Evergreen trees and plants stay green all year long — hundreds of species thrive in areas around the world, including U. S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10. Flowering evergreen plants, trees, shrubs, ground covers and vines bring colour to landscapes and gardens. Evergreens attract birds and other wildlife to feed on nuts or seeds and then take shelter under thick-growing foliage. Soil pH, sunlight and growing space determine suitable evergreens for your yard.
Evergreens
Most evergreens do stay green, but all plants lose some of their old foliage each year, notes Colorado State University Extension, and colors may fade, brighten or change with the seasons. Evergreen shrubs have wide black or leaves leaves. Narrow-leaved evergreens like conifers and pines have sharp, pointed, needlelike foliage. Broadleaf evergreens have foliage that is broad or curved. Evergreens require well-draining organic dirtnonetheless, broadleaf varieties typically need more water than needlelike trees. In Mediterranean areas, evergreen conifers like cypress (Cupressus spp.) Have thin, scaled leaves. Tecate cypress (C. forbesii), together with cherry-red bark and dark green leaves, works well as hedges or screens. Yew (Taxus spp.) Plants are conifers that make berries rather than cones. Yews prefer partial shade to full sunlight.
Trees and Plants
Flowering and nonflowering trees and plants provide shade to a patio or deck area. Scheffleras (Schefflera spp.) Are evergreens with long, green, ovate leaflets that resemble daisy petals on a circular blossom. They thrive in Mediterranean spaces and indoor greenhouses. Some trees change colour in the autumn, but species like S. pueckieri stay green by developing shorter leaflets and rays. Drimys winteri evergreen trees, also referred to as winter’s bark, grow about 25 feet tall and 20 feet wide. Leathery, bright green leaves grow in clusters — they spawn small, white, white, winter-to-spring flowering blooms. Sweet bay (Laurus nobilis) includes aromatic green spiked leaves which are used for cooking and preserves. These slow-growing plants reach 12 to 40 feet high and produce dark-green, ovate leaves which create good colour for patios.
Ground Cover and Vines
Although some evergreens can grow into full-sized trees, thick-spreading ground covers typically arrive to 24 inches high. For instance, some species of juniper (Juniperus spp.) — a conifer that produces small berry fruits rather than seed cones — stay green during the year. “Arcadia” (J. sabina) and also “Sargent Juniper” (J. chinensis sargentii) possess bright or grayish green leaves. Some juniper plants, like “Blue Chip” (J. horizontalis), are silvery blue. Other varieties produce yellow or gray needles. Clematis (Clematis spp.) , perennial vines which might be bullied or bullied, include C. armandii, with dark green leaflets and off-white blooms. Evergreen clematis vines typically reach about 20 feet long. Jasmine (Jasminum spp.) Grows as vines or shrubs — the vines climb by wrapping their stems around each other. Species comprise South African Farmers (J. anguiare), with extended green leaflets and white blooms, and Italian jasmine (J. humile), together with light green foliage and yellow blossoms.
Shrubs
Dense evergreen shrubs grow from 12 inches high to nearly 50 feet tall and are suitable for small hedges or bigger “green fences.” As an example, holly bushes (Ilex spp.) Develop as dwarf-sized shrubs for low hedges or smaller bushes suitable for screening. Leaves are green and alternately pointed. Female and male enhancement shrubs must be planted with the females to place fruits. Several varieties of Ilex like Japanese holly (I. crenata) and also Chinese holly (I. cornuta) feature yellow, red and purple-black berries which attract birds and other wildlife. Pacific wax myrtle (Myrica californica) rises to about 10 feet tall with many trunks that spread about 30 feet broad. Leaves are shiny — dark green on the surface with lighter tones underneath. Thuja (Thuja spp.) Has feathery leaves comprising small needles that stay green but might feature bands and hints of gold or yellow. Thuja grows to various heights and, like most shrubbery, must be pruned for size and shape management. Green-foliage varieties of the American arborvitae (T. occidentalis) species comprise “Woodwardii,” “Spiralis” and “Hetz Midget.”