10 Best Evergreen Trees to Make Your Yard a Private Oasis
Blake Watkins reveals his favorite varieties.
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Seasons come and go, and with them the leaves turn, flowers bloom and wilt, and vegetables ripen and get picked. However, for one type of tree, the seasons merely mark the passage of time. Evergreen trees are seemingly oblivious to changes in the weather. For that reason, these often-overlooked plants can provide your yard with much-needed color during the dregs of January. The best evergreen trees include many more options than Christmas trees and needle-shedding pines. Just like annuals and perennials, evergreens come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.
To help us understand the benefits of evergreen trees and what they need to thrive, we enlisted the expert advice of Blake Watkins, certified master arborist and operations partner at Monster Tree Service. “Evergreens provide great benefits for beneficial insects, birds, and wildlife, providing them with a habitat and food source,” Watkins says. “Additionally, many evergreens are also ideal trees for creating privacy within a backyard due to their screening benefits. They also help to add structure to landscapes and offer consistent color year-round, which can make backyards look and feel more appealing.” Given that there are so many evergreen tree varieties to choose from, it can be confusing and difficult to know where to get started. Below, we’ve gathered the 10 best evergreen trees to plant in your yard this year to guide you in the right direction.
For more landscaping inspiration:
- The Best Pink Flowering Trees for a Pop of Color
- 85 Landscaping Ideas for Every Size Yard
- Annual vs. Perennial: What’s the Difference?
What Does Evergreen Really Mean?
Merriam-Webster defines evergreens as “plants that retain their color and function through one growing season and into the next.” Unlike deciduous trees and flowering plants that die or go dormant in the winter, the frost and cold don’t cause evergreens to lose their color. Still, when you’re deciding what to plant, it’s important to think about your climate and plant-care capabilities. Just because they’re, well, evergreen, doesn’t mean these trees don’t require any care or maintenance.
Southern Magnolia
Known for their rich, waxy leaves and large white blooms, Southern magnolias are towering trees that need space to spread out. They also happen to be one of Watkins’s favorite evergreens. “A single specimen can provide scale and elegance to even the largest houses,” he says.
Growing conditions: Full or partial sun; well-drained soil
Drought tolerance: Good
Mature height: 40 to 60 feet
Zones: 7 to 9
Canary Island Pine
Unlike the traditional pine trees you see at Christmastime, the Canary Island pine has long, luscious needles. These trees are voluminous and do best in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11.
Growing conditions: Full or partial sun; well-draining soil
Drought tolerance: Very good
Mature height: Up to 80 feet
Zones: 9 to 11
Eastern White Pine
If you live in the northeastern United States, Watkins recommends the stately Eastern white pine. “This is a formal-looking pine with dark needles, a pyramidal shape, and a uniform branching structure,” he says. That close structure also makes it great for privacy in a yard.
Growing conditions: Full or partial sun; well-drained soil
Drought tolerance: Semi
Mature height: 55 to 75 feet
Zones: 3 to 8
Live Oak
Majestic and almost otherworldly, the live oak is one of the largest and oldest evergreens in the United States. They’re fantastic for shade. Watkins says, “Homeowners can raise the canopy of these trees to allow low winter light underneath and to block the high summer sun.”
Growing conditions: Full or partial sun; well-drained soil
Drought tolerance: Good
Mature height: 40 to 80 feet
Zones: 7B to 10B
Coast Live Oak
Also known as the California live oak, this variety does best in mild, coastal climates. You normally see the tree growing in the well-drained soil of coastal hills and plains, often near year-round or perennial streams, according to Golden Gate National Conservancy.
Growing conditions: Full or partial sun; well-drained soil
Drought tolerance: Good
Mature height: 20 to 70 feet
Zones: 8 to 11
Blue Spruce
Available in a variety of sizes, the blue spruce is a great, small- space-friendly evergreen tree. Native to the Rocky Mountains, this tree has a classic pyramidal shape and stunning silvery-blue needles that keep their color all year long.
Growing conditions: Full or partial sun; acidic, adaptable, well-drained soil
Drought tolerance: Good
Mature height: 100-plus feet
Zones: 2 to 7
Longleaf Pine Tree
As Watkins describes it, the Longleaf pine is “a really fun, almost cartoonish tree with long needles that grow like pom-poms at the end of branches.” It’s mostly found in the southeastern United States.
Growing conditions: Full or partial sun; acidic, well-drained soil
Drought tolerance: Very good
Mature height: 98 to 115 feet
Zones: 7 to 9
Arborvitae
While arborvitae trees are a bit finicky to care for, these towering trees are beloved for their privacy screening capabilities when planted close together. It’s important to establish a regular watering schedule from the get-go.
Growing conditions: Full or partial sun; well-drained soil
Drought tolerance: Semi
Mature height: 10 to 15 feet
Zones: 3 to 8
Rhododendron
This large flowering shrub is a rarity among evergreens. Rhododendron bushes are an excellent way to bring color into your off-season landscaping. “I don’t know a more elegant flower,” Watkins says. And while it won’t flower all year, the evergreen bush is very attractive on its own.
Growing conditions: Full or partial sun; adaptable to soil
Drought tolerance: Good
Mature height: 6 to 10 feet
Zones: 4 to 8
Italian Cypress
Looking to give your landscaping an Italian countryside feel? An Italian cypress evergreen instantly transports you. These trees can reach a towering 50 feet tall (there are dwarf varieties for a shorter height) and love warm climates with well-draining soil.
Growing conditions: Full or partial sun; adaptable to soil
Drought tolerance: Good
Mature height: 40 to 60 feet
Zones: 8 to 10
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