Do evergreens continue to grow during the winter months or do they stop growing like deciduous trees?
It depends on your definition of “grow.” During the winter months here in Western Pennsylvania, needled evergreens (pines, spruces, firs, cedars, hemlocks and the like) continue to photosynthesize, but they typically do not put out new foliage. They aren’t truly dormant, like deciduous trees are, because on the cellular level they are still quite active. As long as the ground remains unfrozen and an evergreen’s roots can access water, the plant will continue to photosynthesize, but not necessarily “grow.” Once the ground freezes and water is in short supply, the plant can temporarily slow down both photosynthesis and respiration, shifting into a state of partial dormancy. Needled evergreens like these have a very small amount of leaf surface area exposed to drying winter winds and the needles are coated in a wax to further prevent moisture loss. Broadleaf evergreen shrubs (rhododendrons, laurels, hollies, azaleas and others) also will continue to photosynthesize through the winter. But
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