Mountain laurel is a broadleaf evergreen shrub that grows to about 15 feet and produces profuse clusters of pinkish flowers in spring. Trees of this classification have needle-like or scale-like foliage and usually renew many leaves annually but don't renew all of their leaves every year. There are seven different families of conifers, all of which bear cones. Asparagus Fern. Its dense, light green foliage is comprised of thin 1/2-inch-long needles that radiate around their stems. Their flat, 3/4- to 1-inch-long needles are dark green on top and lighter green underneath --- and they are not marked with the white stripes you may find on other evergreens. Once you know what leaf category the evergreen falls in, you can narrow down the characteristics until you identify the plant. Viburnum pragense is hardy to zone 6 and has shiny green leaves with white felt undersides all year providing plenty of winter color. 'Danica' is a globe-shaped arborvitae that grows only 2 feet tall. However, they have a loose, airy growth habit that doesn't work well in hedges. What Tree Is That? After you identify the correct leaf-shape category of your evergreen shrub, you can further narrow down the evergreen shrub species. 'Blue Star' juniper is another needled evergreen with silvery-blue foliage and a low growth habit, but it is more self-contained than creeping juniper. Needle-bearing evergreen shrubs such as yews, with small, tightly spaced needles, are especially useful in hedges, as they can be trimmed to precise shapes. Some varieties produce "cones" that look like dark blue berries. This is a low-growing shrub (to about 2 feet) that sprawls out as much as 4 feet. Slow to moderate growth to 7 ft tall x 7 ft wide. It grows 4 to 10 feet tall. Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images. Evergreen shrubs provide permanent structure in the garden and all-year-round interest.. These are slow-growing shrubs that rarely grow more than 5 feet tall, usually kept trimmed even shorter. Signs & Symptoms of Evergreen Diseases. The easiest way to identify evergreen bushes is by their foliage, which falls into one of two categories: needle-leaf or broad-leaf. Manzanita is a common name for many species of the genus Arctostaphylos.They are evergreen shrubs or small trees present in the chaparral biome of western North America, where they occur from Southern British Columbia and Washington to Oregon, California, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas in the United States, and throughout Mexico.Manzanitas can live in places with poor soil and little water. Evergreen Viburnum (Viburnum Pragense) Evergreen viburnums are beautiful broadleaf evergreen shrubs that provide four seasons of interest in the garden. Its dense, light green foliage is comprised of thin 1/2-inch-long needles that radiate around their stems. Blackberry (unripe) Blackcurrant. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board, 'Emerald 'n' Gold' Wintercreeper (Euonymus Fortunei 'Emerald 'n' Gold'), 'Golden Mop' FalseCypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Golden Mop'), 'Carol Mackie' Daphne (Daphne × burkwoodii 'Carol Mackie'), Creeping Juniper (Juniperis horizontalis), 'Blue Star' Juniper (Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star'). Unfortunately we are unable to dedicate the necessary resources to maintain the Database in good order. Evergreen diseases are often fatal to trees and shrubs. Dwarf pines, firs and spruces are popular landscape plants. The flowers are especially fragrant, so many people like to plant it close to living areas. Evergreen shrub with dark green foliage. While 'Carol Mackie' is hardy to zone 4, it is likely to lose its leaves and possibly suffer some winter damage when grown in zone 4 or 5. Her work includes executive speeches, annual reports, newspaper and magazine articles, newsletters and online training modules. Berberis nevinii (syn. Needle-leaf evergreens include popular varieties such as junipers and yews. is a tree identification guide from the Arbor Day Foundation, featuring an easy-to-use, step-by-step process to identify nearly any tree in North America. A more reliable identifying characteristic is the shrub’s leaves. Pinyon Pine (Pinus Cembroides) Evergreen Viburnum (Viburnum Pragense) Evergreen viburnums are beautiful broadleaf evergreen shrubs that provide four seasons of interest in the garden. This two-needled pine features dark-green, 1- to 1 1/2-inch-long stiff needles that remain on the tree for four years. The most widely planted of all evergreen shrubs, junipers range from low-creeping ground cover to specimens that tower up to 15 feet. Yews are the second most popular evergreen shrub. Evergreen shrubs. With their spiny, glossy evergreen leaves and bright red berries, American and Chinese holly are the most familiar holly bushes. Short, sharp needles are the identifying features of junipers. White, pink, red, purple, orange, or yellow colored flowers produced in dense panicles by this plant species. With their spiny, glossy evergreen leaves and bright red berries, American and Chinese holly are the most familiar holly bushes. Mahonia nevinii) is an evergreen species of flowering shrub in the Berberidaceae (barberry) family known by the common name Nevin ' s barberry. Leaves are either simple or compound. Be aware of the signs and symptoms of the most common diseases so you will know right away if … Azaleas and rhododendrons belong to the same genus and the difference is sometimes hard to identify. The final easy leaf identification guideline is to note the type of leaf. Emerald 'n' Gold euonymus is a broadleaf evergreen shrub grown for its variegated leaves, which have green centers with golden margins. If given support, it will climb a low wall. With a some exceptions, most conifer trees are evergreens that maintain their color and leaves throughout the year. Tree Identification Field Guide. What Tree Is That? The most popular blue holly cultivar is 'Blue Princess', a female clone. Our illustrated, step-by-step process makes it easy to identify a tree simply by the kinds of leaves it produces. This feature is more pronounced on shrubs found in drier areas east of the Cascades. Other evergreen shrubs may be striking enough to go solo and serve as specimen plants. Berry fruits can also be found in the fruit & vegetables section. Tree Identification Field Guide. Depending on the size and shape of the cultivar, arborvitaes can be used for a variety of landscape purposes, from foundation plantings to hedges, privacy screens to shade trees. Learn more on how to care for Evergreen shrubs. It is also very common for foundation plantings. Blue holly is a versatile shrub used in borders, screens, hedges, and for foundation plantings. English boxwood is a low, slow-growing shrub that may grow up to 3 feet high. They offer structure and organizing points; many also supply year-round color, as well as food and shelter for wildlife. David Beaulieu is a garden writer with nearly 20 years experience writing about landscaping and over 10 years experience working in nurseries. Large white flower clusters appear in the summer and are followed by bright berries lasting through the winter. Valued for its whimsical golden foliage, 'Golden Mop' (or 'Gold Mop') is one of the false cypresses. Blue holly is broadleaf evergreen shrub that usually grows 6 to 8 feet tall, but occasionally may grow to 15 feet. It is a needled evergreen shrub, like a true cypress, but instead of bearing a classic sharp needle, 'Golden Mop's' needles are awl-shaped. Identify the evergreen shrub by its leaf color, if the shrub doesn’t have standard green foliage. We dug these up and planted azalea bushes. Evergreen shrubs add year-round structure. Why we love it: 'Girard’s Rose' is a compact evergreen azalea that is laden with clusters of vibrant rose-colored flowers in spring that give way to glossy green foliage. Arbutus unedo. seems that no one could tell me what these plants were.by looking at your comparison I have mountain laurels plants however these plans will be 5 years old this summer they have never bloomed, I think I’m on the right track can you tell me if there is a strain of these plants that do not bloom. The foliage consists of prickly, scaly needles that are blue-green in color, sometimes turning purplish in winter. Holly and boxwood are common broad-leaf evergreens. Yews are the second most popular evergreen shrub. Arborvitaes are very similar to cedars, though true cedars belong to a different genus, Cedrus. Examining an evergreen's leaves (or needles) is key to identification of a particular species. Plants can reach 8 ft tall x 8 ft wide. If the needles hurt when you grab them, it's a juniper. The pink-red young leaves of Japanese Andromeda turn green when they mature. … However, the last evergreen bush is starting to get some brown spots in it. The plant also produces a pollen that causes a pronounced reaction in allergy sufferers. Evergreens' foliage can fall into these categories: needles, scales and awl-shaped. It also produces red berries that turn black. It has a gnarled, multi-stemmed growth habit and elliptical, leathery leaves, similar to rhododendrons. Boxwoods make excellent hedging plants with their soft, green foliage. This prickly shrub makes an effective barrier and hedge plant. Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images. But selecting the right shrub for your landscape and particular gardening need can be difficult. Some have beautiful flower displays, or are highly scented in winter when little else is growing, and some have variegated or colourful foliage - a perfect foil for summer perennials, and a feature in itself during the winter. Viburnum pragense is hardy to zone 6 and has shiny green leaves with white felt undersides all year providing plenty of winter color. Shape is a better indicator than size, since individual shrubs can vary in leaf size. In the landscape trade, the common name "arborvitae" is usually applied to the various cultivars of the Arborvitae occidentalis species, a group of needled evergreen shrubs and trees in which the needles are arranged in flat sprays that look like scales—much different than most needled evergreens. It is prized for its small, densely packed leaves, making it ideal for sculpting with a pair of garden shears or electric hedge trimmers. The best time to plant evergreen bushes is spring or fall, but this varies greatly depending on your location. Snowbrush The Buckthorn Family–Rhamnaceae Ceanothus velutinus Douglas ex Hook. Of the more than 160 cultivars, the most popular are American and English. In this section you will find pictures of edible and poisonous berries. Begin identifying your tree by choosing the appropriate region below. The female plants produce bright red berries. There are three basic leaf shapes, excluding those of conifers: lobed, smooth, and toothed. Here are 12 popular choices for evergreen landscape shrubs. Why We Love It: Soft foliage and tough-as-nails personality. We just purchased our first home in December of 2012 when Maine was under a thick blanket of snow. Trees (91) Shrubs (29) Dwarf (42) Groundcover (2) Mature Size (generic) TREE (5-10' Tall) • Average WIdth (8) TREE (5-10' Tall) Compact or Narrow Form (3) TREE (5-10' Tall) • Wide Spread (3) Carolyn Enright began working as a professional writer in corporate communications in 1992. Bearing leaves or needles year-round, evergreen shrubs are the preferred bushes for privacy hedges, since they keep you from being exposed to prying eyes for all 12 months of the year. General Guidelines for Broad Identification Though conifers may or may not lose their "needles" annually, most are indeed evergreen. 'Golden Mop' is a slow-growing, mounded shrub form of the C. pisifera species that will take 10 years to reach its maximum size of 10 feet. They are easily identified by their needle-like or scaly leaves. In zone 5, though hardy, it may not be reliably evergreen unless planted in a sheltered location. Evergreen trees come in all shapes and sizes, from less than one metre tall to almost one hundred. Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images. Featuring a comprehensive plant search engine. A shrub or bush, on the other hand, is a woody plant that grows low and has multiple stems. The list currently includes 1351 species. Shazam for Plants! In addition to being a very common low hedge plant, boxwoods can make good shrubs for foundation plantings. Evergreen shrubs form the backbone to a garden and, whether large or small, there is usually one to suit the space. Hi! Shrubs are a key foundation planting for many gardens. The Canadian hemlock, also known as the eastern hemlock, is a coniferous evergreen with small, lacy needles. One of the most popular cultivars is 'Carol Mackie', a small rounded shrub that grows only 2 to 3 feet tall and produces pale pink flowers in late spring. 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