home sectionhome sectionAlso known as queen palm, the cocos palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana) is an elegant palm that grows up to 50 feet tall, showcasing a narrow gray trunk topped with dark, lacy evergreen fronds that may be up to 10 feet long. The leaves are accented by bright orange date fruits, which hang in clusters. The cocos palm requires specific conditions to look its best.
Date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) not only produce edible dates but add value to the landscape with their textured trunks and fronds. The date palm's grayish trunk sports diamond-shaped marks from old fronds and creates lines in the landscape with its vertical height. The bluish green fronds may reach lengths of 18 to 20 feet. Occasionally, fronds will die and require removal to keep the date palm looking clean. Date palms grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11, where pruning is suitable any time of the year.
Blue spruce trees (Picea pungens) are prized for the bluish cast of their needles, which is caused by a waxy coating. The trees have a naturally pleasing shape and grow slowly, making them a common choice among home gardeners who want a garden accent tree. They can live for a very long time.
The plump, pretty blossoms of the crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) in whites, reds, oranges, pinks and purples hang languorously on the branch tips like Southern belles waiting to be asked to dance. The flowers are sufficient incentive for gardeners to grow this small tree in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 though 9, but they are not the only associated blessing. A garden with a crepe myrtle also enjoys bird song. Birds flock to crepe myrtle trees to eat the ripe berries and also to feast on insect pests.
Averaging 3 feet of growth in one year, Leyland cypress trees (X Cupressocyparis leylandii) can grow up to 70 feet tall in preferred U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 10. Because of their astounding potential size, these conifers need full sunlight conditions for optimal photosynthesis. However, spacing your Leyland trees apart by only 2 feet creates a number of issues, including a different growing habit compared to its traditional tree form.
Longleaf pine trees (Pinus palustris) originate from Southeastern North America in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10. This erect evergreen conifer reaches 65 feet tall, producing large brown cones over 3 inches long and green needles 8 to 15 inches long. This tree lives over 150 years, growing 24 to 36 inches per year. Seedlings tend to grow at a slower rate and need to be planted in the fall or spring.
The Mondale or Mondell pine (Pinus eldarica), also called Afghan pine or eldarica pine, native to Afghanistan, Pakistan and southern Russia, grows from 30 to 50 feet tall and is naturally adapted to dry climates. Its even shape and soft needles make it a popular selection for Christmas trees. Winged Mondell pine seeds grow in cones and can be planted in fall or spring in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 10.
Cypress trees grow quickly to provide strong architectural structure to the landscape. Leyland cypress is the most common variety in home landscapes. It tolerates hard pruning so you can maintain it at low heights as a hedge or foundation plant, or allow it to grow to its full potential height of 30 to 70 feet. Most types of cypress need little or no pruning, and the trees look best when allowed to grow into their natural shape.
"Hydroponics" doesn't just refer to growing a plant in water; the term has evolved to mean growing a plant in a soilless medium, according to Virginia Cooperative Extension. While vegetables are often grown hydroponically, some houseplants -- particularly moisture-loving specimens, like the Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla) -- can benefit from being grown in a simple hydroponic system. Once you've set up your system, you'll see how hydroponics can benefit the gardener as well.
The cascade palm (Chamaedorea cataractarum), also know as the cat palm, is primarily grown as an indoor tree. Its large, dark green fronds provide dense foliage. Cascade palms grow to about 3 feet tall and produce shrubby growth along the short trunks, making them a bushier palm variety compared to single trunk types. These palms naturally grow near streams and fresh water sources in warm climates, so they have higher moisture needs than other palm varieties.
Native to South America, the queen palm tree is used in decorative settings in many subtropical and tropical regions. This tree reaches a height of 50 feet and has a silvery trunk and large, overflowing, dark green foliage. The queen palm has a shallow root system that can often be visible above the ground’s surface. If you have this tree in your backyard and wish to remove it completely because of space constraints or disease, you will need to destroy the root system.
Commonly called a money tree for its use in the practice of feng shui as a bringer of good fortune, Pachira aquatica is a tropical tree commonly used as a houseplant and bonsai specimen. The plant features clusters of showy oval evergreen leaves and can bear edible nuts. Often seen with braided or twisted trunks, a money tree can have the misfortune to fall prey to insects or mistakes in care that can leave it sick.
Azaleas and rhododendrons are colorful shrubs available in several different varieties. According to the University of Missouri Extension, azaleas are classified as rhododendron by plant taxonomists. One major difference is that certain deciduous species are given the name "azalea," while more permanent shrubs with leathery evergreen leaves are professionally classified as "rhododendron." Growing azaleas and rhododendrons can be challenging, because they like filtered sunlight and protection from harsh winds. If you have pine trees in your yard, your azaleas and rhododendrons can prosper.
Colorado blue spruce is the common name for Picea pungens, a coniferous species of tree native to western North America. The conical shape and attractive foliage of the species appeals to many gardeners and it is widely grown as an ornamental tree. While Colorado blue spruce trees are typically low-maintenance, they sometimes require pruning to encourage thicker growth. However, care must be taken when pruning to avoid irreparably altering the natural shape and healthy growth of the specimen.
Deodar cedar is an evergreen tree with a pyramidal shape. It's notable for its low branches that touch the ground and then curl up. It is a heat-tolerant evergreen, grown mostly in United States Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones seven to nine. It is typically planted in the ground from a container plant purchased at a nursery. To increase the likelihood that your deodar cedar thrives, it's important to plant it properly and at the right time of year.
Syagrus romanzoffiana, better known as the Queen palm, is a hardy growing tree that reaches up to 50 feet in height. It is among the most beloved decorative palms, being used heavily along roadsides in tropical regions and also as a house plant. Once planted and established, the tree grows quickly, so it is best to make sure it is located in the right place from the start. Sometimes the tree may need to be moved, however, for practical or aesthetic reasons. Being a hardy tree, it can survive being moved as long as it was well established and healthy…
Spruce is a term referring to evergreen, coniferous trees that belong to the genus Picea and the pine family. Certain spruce species have edible seeds, also known as nuts, which are used for cooking -- adding flavor to pesto sauce and other tasty recipes. Blue spruce nuts can be harvested from several species of blue-colored pine trees including the pinon pine, Siberian pine, Swiss stone pine or the pinus pumila. The harvesting process is fairly simple, provided you have the right gear and perform this activity during the right time of the year.
When weeds begin to grow under evergreen trees, you may be tempted to use the herbicide aminopyralid on the unwanted vegetation. Before you apply the harsh chemicals, consider the safety of the evergreen tree as well as your environment. Improper use of aminopyralid can prove fatal to the life of the evergreen.
Although brightly colored leaves add beauty to lawns during the fall, homeowners often find them annoying. Too many leaves falling in one area can kill a lawn, so homeowners must take up this time-consuming task. Vacuuming leaves is easier than raking them, but leaf vacuums are often expensive. However, you can make your own leaf vacuum out of your lawnmower or even build a vacuum if you have the skills without spending as much as you would on a commercial leaf vacuum.
Though there are more than 600 types of holly trees and shrubs, the weeping yaupon holly is the only tall weeping holly tree. A towering, deer-resistant tree, weeping yaupon holly is frequently used in landscaping projects, such as in driveway entrances. It requires little care once the tree's root system has been established.
Drawing the top view of an evergreen tree is a great way to experiment with drawing something in a way that you may not normally think about. Draw a top view of an evergreen tree with help from an artist in this free video clip.
Many varieties of the crepe myrtle exist. They range in size from medium shrubs to trees that approach 30 feet tall. The crepe myrtles have long-lasting flowers in shades of white, lavender, pink and red: flowers can remain on the plant for up to six months. This family of plants thrives in USDA climate zones 6 through 11, giving gardeners throughout much of the United States a choice of a hardy, attractive smaller tree. They prefer full sun and will grow in many types of soil, even enduring droughts. It’s possible to propagate the crepe myrtle from cut limbs.
When drawing a conifer tree it may be wise to start off with the trunk. Learn how to draw conifer trees for kids with help from an artist in this free video clip.
Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), a member of the cypress family, is a long-lived evergreen that grows throughout the eastern part of the United States. Gardeners appreciate this species as a plant screen and windbreak in the landscape. Its wide distribution indicates adaptability to varying conditions.
The basic shape of an evergreen tree is that of a triangle. Learn how to draw evergreen trees with help from an artist who teaches to both children and adults in this free video clip.
Cedar trees grow to adult heights of between 25 and 75 feet, depending upon the cedar variety and growing conditions. Although thinning twigs on the trunk and larger branches helps to control their growth somewhat, choose a smaller red cedar tree instead of a larger American cedar tree for small growing spaces. Arborists usually advise against cutting off the tops of trees; it can be difficult to severely limit the growth of an adult cedar tree. Thinning is very useful, however, for shaping cedar trees and helping them fit into limited growing spaces. Prune mostly during winter, late spring and…
Pinus halapensis is a large tree commonly known as Aleppo Pine. This evergreen tree features light green needles and reddish-brown, oval or oblong pine cones. While a well-situated tree in your yard should be low-maintenance, Aleppo Pines are subject to diseases such as root rot, scale insects and blight. Planting an Aleppo Pine in your yard from seeds is not recommended since it grows to be from 50 to 70 feet tall. However, if one already stands in your yard, there are certain ways to take care of and groom this fragrant tree.
The Pygmy palm tree (Phoenix roebelenii) is a slow-growing palm used as a landscaping plant outdoors as well as a potted plant indoors. It cold tolerant to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, making it suitable for many southern U.S. locations. It is low maintenance and tolerates most types of soil.
Cedars are coniferous trees characterized by spicy-scented bark and long needles. Mature cedars of any size can be transplanted, but small trees tend to fair better in the transplant process. To successfully transplant a cedar, the root ball must be freed from the surrounding soil with minimal damage to the plant. If the tree has a trunk less than 4 inches in diameter, you can transplant it without the use of heavy equipment.
Noble fir (Abies procera) is a large, evergreen conifer native to California and the northwestern U.S. The trees grow to more than 200 feet tall in the wild, but tend to reach only about 100 feet in cultivation. Noble fir has 1-inch-long, deeply grooved and upright needles. The needles are dark, blue-green with a silvery-white cast. Young trees are shaped like cones. Planted in an attractive container, noble fir is an excellent living Christmas tree. A prostrate form -- Abies procera 'Glauca Prostrata' -- grows only 2 feet tall and about 6 feet wide and is easier to contain in…
Among other horticultural myths, using cedar shavings as mulch around plants will not harm them. Although cedar is noted for its insect-repellent qualities, cedar mulch is beneficial to plant health and soil quality. Nitrogen deficiencies thought to be caused by sawdust mulches of cedar and other types of wood can be addressed by composting the sawdust before application or providing additional fertilizer.
Palm trees are tropical and subtropical natives that feature upright trunks topped with a cluster of large fronds. The large varieties of palms are adapted to different climates, with some even moderately cold hardy. Because palms first exhibit symptoms of stress on their foliage, browning leaves indicate a growing problem that warrants immediate control to help restore their natural color. Because there are numerous causes of browning leaves, it will help to identify the exact cause and treat it appropriately. Caught early, you can nurse the tree back to health with good cultural practices.
Evergreen trees include most conifer and some broad-leafed varieties, all of which display leaves or needles year-round. And while known for their hardiness, evergreens can develop dry, brittle branches and leaves from erosion effects that appear at treetops or peaks as well as in tree root systems. With proper care, evergreen foliage should maintain a rich green color through most of the year.
Cedar trees need nutrients to grow strong and produce, using their roots to take in available nutrients from the soil surrounding them. The problem is that as the tree uses the soil’s nutrients, that nutrient supply becomes depleted. Understanding which nutrients are most useful to cedar trees allows you to fertilize as needed, keeping their soil fertile.
The Norfolk artificial palm tree allows you to bring the beauty of a tropical island into your home without duplicating the heat and humidity necessary for the tree to thrive. It's easy-to-care-for nature makes it suitable for all climates, although an occasional cleaning is required to maintain its appearance. As with care, lighting the Norfolk artificial palm is a task that even the novice can accomplish with ease.
You may know the miniature Roebelin palm, or Phoenix robelenii, as the pygmy date palm. The plant from North Laos and Vietnam takes as long as 50 years to reach a maximum height of 8 feet. The Roebelin palm’s narrow leaves are green year-round. In the summer, the plant also produces yellow flowers that give way to black fruit in the fall. The Roebelin palm is cold-tender. Grow it as a houseplant.
Though all cedar trees have the same basic needs -- a planting site that accommodates their mature height and spread, soil that contains enough nutrients, and adequate sun and moisture -- this diverse group of trees has varying growth requirements specific to each species or cultivar. These needs include sun exposure, moisture, soil type and temperature range as delineated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone map.
Four varieties of pine trees are native to Alberta: the lodgepole pine, jack pine, limber pine and whitebark pine. The lodgepole is the tallest variety, reaching 98 feet, while the limber is the smallest, reaching only 15 to 30 feet tall. All are softwood trees that produce seed-bearing pine cones, and all are easy to care for, requiring little maintenance.
Longleaf pine, also known as yellow pine, is a tall, soft-wood evergreen tree that is common to several locations in the United States, but is typically found in the southern regions. Longleaf pine trees can grow as high as 100 feet tall and live up to 300 years. The namesake needles can grow up to 18 inches long in a tuft that is similar to the shape of a basketball. Planting a longleaf pine tree requires doing advance soil preparation and watching over it for several years as it grows.
Evergreen trees, which keep most of their foliage year round, are some of the most common tree species growing at higher elevations throughout the world. Coniferous forests, which are composed of trees that produce seeds via cones, predominate at higher altitudes, particularly in mountainous areas. These trees are some of the oldest in the world as well as some of the hardiest.
Cedar elm, or Texas elm, (Ulmus crassifolia) is a deciduous tree common to areas around Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and the northeastern part of Mexico. They can grow from 50 to 90 feet tall, depending on the richness and moistness of the soils. They have life spans between about 50 and 150 years. In the wild, they are often found growing on moist limestone soils along waterways. They have glossy green leaves that slightly weep and have one of the smallest leaves of the genus.
There is no bringing back dead parts of your spruce tree. If the branches are dead, pruning aids in preventing further damage to the healthy parts of the tree. Before you begin cutting, however, make sure that wood is in fact dead. Browning or needle-drop, for example, are more often an indication that the tree requires water or nutrition. Trees that have suffered a loss of vigor because of these stresses can be recovered.
Blue spruce trees are popular evergreen plants for their ability to retain color, offer shade and grow in acidic soils. Gardeners often cut down their blue spruces when their tree succumbs to diseases such as cytospora canker and rhizosphaera needle cast. Furthermore, blue spruces that are planted in areas that cannot accommodate their mature height of 75 feet or spread of 20 feet must be removed from the landscape. It is important that gardeners properly cut down their blue spruce tree to prevent safety hazards.
Approximately 110 pine tree types exist around the world. A hardy tree, the pine can tolerate adverse soil and requires very little care once established. It starts life in a pyramid shape that's reminiscent of a Christmas tree, but as the pine grows, it loses its lower limbs and becomes a towering landscape specimen. The pine produces shallow roots, which makes growing grass under the tree difficult. Choose a location in your front yard that offers the pine tree type you choose adequate room to grow.
A fast-growing hybrid evergreen tree that matures over 60 feet tall, the leyland cypress (x Cupressocyparis leylandii) is a short-lived plant, perhaps reliable for only 10 to 20 years in an American landscape. With shallow roots, weak wood and susceptibility to canker diseases and bagworm infestations, leyland cypress becomes a liability in the garden. Multiple vertical trunks within the leyland cypress makes it especially vulnerable to damage from the weight load of heavy snow or ice. Snow causes the top of the cypress to splay, resulting in snapped limbs and a ruined canopy symmetry. Removing the damaged tops of the…
A hybrid arborvitae (Thuja) introduced into the horticultural trade by the U.S. National Arboretum, Green Giant naturally develops a narrow, tapering, upright habit. Its frilly, flat sprays of evergreen needles tolerate shearing, but this plant looks more attractive and grows better only if select branches are trimmed. When mature, Green Giant may measure 50 to 60 feet tall and 12 to 20 feet wide with a tidy, pyramidal silhouette. Trim the branch tips to maintain the natural silhouette and ensure foliage remains dense, receiving as much light as possible.
Live spruce trees are often used as decorations in the home during the Christmas holiday season. While the trees appear to be very hardy, they do need some special care in order to remain alive while indoors. By monitoring the water supply and keeping it in a cool room, you can ensure that your spruce tree will survive the holidays without dying on you and dumping all of its needles onto your floor.
The blue atlas cedar species that can best be shaped like a bonsai tree is called the weeping blue atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica "Glauca Pendula"). The tree has gracefully drooping branches, blue needles, and pliable trunk, which can be trained to form unusual growth shapes, including a cane shape, spirals or curves. The tree can also be trained to spread its drooping limbs horizontally. Nurseries often carry weeping blue atlas cedars that are already growing in unusual shapes.
Wisteria are woody, climbing vine plants with showy clusters of purple flowers that can grow free-form or against walls, fences, and trees. A member of the pea family, they thrive in temperate climates, growing up to 30 feet tall. Although interesting to look at and grow, wisteria are an invasive species that will send out seeds and crawlers throughout your yard until they are growing everywhere. This can be harmful to the foundation of your home if the wisteria are not carefully managed. Wisteria can grow along a pine tree, but should be maintained so that they do not hurt…
Evergreen trees, both needled and broadleaf, have few representatives among their ranks with a solid tolerance for shady growing conditions. Evergreen species such as hollies, magnolias, pines, spruces, cypresses, cedars and firs require a full sun location to perform their best. Numerous species of hemlocks and their cultivars do well when in the shade, while a few other evergreens tolerate shade to some degree, making them suitable for your shady spots where you want an evergreen presence.
