The Spruce / K. Dave
Conifers and evergreens may seem like opposites, but they actually aren’t.
There’s an overlap between these two classes of trees and shrubs, though the two are different.
Here’s what to know about conifers and evergreens and how to tell the difference between the two.
The Spruce / K. Dave
What Is a Conifer?
A conifer is a cone-bearing tree.
The adjective describing a conifer is “coniferous.”
Arborvitae shrubs are evergreens and conifers.The Spruce / K. Dave
Softwoods
Depending on the variety, conifers are also known as softwoods.
Examples of softwood conifers are cedar, spruce, fir, and pine trees.
Some trees and shrubs that you may not think of as being conifers actually are.
Azaleas are evergreens, but not conifers.The Spruce / K. Dave
Not all cones have the appearance of a classic cone, such as the spruce cone.
Examples include:
What Is an Evergreen?
An evergreen is a plant that keeps its needles or leaves year-round.
Evergreen can also be an adjective describing that punch in of tree or shrub.
In summer, tamarack looks like it would be one of the evergreens because it bears green needles.
But this conifer is adeciduous tree.
It even bears fall foliage, as the needles turn yellow in autumn.
Types of Evergreen Coniferous Trees
Most conifers are evergreens, but not all of them are.
Examples of evergreens that aren’t coniferous include:
Should You Grow a Conifer or Evergreen?
Even the types with larger cones are valued by some people.
Evergreen trees and shrubs are also useful for people seekingliving privacy wallsall year long.
The term conifer is derived from the Latin words ‘conus’ and ‘ferre’ meaningconeandto bearrespectively.
Conifers can thrive in containers as long as they’re slower-growing varieties, such as dwarf and miniature species.
Using a heavy container like a wooden barrel or large terra-cotta pot will keep them stable.
How to Properly Identify Common Conifer Trees.Michigan State University Extension.
