Evergreen plants

Evergreen plants keep their leaves all year round. They are also known as deciduous or evergreen (from the Latin sempervirens, meaning evergreen). They are opposed to deciduous plants and trees, whose leaf blades fall off in winter.

In fact, evergreens lose their foliage. Leaf life varies from species to species. The average is one year. Once the leaf blade has completed its life cycle, it falls off. In trees and evergreens, leaf fall occurs gradually. Not all leaves fall off at the same time. What's more, deciduous trees grow new leaves to replace those that die. That's why they always look green.

Maintaining foliage when temperatures drop or when water is scarce requires an effort on the part of plants. To achieve this, their leaves have evolved. In conifers, the leaf structure is reduced to spines or scales to protect them from the cold and low light levels. Other varieties have leathery, glossy or bloom-covered leaves.

Conifers such as pines, firs and larches are the best-known evergreens. Oleander, yellow Laurel, bougainvillea and lemon also belong to the deciduous family. Thanks to these ornamental trees and shrubs, your garden stays alive during the dreary season.

Evergreen shrubs are essential if you want to plant a privacy hedge. Charcoal, Photinia, holly and ceanothus will keep you out of sight, even in winter.

Almost all our houseplants are evergreens. If all the leaves on your Calathea crocata or Chinese coin plant fall off at once, it's probably due to excess water or disease.