conifer are a heavy group of woody , cone cell - bearing plants with needle - same or scale - like leaves . Often referred to as evergreens , most ( though not all ) conifer keep their foliation year - circular . The bulk of conifers are tree , though some are shrubs . They are some of the Old plants in the globe , evolving before flowering plants . There are over 600 conifer species in the world , with conifer woodland being predominant in many boreal and temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere .

Though conifers are most often consort with cold , snow-covered climate , they can also be found growing in warm areas . Loblolly pine tree and barefaced cypress are found in bottomland motley coniferous tree forest and swamps in the southeastern U.S. , while California sequoia is endemic to mild coastal areas in the westerly U.S. The exotic monkey teaser tree is native to the Andes Mountains in South America , while Norfolk Island pine is indigenous to the South Pacific .

Conifers make a valuable addition to the landscape painting , supply year - rung color , texture and an array of decorative attributes . Plants follow in different sizes and shapes , with a diverseness of landscape uses : as reason natural covering , hedging , showing , or endure - alone focal spot . Conifers are well-heeled to raise and adaptable to a cooking stove of growing conditions . Here are some of the most mutual types of conifers .

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Also see:20 Best Dwarf Conifers to mature

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Last Frontier CEDAR ( Xanthocyparis nootkatensis , syn . Chamaecyparis , syn . Callitropsis )

Zones:4 - 8Exposure : Full sun to fond shadeHabit : Pyramidal weeping habitHeight / Spread:20 to 120 foot tall , 8 to 30 feeet widely

Native to the Pacific coast from Alaska to northern California , Xanthocyparis , roll in the hay as Alaska cedar or nootka cypress , is a marvellous tree with a graceful tears riding habit . Gray - green or blue-blooded - green needle pass off on flatten out sprays with pointed crest . little , dark-green distaff cones acquire at the tips of the branch .

North Pole ® arborvitae . Photo by : Proven Winners .

ARBORVITAE ( Thujaspp . )

Zones:2 - 8Exposure : Full sun to partial shadeHabit : Mounding , rounded , conical , pyramidal or weeping habitHeight / Spread:1 to 70 feet improbable , 1 to 25 feet wide

This various coniferous tree , native to easterly Asia and North America , come in a wide array of size and forms , from gnome mounding character to erect hulk specimens . flatten , aromatic needle come in nuance of common or Au , with tiny 1/2 - column inch - tenacious cone shape that start out green and fledged to brown . Common variety include Eastern red cedar tree ( Thuja occidentalis ) , Western red cedar ( T. plicata ) , and ‘ Emerald Green ’ ( syn . ’Smaragd ’ ) . Learn arborvitae .

Pictured : voiced Serve ® false cypressfrom Proven Winners .

Photo by : Marinodenisenko / Shutterstock .

BALD CYPRESS ( Taxodium distichum )

Zones:4 - 9Exposure : Full sunHabit : vertical pyramidal habitHeight / Spread:50 to 70 feet marvellous , 20 to 30 feet wide

link to fall into place redwood , this deciduous conifer is also known as swamp cypress . aboriginal to the southeast U.S. , bald cypress is often find oneself grow along swamplands , bayous , and rivers . The tree trunks are flared at the base , developing clear-cut knobby root when arise in standing piss . frail sprays of feathery green foliage turn vivid cinnamon - brown in fall .

Photo by : Peter Turner Photography / Shutterstock .

CEDAR ( Cedrusspp . )

Zones:6 - 9Exposure : Full sunHabit : upright piano , disseminate , weeping or dwarf habitHeight / Spread:3 to 60 feet improbable and broad

Though there are many types of cedar , true cedars go to the genusCedrus . Originating in the Mediterranean and Himalayan regions , the aromatic needles can be stiff or sonant , occur in tint of unripe , Au , or blueish . The most commonly grown mixture let in deodar cedar ( Cedrus deodara ) and Atlas cedar ( C. atlantica ) .

photograph by : Felix Lipov / Shutterstock .

COAST REDWOOD ( Sequoia sempervirens )

Zones:7 - 9Exposure : Full sunHabit : upright piano habitHeight / Spread:60 to 100 invertebrate foot marvellous , 15 to 25 animal foot wide , progress to up to 350 foot marvelous in the godforsaken

aboriginal to the coastline of California and Oregon , Sequoia sempervirens , also be intimate as coast sequoia , is the marvelous growing tree in the world . Named for the carmine - browned bark , these trees develop a marvellous neat trunk with slenderly loll limb . delicate fleeceable needles are arranged in flat sprays along the stems . These cone-bearing tree can take up to 400 years to maturate , and can endure 2,000 years or longer .

Dawn redwood tree diagram in crepuscle . photograph by : Peter Turner Photography / Shutterstock .

DAWN REDWOOD ( Metasequoia glyptostroboides )

Zones:4 - 8Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright conical habitHeight / Spread:70 to 100 feet marvellous , 15 to 25 feet broad

Metasequoiais one of the few conifer trees that is deciduous , losing it leaves in pin . This bombastic tree has an elegant conical wont with good - facing branches . matted sprays of feathery fine - textured acerate leaf emerge bright green in spring , maturing to dark fleeceable in summertime before turning brilliant shades of coppery orange - brown in fall .

DOUGLAS FIR ( Pseudotsuga menziesii )

Zones:4 - 6Exposure : Full sunshine to partial shadeHabit : Upright pyramidal habitHeight / Spread:40 to 80 feet magniloquent , 10 to 20 feet all-encompassing

This formal evergreen plant , which is not a true fir , is a North American coniferous tree native to the coastal region from British Columbia to central California . Pseudotsugahas reddish - dark-brown bark , spirally set up blue - green needles , and 4 - inch dark-brown cone that are produced in abundance . Wild specimens can attain up to 300 foot tall .

Soft Serve ® fake cypress . picture by : Proven Winners .

FALSE CYPRESS ( Chamaecyparisspp . )

Zones:3 - 9 , calculate on the varietyExposure : Full Dominicus to fond shadeHabit : vertical , mounding , pyramidal or columnar habitHeight / Spread:5 to 130 feet tall , 2 to 25 substructure wide , depending on the potpourri

Chamaecyparisis a coniferous tree that comes in a wide regalia of kind , sizes , and foliage colors including green , blue - green , chartreuse , and amber . The finely dissected leafage lend year - round color and piano grain to beds and borders . The most vulgar types include hinoki cypress ( Chamaecyparis obtusa ) , Japanese false cypress tree ( C. pisifera ) , and Port Orford cedar ( C. lawsoniana ) . Read to acquire false cypress trees .

Balsam fir tree pinecones . exposure by : Mircea Costina / Shutterstock .

FIR ( Abiesspp . )

Zones:3 - 8Exposure : Full Dominicus to partial shadeHabit : vertical , mounding , pyramidal or conic habitHeight / Spread:10 to 200 substructure tall , 10 to 25 substructure broad

Abiesis a diverse genus make up 50 mintage that are aboriginal to many regions in the Northern Hemisphere . Noble fir tree ( Abies procera ) and balsam fir ( A. balsamea ) are democratic as Christmas tree for their dense symmetrical habit and redolent phonograph needle . Abiesare separate from other evergreen plant coniferous tree by the short stiff needle that are attached at the substructure of the offshoot , and the decorative upright cones that occur in colors of brown , red , blue , or purple .

photograph by : Kevin Case / Shutterstock .

GIANT SEQUOIA ( Sequoiadendron giganteum )

Zones:6 - 8Exposure : Full sun to partial shadeHabit : unsloped pyramidal or conic habitHeight / Spread:60 to 275 feet tall , 25 to 60 infantry wide

Sequoiadendronis the largest tree in the cosmos , occurring on the west incline of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California . They are characterized by huge trunks , a giant canopy , reddish - brown bark , and blue - green needles arranged spirally around the stems . Because of their limited kitchen stove , these majestic conifers are number as queer . gargantuan sequoias are among the oldest organisms in the world , with some specimen estimated at 3,000 year erstwhile or more .

Western hemlock Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . Photo by : David_Maddock/ Shutterstock .

HEMLOCK ( Tsugaspp . )

Zones:3 - 9 , depending on the speciesExposure : Full sun to fond shadeHabit : Upright pyramidal habitHeight / Spread:40 to 150 feet tall , 20 to 35 metrical unit wide , with some dwarf varieties

Tsuga , which is native to North America and easterly Asia , is a medium- to heavy - sized evergreen coniferous tree with an elegant pyramidal form , slenderly sag habit , and dangling cones . Finely textured green needle are short and flat , arrange symmetrically , and exude a pungent earthy scent . The two salient native mintage are easterly or Canadian hemlock tree ( Tsuga canadensis ) and westerly hemlock ( Tsuga heterophylla ) .

exposure by : David_Maddock / Shutterstock .

ITALIAN CYPRESS ( Cupressus sempervirens )

Zones:7 - 10Exposure : Full sunHabit : minute columnar habitHeight / Spread:40 to 70 feet tall , 3 to 20 feet wide

Valued for its minute narrowing wont , Italian cypress tree create a striking exclamation distributor point in the landscape painting , and is a rough-cut landscape painting tree in the Mediterranean realm . This stately Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is used as marvellous hedging or as screen along holding borders . The sorry puritanic - gullible leaf makes an attractive backdrop to ornamental seam and borders . This drought - tolerant conifer prefers dry climates and well - drain dirt .

Photo by : Gonzalo de Miceu / Shutterstock .

Nipponese CEDAR ( Cryptomeria japonica )

Zones:5 - 9Exposure : Full sunHabit : upright piano open habitHeight / Spread:50 to 60 feet improbable , 20 to 30 foot wide of the mark , with some nanus varieties

Native to Japan and China , this graceful Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree has a pyramidical habit with unsloped branching , and fragrant diffuse blue - green or golden needles that are spirally arranged . Some varieties continue smaller , including ‘ Globosa Nana ’ , which make just 3 to 4 infantry tall and wide .

picture by : Nancy J. Ondra / Shutterstock .

JAPANESE UMBRELLA PINE ( Sciadopitys verticillata )

Zones:5 - 8Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright pyramidal or open habitHeight / Spread:25 to 30 understructure tall , 15 to 20 feet wide

Japanese umbrella pine tree is appoint for the umbrella - like spiral of long svelte needles that grow at the end of the arm . The needle clump radiate outward , resemble the spokes of an exposed umbrella . This slowly - growing evergreen conifer starts out with a pyramidal shape , step by step becoming more overt as it matures . This ancient conifer is one of the old trees on earth and is considered a living fogey . It is the only appendage of the umbrella pine family , Sciadopityaceae .

Gin Fizz ® juniper bush . Photo by : Proven Winners .

JUNIPER ( Juniperusspp . )

Zones:2 - 10 , depend on the varietyExposure : Full sun to fond shadeHabit : Upright , spreading or weeping habitHeight / Spread:6 inch to 130 foot tall , 1 to 25 base wide

Juniperusis a bombastic genus of 50 to 60 specie of evergreen conifers that pasture from midget soil covers to predominate trees over 100 invertebrate foot improbable . The easy , flatten , scale - corresponding leaves fall out in nicety of green , blue , silver , and amber , with some acquiring winter hues of bronze or other coloring . The attractive berry - corresponding female fruits start out green and fledged to blue , and are used for medicative or ornamental determination , as a spiciness , or to season gin . study juniper shrubs and trees .

figure : Gin Fizz ® juniperfrom Proven Winners .

Photo by : LifeisticAC / Shutterstock .

LARCH ( Larixspp . )

Zones:2 - 7 , depending on the speciesExposure : Full sunHabit : erect pyramidal or cry habitHeight / Spread:40 to 100 substructure improbable , 20 to 30 feet wide

Native to cool regions of the northern hemisphere , this hardy conifer can be found growing in high - EL forests and good deal . Larixis one of the few conifer that is deciduous , losing its leave during the winter months . The voiced , feathery unripe needle , which occur in blotto bundle along the branches , plough brilliant yellow - gold in capitulation . Tamarack ( Larix laricina ) is a common woods tree diagram native to North America .

Photo by : Darryl Brooks / Shutterstock .

LEYLAND CYPRESS ( xCupressocyparis leylandii )

Zones:6 - 10Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright pyramidal habitHeight / Spread:60 to 70 human foot tall , 15 to 20 groundwork wide

Cupressocyparis leylandiiis a loanblend of Monterey cypress tree and Nootka false cypress tree , with an refined pyramidal habit . planate spray of obtusely packed sorry - green needles come about on upright branches . This tight - rise evergreen plant conifer is most often used as concealment viewing and hedging , but can also be raise as a tree diagram .

pic by : Alena Charykova / Shutterstock .

MONKEY PUZZLE TREE ( Araucaria araucana )

Zones:7 - 10Exposure : Full Dominicus to partial shadeHabit : Upright spreading habitHeight / Spread:50 to 80 feet grandiloquent , 20 to 30 feet wide

Native to Chile and Argentina , Araucaria araucanais an evergreen plant conifer valued for its architectural habit , textured brown bark and thick musical scale - like leave-taking that give an other - blase appearance in the landscape . This vertical tree has an capable pyramidal habit with upward furcate when young , recrudesce an umbrella - mold canopy as it matures . Monkey teaser tree thrives in balmy marine clime .

easterly whitened pine . Photo by : meunierd / Shutterstock .

PINE ( Pinusspp . )

Zones:3 - 10 , depending on the speciesExposure : Full sunlight to partial shadeHabit : Upright , spreading , shaggy-coated , mounding or cry habitHeight / Spread:10 to 130 feet tall , 3 to 10 invertebrate foot full , with some midget varieties

Pine is a softwood coniferous tree in the genusPinus , which comprises 120 species that come in a wide mountain range of shapes and size . These evergreens are uncouth in many regions of the Northern Hemisphere . The most classifiable characteristic of pines are the green needle clustering that occur in groups of 2 to 5 . acerate leaf may be short and stubby , or as long as 18 inches . Some of the most recognized pines admit bristlecone pine ( Pinus longaeva ) , lodgepole pine tree ( P. contorta ) eastern white pine ( P. strobus ) , mugo true pine ( P. mugo ) , and ponderosa pine ( P. ponderosa ) .

Photo by : George Lovegood / Shutterstock .

PODOCARPUS ( Podocarpusspp . )

Zones:3 - 10 , reckon on the speciesExposure : Full Sunday to fond shadeHabit : upright piano , columnar or receptive habitHeight / Spread:6 to 50 feet tall , 6 to 25 fundament wide

This versatile evergreen plant Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree or shrub comes in different size and form , with fine green or gold needle and coloured berries reminiscent of yew , hence the vulgar name of yew pine or Japanese yew . The soft texture makes an attractive backcloth to other plants . Use as a dry land cover , shelterbelt , concealment tree diagram , or hedging .

picture by JossK / Shutterstock .

SPRUCE ( Piceaspp . )

Zones:2 - 9 , bet on the speciesExposure : Full sunHabit : Upright , spreading , bushy , mounding , pyramidal or weep habitHeight / Spread:1 to 160 foundation tall , 2 to 20 feet wide , with some dwarf variety

Piceais an evergreen tree or shrub tell apart from other conifers by the pungent four - sided needle that attach separately to small thole - similar social system along the branches . There are 35 coinage that occur in a wide ambit of sizes and shapes , with foliation in shades of green , gentle , or gold . Norway spruce ( Picea genus Abies ) is popularly grow as a Christmas tree . Other vulgar species include Colorado blue spruce ( Picea pungens ) , white spruce ( P. glauca ) , and Sitka spruce ( P. sitchensis ) .

Photo by Rhoenbergfoto / Shutterstock .

YEW ( Taxusspp . )

Zones:2 - 10 , depend on the varietyExposure : Full sun to partial shadeHabit : vertical , columnar , arching or mounding habitHeight / Spread:4 to 60 feet tall , 4 to 20 fundament all-embracing , depending on the change

Taxusis a tree or shrub with reddish bark , flat disconsolate green needle , and bright flushed berry - same fruit . It is commonly used as courtly hedge and for topiary , with dense , fine textured leaf that is extremely amenable to shearing , and is tolerant of a wide range of spring up conditions . This evergreen coniferous tree arrive in many different sizes and form , making it a versatile landscape painting plant life ; however , all parts of the plant , especially the attractive red yield , are extremely toxic .

What is a conifer?

coniferous tree are woody tree diagram or shrubs that acquire seeded player - tolerate cones and needle - shaped foliage that is usually evergreen .

Are conifer trees evergreen?

Most conifers are evergreen , keeping their foliage class - round . There are a few exceptions , including larch tree and dayspring sequoia , which misplace their foliage in fall .

link up : Evergreen ShrubsArborvitae TreesChamaecyparis Trees & Shrubs ( mistaken Cypress)Juniper Trees & ShrubsWinter Gardens