Conifers (Non-Flowering Trees & Shrubs)

Conifers (Non-Flowering Trees & Shrubs)


Conifers are cone-bearing gymnosperms - trees or shrubs that produce naked seeds without fruits.  There are two types of conifer cones - seed (female) cones and pollen (male) cones. These are the conifers' reproductive organs.  Pollen lands on female cones to fertilize them and create seeds. Seeds are usually located underneath cone scales.  Seed cones stay on the tree for a long time, while pollen cones shrink and wither off after releasing pollen.

Conifers are mostly evergreen but there are some exeptions, such as  bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) or tamarack (Larix laricina).

Cupressaceae

cypress family

Juniperus
Juniperus
 juniper 
J. communis
common juniper
J. virginiana
eastern redcedar
Metasequoia
Metasequoia
 dawn redwood 
M. glyptostroboides
dawn redwood
Taxodium
Taxodium
 cypress 
T. distichum
bald cypress
Pinaceae

pine family

Larix
Larix
 larch 
L. decidua
European larch
L. laricina
tamarack
Picea
Picea
 spruce 
P. abies
Norway spruce
P. glauca
white spruce
P. mariana
black spruce
P. pungens
Colorado blue spruce
P. rubens
red spruce
Pinus
Pinus
 pine 
P. banksiana
Jack pine
P. echinata
shortleaf pine
P. pungens
table mountain pine
P. resinosa
red pine
P. rigida
pitch pine
P. strobus
eastern white pine
P. sylvestris
Scotch pine
P. virginiana
Virginia pine
Thuja
Thuja
 arborvitae 
Tsuga
Tsuga
 hemlock 
T. canadensis
eastern hemlock