Why are Evergreens - Green?

Did you ever wonder why Evergreens stay green all year round?

Evergreens possess numerous needles, which serve as their leaves. These needles are resilient and have a waxy coating to help conserve moisture throughout the year.

Each tiny needle on a great big evergreen is working hard to make food for the tree. It all happens through a process called photosynthesis.

Chlorophyll gives the needles their green color, and it absorbs sunlight which the tree can use to turn carbon dioxide from the air and water into sugars. It is these sugars that help the tree grow and stay green. The Evergreens also produce a chemical which works as their antifreeze to lower the freezing point of liquids within the tree.

Evergreens are really good at living in cold places where there aren’t a lot of nutrients in the soil. Therefore they have adapted to store up all those nutrients and can use them through the winter months. These types of trees are also good at storing up water in their needles which can help them stay green, too.

The evergreen trees can shed or change out their needles every year or up to 5 years. Some may change their needles every 16 years! Healthy trees don’t drop all their needles at one time. Unhealthy trees may appear to drop a lot of needles or have brown ends on their branches.  Time to call an arborist!

Some even evergreens do lose at least some of their green color and some of the tree’s needles at the bottom of the tree may turn orange. That means those needles are at the end of their lifespan.

Different evergreen species grow in different zones and climates. Check out the evergreens in your area, as they may make a nice addition to your property.