Evergreens That Do Well in Full Sun in Summer & Shade in the Winter
- Camellia in bloomcamellia on stage image by feisty from Fotolia.com
Evergreens have the ability to retain their foliage color through winter, when most other plants have died down for the season. With this ability, evergreen trees and shrubs provide warmth and color to winter's often dreary landscape. Flourishing in full summer sun and shaded winters, many evergreen species can grow and thrive in a wide variety of soils. - Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) is a rapidly growing evergreen tree that flourishes in full summer sun and winter shade. It grows 50 to 80 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide, creating dense shade along a landscape. It has a pyramidal shape that is narrow to broad and a fine texture. The rich green foliage is noted for its white markings on the underside of the needles. The trees have a cinnamon to red bark when young and are long-lived. They grow best in full sun and shade and well-drained, moist soil. The USDA hardiness zone for planting is 5 to 8.
- Japanese cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica), an evergreen tree with a moderate growth rate, has a pyramidal shape and a fine to medium texture. It reaches a maximum height of 60 feet tall and spread of 25 to 30 feet wide. Easy to grow, the Japanese cryptomeria produces small cones at the end of its branches. The bright green to blue foliage on Japanese cryptomeria is smooth to the touch and casts a bronze tinge in winter. Japanese cryptomeria grows best in full sun to high shade and requires well-drained, deep soils. Versatile, it tolerates a wide range of soil types. Plant in USDA zones 5 to 9.
- Tea camellia (Camellia sinensis) is an evergreen shrub with a moderate growth rate and rounded, open form. It grows four to six feet tall and wide and looks striking planted in masses along the landscape for a colorful garden background. The white, one-and-a-half-inch, fragrant blooms emerge and blossom in fall to early winter. The dark green, lustrous, two- to four-inch leaves retain color through the winter. Tea camellia shrubs are both heat- and drought-tolerant. According to a North Carolina State University Extension fact sheet, this variety is more cold hardy than other camellia types. Tea camellias thrive in full sun to shade and tolerate a wide range of soil types. They grow best in USDA zones 6 to 9.
