There are several species of evergreen trees found in our wonderful state of Indiana. Three of the most popular and well-known species include the White Pine, the Hemlock, and the Eastern Red Cedar. Evergreen trees are also referred to as conifer trees, never lose their leaves. They remain full of foliage that doesn’t fade or change in color. They are “always green” as their binomial name, sempervirens, suggests. Although most conifer trees are evergreens, there are a few exceptions. For example, the Larch tree is a conifer, but not an evergreen. It is deciduous and loses its leaves in the fall. Evergreens are not always trees; they can be plants and shrubs too, like Holly and Juniper bushes.
As for Indiana, we can expect to see a broad selection of evergreens this winter, trees and shrubs alike! Continue reading to learn about a few interesting species of evergreen found across the state, and who to call for professional tree advice and information in your neighborhood.
Eastern Red Cedar
This tree is scientifically known as Juniperus Virginiana, and is found all across eastern North America, the borders of Southeastern Canada, and even down through the Gulf of Mexico and eastern Great Plains. Red Cedars are true Junipers. They are beautiful conifers that grow at a very slow rate, but into very dense, solid trees. In poor soil that lacks proper nutrients, Eastern Red Cedars will not usually grow into nothing more than a shrub; but in nutrient-rich soils, they can achieve great heights as trees with full foliage.
White Pine
Eastern White Pines, or Pinus strobus, are canopy trees that can grow as tall as one hundred feet or more. They have tiered, horizontal branches that makes them more distinctive among other evergreen species. Each year, a new row of branches grows. Its needles are have a blue-green hue to them, and grow in feathery tufts. They are found in most Indiana towns, but throughout the Northeaster parts of the United States as well.
Hemlock
Hemlocks, scientifically named Tsuga Canadensis, are perfectly pyramidal conifers. Their limbs grow long, sprouting branches covered in short, feathery, dark-green pine needles with silver-ish undersides. They can reach heights of 40 feet or more. They are often trimmed into hedges in residential and commercial areas.