Facts About Evergreen Trees

Evergreen trees thrive on every continent, with the exception of the Antarctica. They are primarily known for their all-year round green leaves; unlike deciduous trees, evergreen trees and plants do not lose their foliage during cold seasons. While majority of us (scientists excluded) think of Christmas trees when we hear the word ‘evergreen’, there is in fact, a huge variety of kinds, among which are rainforest trees, eucalyptus, fern allies, cycads, and even palms.

Evergreen trees come in different height and foliage colour. Some types have needle-like foliage, while others have specific form of leafs. Moreover, although green is the most predominant colour, there are some species featuring foliage in red, yellow, brown or other colour. This may be why many evergreen trees Australia nursery experts recommend them for patios, backyards and gardens. Aside from giving your outdoor area a character (colour wise), these trees offer aesthetic appeal, good shade, less work related to clearing piles of fallen leafs and better outdoor privacy.

Nurseries offer different types of evergreen trees Australia wide. Although the most commonly purchased types are Willow myrtle, different Magnolia trees, Pine, Spruce, Cypress, Eucalyptus and Fir, it all depends on your space. The soil and climate conditions of your outdoor area to be exact. For example, some evergreen trees can tolerate drier soil conditions while others need moist soil to grow. Also, some evergreens are not as tolerant to poor soil drainage or poor sunlight. Who’d guess right. Here are few more facts you’ll find interesting.

• Welwitschia has only two leaves and unlike most evergreen trees, it grows close to the ground. Another interesting fact is its unusually long lifespan of about 2,000 years.

• Methuselah is another evergreen tree with long lifespan; it is believed to be more than 5,000 years old. It belongs to the Bristlecone pines species and is native to the White Mountains of California. However, its location is kept secret.

• In the Swedish province Dalarna, scientists have found an evergreen tree that is believed to be older than Methuselah.

• Senator, an evergreen tree from the Bald Cypress tree family which is more than 3,500 years old is believed to be the largest tree of this kind. This tree, located in Longwood, Florida in the Big Tree Park has a trunk diameter of around 5.3 meters.

• Contrary to popular belief that evergreen trees best thrive in cooler climate forests and regions, a big number of evergreens are tropical tress that grow in tropical forests and regions with warm climate. This is because the soil in tropical regions is poor in nutrients.