85 Hardy Evergreens – List and Overview

Evergreen Deciduous Trees
A house tree looks good in any garden. If he then looks great all year round, that’s quite something. Although there are more large shrubs and small trees than large deciduous trees, their size alone makes them stand out.

• Weidenblättrige Zwergmispel
• Large-leaved barberry
• Common holly
• Evergreen magnolia
• Spanish Oak ‘Pseudoturneri’

Large
Evergreen Conifers There are more evergreen conifers than deciduous trees. The variety is enormous.

• Nordmann-Tanne
• Chilean Araucaria (Monkey Tail Tree)
• Spanish fir ‘Kelleris’
• Himalayan Cedar
• Bastardzypresse ’Castlewellan Gold’

Medium-sized evergreen conifers

• Korean Fir ‘Silberlocke’
• Lawson’s cypress ‘Yvonne’
• Chinese juniper ‘Blue Alps’
• Virginian juniper ‘Canaertii’
• Mane Spruce
• Japanese umbrella fir
• Common yew ‘Semperaurea’

Small evergreen conifers and ground covers

• Sugar Loaf Spruce ‘Conica’
• Scale juniper ‘Blue Star’
• Fire cypress ‘Nana Gracilis’
• Serbian spruce ‘Nana’
• Occidental Tree of Life ‘Teddy’
• Mountain pine ‘Carsten`s Wintergold’
• Snakeskin Pine ‘Compact Gem’
• Common Yew ‘Repandens’

Evergreen tall hedges

• Holly ‘Heckenstar’
• Photinus ‘Red Robin’ (not for higher altitudes)
• Cherry laurel ‘Herbergii’ (may freeze back)
• Occidental Arborvitae ‘Columna’
• Common Yew
• Common privet ‘Atrovirens’

Evergreen low hedges

• boxwood
• Climbing Spindle ‘Emerald`n Gold’
• Oregon Grape ‘Apollo’
• Cherry laurel ‘Otto Luyken’
• Glossy honeysuckle ‘Maigrün’

Large evergreen shrubs

• Lance Barberry
• Narrow-leaved barberry
• Lederblatt-Mahogany
• Kirschlorbeer ’Genolia’
• Laurel medlar
• Mediterranean Firethorn ‘Red Colum’
• Wrinkled Snowball
• Japanese holly ‘Convexa’
• Spiky osmanthus

Small evergreen shrubs

• Rosemary Daphne
• Dornige Ölweide ‘Maculata’
• Glossy honeysuckle ‘Elegant’
• Skimmie ’Rubella’
• Pillow Snowball
• Henry’s snowball
• Dense griseline

Evergreen ericaceous plants

• Japanese azaleas
• Besenheide
• Japanese camellias
• Irish heath
• Snow Heather ‘Kramer’s Weisse’
• Berglorbeer ’Olympic Fire’
• Rhododendrons

Evergreen perennials

• Hanging cushion bellflower ‘Blauranke’
• Oriental Hellebore (Lentenrose)
• Balkan cranesbill
• Evergreen candytuft ‘Dwarf Snowflake’
• However Lavender
• real sage
• Thick palm lily
• houseleek species

Evergreen ground cover

• Carpet Gold Strawberry
• Small periwinkle
• Carpet cotoneaster ‘Thiensen’
• Heide-Wacholder ‘Repanda’
• Heartleaf Foam Blossom
• Dickmännchen ’Green Carpet’
• Climbing spindle bush ‘Minimus’

Evergreen climbing shrubs

• Climbing Spindle ‘Sulphur Heart’
• Common ivy and other varieties
• Immergrünes Geissblatt
• Evergreen climbing blackberry

bamboo

• umbrella bamboo ‘Jumbo’
• dwarf bamboo
• Evergreen broadleaf bamboo
• Green Bamboo
• Giant Bamboo ‘Aureocaulis’
• Zigzag Bamboo ‘Spectabilis’

grasses and ferns

• Japan-Segge ‘Ice Dance’
• Sheep fescue ‘Silbersee’
• Snow-white grove rush
• Mexican Male Fern
• Stag’s Tongue Fern
• Filigranfarn ’Herrenhausen’

The easiest to care for evergreen of each plant group

From each plant group, we present the easiest to care for specimen here in more detail. So you can get a good picture.

Large-leaved barberry (Berberis julianae)
The large shrub can easily be pruned into small trees with several shoots. This barberry grows about 4 m high and 5 m wide. The yellow clusters of flowers in May and June and the old leaves, which turn orange-red in autumn, are particularly decorative. The leaf thorns, which are up to 4 cm long, and the elongated, blue-black berries are also interesting.

• Well suited for privacy plantings and wide hedges
• Plant from mid-September to November
• Location sunny to off-sun
• Tie young branches to bamboo sticks and they will quickly gain height
• Grows on all soils
• No waterlogging
• Also suitable as a lifelong container plant
• Withstands short periods of drought
• Surprisingly frost hardy, but protect newly planted specimens in winter
• Slight pruning after flowering – to prevent balding
• Propagation by cuttings or seeds
• Slightly toxic

Spanish fir ‘Kelleris’ (Abies pinsapo)
A naturally occurring fir species only in Spain and Morocco, which stands out due to its silvery blue color and distinctive growth. Remarkable are the rigid needles, which protrude from the branches on all sides, i.e. all around. The Spanish fir is well suited for a solitary position, a great solitaire and very easy to care for.

• 8 to 12 m in height and 4 to 6 m in spread
• Cylindrical cones 10 to 15 cm long
• Slightly sunny to shady
• Tolerates any soil that is not too dry
• Tie off the top shoot when young so that a straight trunk can develop
• Quite moderate water requirement, can also cope with drought
• If possible, do not cut
• Pinch off the still soft side shoots in June at the latest to encourage denser growth
• Somewhat sensitive to winter sun, especially as a young tree
• Endangered by snow pressure – not for snowy areas
• Irregular growth at a young age – but evens out

Japanese umbrella fir (Sciadopitys verticillata)

The umbrella fir is an extraordinary phenomenon. Their appearance, which is so different from other plants, makes them an eye-catcher, especially in the shade garden. The wide needles, which are grouped in a tuft-like arrangement to form small umbrellas, are particularly striking. Umbrella firs are easy to care for and do well in the front yard or in a small group in the middle of the lawn.

• About 6 m high and 2 m wide
• Columnar growth, slow-growing
• Location with moist air and soil
• Sun to semi-shade, likes more shade in winter
• sheltered from the wind
• The sunnier, the more water is needed
• No lime
• Nutrient-rich, well-drained soil
• Can be planted all year round
• Do not cut
• Hardy even without protection
• Propagation by seed
• Hardly any diseases and pests

Snakeskin Pine ‘Compact Gem’ (Pinus heldreichii)

A pine for unfavorable locations, which does not mind drought, blazing sun, frost and strong winds and which still grows and thrives well. A pine tree in mini format, which is suitable both for keeping in containers and for planting out. The older bark is patterned like snakeskin, hence the name of the tree. This compact little shrub is an ornament to any garden, even small ones. It is absolutely easy to care for and robust.

• 3 m high and 2 m wide
• Slow growing
• Remains squat and grows upright in a pyramid shape
• Comes without a cut
• If you want to keep them small, you have to break off half of the fresh shoots in the first few years in May
• Sunny to shady
• Prefers fresh, moist, calcareous, well-drained soil
• Frost hardy and heat resistant
• Water depending on location
• No waterlogging
• Hardly any diseases and pests

Common yew (Taxus bacatta)
This yew species is more suitable as a hedge plant than any other, even if it grows only slowly. The trees can grow up to 12 m high and 8 m wide, but are durable at any height. An annual cut is required, but no straight, exact hedge can do without it. The special thing about the plants is that they can cope with both bright sun and shade. The only downside is the fairly high price when you buy it.

• Flowering from February to March
• Getting very old
• sun to shade
• Plant in spring or fall
• Slightly calcareous and nutrient-rich soil
• Enrich sandy soils with compost
• Water weekly from April to August
• The sunnier, the more water
• Fertilize with compost in spring
• Pruning twice a year if possible, at least as long as height growth is desired
• Also sprouts from old wood – rare in coniferous trees
• Propagation – cuttings and seeds
• The seed kernel is poisonous for children, the other parts are also poisonous

Schberblättrige Berberitze (Berberis x stenophylla)

The narrow-leaved barberry is characterized by a particularly lush bloom. In May and even in June, this shrub is covered all over with yellow-orange flower bells that hang in clusters from the branches. Attractive black fruits develop from this in autumn. This barberry is extremely easy to care for and can also be used as a hedge plant.

• Height 2.50 m, width 3 m
• Arched overhanging shape
• Full sun to semi-shady location
• Humus soil without waterlogging
• Better a little dry than too wet
• Protected from the wind if possible
• No fertilizer, maximum compost, but only in spring
• The shrub must mature, otherwise it is not sufficiently hardy
• Can be cut, but doesn’t have to be
• If cut, then after hibernation
• Better not to cut
• Protect the root area, especially of young plants, in winter
• Propagate by cuttings and cuttings

Rhododendrons

For a long time, rhododendrons were considered boring because they are not particularly attractive when they are not in bloom. Today there are new breeds that score with great leaves, in silver-grey or bronze, which turn green over time, but definitely provide another highlight. If rhododendrons have the right location and, above all, a suitable plant substrate, they are absolutely easy to care for. However, the two components are absolutely crucial for healthy growth and lots and lots of flowers.

• Depending on the type and variety, up to 3 m high and just as wide
• But there are numerous small breeds
• Choose healthy varieties
• Half-shady location, no midday sun, but also no dark shade
• Acid soil, pH between 4 and 5.5
• Casting depending on the location
• The more sun, the more water
• Fertilize with compost, leaves and coffee grounds
• No lime
• Prune only when absolutely necessary and after flowering
• Propagating – cuttings, cuttings, seeds
• Sufficiently hardy, only protect potted plants
• Unfortunately, numerous diseases and pests
• Usually affects weakened plants

Oriental Hellebore (Helleborus orientalis)

Unfortunately, these beautiful flowering plants are not as well known as their “sisters”, the Christmas roses. In contrast to those, the Hellebore, also known as Lenten roses, have more colorful flowers and they grow taller. In recent years, beautiful new breeds have come onto the market, with flowers in multiple colors, with patterns and wavy petals, double flowers and much more. The absolutely easy-care perennial plants should not be missing in any garden, they are an absolute asset.

• Flowering from February depending on the variety, but mostly from March/April
• Very durable
• Especially beautiful in group planting
• Thrive best under a deciduous shrub
• Need space, no close neighbors
• Don’t like being transplanted
• Soil nutrient-rich, calcareous, rich in humus, fresh
• Remove brown, dried and stained leaves
• do not till the soil
• Once established, only a little water is needed
• Water only a little, especially in summer – resting phase
• Little fertilizer
• Good hardy
• Sow yourself
• Toxic in all parts

Common ivy (Hedera helix)

Ivy is often underestimated. This climbing plant also grows in the deepest shade, often high up in trees and shrubs. You can also green desolate walls with ivy, although there are a few things to consider to avoid damage. Ivy can be recognized by its characteristic leaves. As good as climbing, it can crawl and cover bare areas, especially in the shade. Ivy is absolutely easy to care for.

• Can grow 20 m high and 4 m wide
• Crawl or climb
• Even blooms and forms infructescence
• Has clinging roots to hold on to
• partial shade to full shade
• In the sun, it needs sufficiently moist soil
• Humus and nutrient-rich soil with lime
• Water when dry
• Fertilize every now and then
• Cut possible at any time
• Mainly to contain the strong growth
• Sufficiently hardy
• Usually manages without care

Schirmbambus ’Jumbo’ (Fargesia murielae)

The umbrella bamboo has the great advantage that it grows in clumps and does not wander through the entire garden via long rhizomes. So it does not need a rhizome barrier and is easy to handle. Umbrella bamboo is good for free-growing hedges that can also be cut into shape with hedge trimmers. It also works well as a solitaire. Its frost hardiness is favorable. The plant also survive in cold regions. The bamboo also looks very nice in the bucket.

• up to 3.5 m high and 2 m wide
• Grows about 40 cm per year
• Stays nice and green in winter
• Sunny to shady
• Protected from the wind if possible
• Slightly acidic, normal garden soil
• Not too dry
• Rhododendron earth is favorable
• Pour plenty
• Fertilize plentifully, especially nitrogen
• In April and again in June/July
• Indicates drought by leaf curl
• Can be cut, doesn’t have to be

Japan-Segge ’Ice Dance’ (Carex morrowii)

Sedges are actually all grateful grasses. The Japanese sedge ‘Ice Dance’ is characterized by wide white marginal stripes that do not turn green over the course of the year. The growth is extremely robust and carpet-like. This grass works best in groups and under sparse shrubs and trees. When planting in the neighborhood, only strong-growing plants that can assert themselves against the grass should be selected. All in all, this Japanese sedge is very adaptable and can even cope with the most difficult conditions.

• 0.3 m high and just as wide
• Forms runners and spreads out
• Inconspicuous flowering April/May
• Sun to shade, light shade is best
• Humus-rich, loose soil, not too dry
• Slightly moist soil is better
• Water adequately, especially in summer
• Fertilize twice a year
• Good hardy
• Propagation by division in spring
• Can be cut, but doesn’t have to be