How Do You Identify Evergreen Shrubs & Bushes?
Plants that retain their leaves throughout winter are a welcome addition to the garden landscape. There is a tremendous variety of evergreen shrubs encountered outdoors, including needle-leaved conifers as well as broadleaved plants that have thicker, leathery or glossy leaves. Several resources exist that allow you to investigate plants through visual comparison or by asking more knowledgeable plant enthusiasts for their identification skills. Ask a “green-thumbed” neighbor, family member or hired landscape worker if he knows the name of the mystery evergreen plants in your yard. If you have a photo of the plant, show it or email it. Focus on describing the foliage, shape and size of the shrubs you wish to identify. As you converse with people, being able to describe the size, length, shape and texture of leaves, flower buds, stems and other characteristics makes it easier to narrow down the possible identities of the plant. It also trains your eye to discriminate among the different
