At first glance, many types of conifers may look the same and be hard to identify. One of the best ways to tell pine, spruce, and fir trees apart is by their needle leaves. You may also notice differences in these evergreen trees by looking at their cones, branches and bark. With a few facts about conifers, you will be able to easily identify the different species of these hardy trees.

Evergreen trees are the perfect type of tree to landscape a garden or backyard. Types of trees such as pines, firs, spruces, and cedars only lose their leaves gradually and they stay green all year long. Some species of evergreen trees are large elegant trees and some are small bushy shrubs. So, whatever your landscaping needs are, there are many varieties of evergreen trees to choose from.

Fir trees are a species of large evergreen conifer trees that are mainly found in North America, Europe, and Asia. Some of the tallest types of fir trees can reach impressive heights of 262 ft. (80 m) and some smaller kinds may only be 32 ft. (10 m) tall. Like most coniferous trees, firs have needle-like leaves that stay green all year long. Some species of fir tree such as the Fraser fir, balsam fir, and noble fir are popular Christmas trees.

There are many different types of fruit tress that you can plant in your own garden or even grow in pots. If you have a small garden you can plant dwarf or miniature fruit trees as they don’t take up a lot of space and can be kept small. If you look for low-maintenance fruit trees, choose self-pollinating (or self-fertile) fruit trees. These trees don’t require other cultivars to be planted nearby to produce summer or fall fruit. Self-pollinating fruit trees include varieties such as nectarines, apricots, peaches, and sour cherries.

Knowing how to identify tree leaves can help to know which trees are growing in woodlands, forests, or parks. It is possible to identify leaves by their shape, edging, size and patterns. Some deciduous trees have tree leaves that are heart, ovoid, rounded, lanceolate, and triangular shapes. Evergreen coniferous trees have leaves that look like needles or clusters of scales.

There are many types of ficus trees that make great houseplants and can also add greenery to your garden. In general, most varieties of ficus plants are easy to care for. Types of ficus trees include shrub-like plants, creeping vines, and woody trees.

Dwarf evergreen trees are small, compact trees that are perfect for small gardens or growing in containers. The beauty of planting small trees is that they require little maintenance, are green all year round and don’t take up much space in your yard. Even in large gardens, planting small dwarf evergreen trees can make beautiful garden landscape features.