic features present in this stretch of North America. In fact, nearly six months out of a twelve month calendar year in chilly Minnesota are snow-bound. The landscape and its tree inhabitants must evolve to greet these chilly temperatures with a smile and an understanding. The evergreen has grown thick needles with dense branching systems. Since trees can't pick up and re-locate if they get cold, the evergreen has evolved into a robust tree that prefers ice and snow in lieu of the humid beaches of tropical landscapes.

Winter's hardiness is a crucial consideration for evergreens. All plants, in fact, must be given the USDA hardiness rating, which is an indicator as to how much cold a plant, such as an evergreen can handle. The evergreen is a tough cookie. Bring on frigid temperatures. Evergreens prefer it this way.

Different evergreens flourish in differing cold climates. So you must be careful, if you are planning on planting your own evergreens in your backyard. Perform a little time-honored research before determining which evergreen is best for you environment. There are, for example, winter hardy evergreens in Minneapolis that are less likely to survive in a colder zone less than 40 miles north in Minnesota. Even in this segment of North America, heading north by a mere 40 miles can alter the dynamics of an environment and the ability for habitation to survive and flourish.

To be clear on the type of evergreen for your tempered climate, check the tag on the tree or simply as a horticultural savvy individual about the hardiness zone most conducive to particular evergreens.

Along with the visual stimulation offered by evergreens and their holiday sprite-like image, evergreens are also used to help frame a view, block a view, protect against noise, and provide shelter against environmental factors such as wind, sun, and snow for, both, people and wildlife.

To pick the best evergreen for your plot of land, be certain to consider the following: soil type, PH, drainage, amount of sunlight, root competition, and nearby obstacles that might infringe on an evergreen's growth and development.

Timing, too, is a vital consideration for evergreen trees. In cold climates, it's also important to remember not to plant evergreens late in the fall season. Unlike deciduous plants, they continue to lose moisture in the needles during most of the winter season.

So, their initial growth stages will be blunted. This, in turn, can lead to a quickly deteriorating evergreen?one that is bound to become fertilizer and not a meaty evergreen dressed for horticultural success

So, keep all of this information at arm's length, go out and search for the evergreen that interests you.