Fact Sheets no. In selecting evergreens, consider space, soil and site conditions, and weather factors. Evergreens have different water preferences. Group drought-tolerant types separately from those that require more water.
All evergreens benefit from mulches.
All need sufficient water to become established after transplanting. This varies with species, soil conditions, weather and site conditions. Most evergreens benefit from supplemental water during dry, warm or windy periods from November to March. Conifer trees are versatile and can be used as specimens, hedges, privacy screens, backdrops for smaller flowering plants, or as a windbreak planted on the north and west to deflect or intercept winter winds. Such trees, however, do not retain all of their needles indefinitely.