Semi-evergreen foliage

Alongside deciduous and evergreen plants, there's a third type of foliage: semi-evergreen or semi-deciduous. Semi-evergreen plants, trees and shrubs retain part of their leaves in winter. The limbs fall off when temperatures get too low, or when the plant has grown new ones.

Like evergreens, semi-evergreens give the illusion of foliage that never fades. But, in reality, like deciduous varieties, they renew their leaves all at once, in spring.

Be careful not to confuse semi-persistence with marcescence! During winter, the leaf blades of marcescent plants wither and turn brown without falling off. In spring, the leaves fall, replaced by buds and young shoots. Beech, chestnut and hornbeam have marcescent foliage.

Madagascar palm, privet, Abelia grandiflora, fuchsia, lavatera and some azaleas have semi-caducous foliage. As they keep their leaves until spring, you can plant them in a hedge or bed with your deciduous plants to bring life to your garden during the dreary season.