What sort of evergreen do you think is best-suited for your neighborhood climate? There's a lot to consider but once you have a basic understanding of how to properly classify evergreens, you'll discover just how plentiful, robust, and charming these trees really are. Evergreens have that holiday charisma in many homes, but there are a multitude of uses for this tree. In fact, it's important to understand a little about how evergreens are classified to understand their usefulness.
The most important classification method has been standardized among botanists--for centuries. All living organism are divided into a few kingdoms. For the evergreen, they are in the Plataea kingdom. The kingdom is further divided into phyla or phylum to help organize similar plants into groups. Phylum includes plants with some distinct differences, so further sub-categorization was necessary. Phyla are organized into classes. Each class is then divided into orders and then into families.
To classify a tree such as an evergreen, distinct characteristics need to be determined. Evergreen trees come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with varying colors, needle structures, and a desire for particular soil bases. Evergreens, just as many other trees owning up to a specific plot of real estate--be it in a forest, a subdivision, or other landscape of varying features and attributes--desire preferential treatment. If evergreens could bark, you might hear them howling at the skies, stating that they have a preference for certain climates.
The spruce is one of the most famously planted evergreens. Spruce trees develop short, sharp needles that vary from 1-2 inches in length. The color of the foliage ranges from a rich, dark green to a strong hearty blue. Of all the spruce varietals, one of the most popular forms of the spruce trees is the Colorado spruce. In the past, they were known as the Colorado Blue. Someone, somewhere along the way removed the Blue from its name.
The Colorado spruce takes its fame to new heights, growing to an average of 40-60 feet tall, with a width of up to 30 feet at its base. This cone-shaped beauty is not shy. The Colorado vibrates in dark, green needles for all to see.
The Black Hills spruce, another common variety of evergreen, has much darker foliage, with finer needles in comparison the Colorado. The Black Hill tree grows, on average, 30-40 feet tall with a 20-30 foot width. Again, the basic cone shape is present in this spruce as well.
All pines have needles that grow in bundles. The needles length ranges from 1 to inches long. Varieties well-fit to colder climates include the following trees: white, red/Norway, Scotch and Swiss stone.
Remember, when classifying evergreens, there is an organized format, one that has been followed for centuries. This organization makes it possible to breed evergreens, understand their growth cycles, and helps people determine whether or not a specific evergreen is suitable for a specific plot of land. Evergreens are beautiful, robust trees with a variety of uses. Check them out and see if the evergreen is something you might be interested in learning more about.
About the Author
Avid full time hobby bonsai grower. Owner of http://www.mishobonsai.com, a website with ressource for Bonsai seeds and Bonsai tree's care.
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