Conifer Shrubs

• All evergreens lose some of their foliage each year. Broadleaved evergreens grow best in areas protected from winter sun, cold and drying winds.
• When selecting evergreens, consider soil and site conditions.
• Consider mature size when planting evergreens as overcrowding evergreens will affect their natural shape and beauty.
• Broadleaved evergreens generally require more consistent soil moisture than most narrow-leaved evergreens.
• Good soil drainage is essential for optimum growth.

Evergreens add year-round beauty and attractiveness to home landscapes. For practical purposes, evergreen shrubs are classified as broadleaved or narrow-leaved. Narrow-leaved evergreens such as pines and junipers have needle-like foliage. Evergreen plants that do not have needle-like foliage are known as broadleaved evergreens.

All evergreens lose some of their leaves each year. Most broadleaved evergreens lose some of the older leaves during the winter or when new growth resumes in the spring. Narrow-leaved evergreens can maintain foliage for two years or more. Eventually the innermost, oldest foliage drops off. Evergreens that are sheared, tend to be bare on the inside because the outer growth, promoted by shearing excessively shades the foliage towards the inside, causing it to drop.