Planting Evergreen vs. Deciduous Trees in Minnesota: Which is Best for You?

Trees are a game-changer for any yard. They give your property beauty, they provide shade and privacy, and they may even create a new habitat for birds. When planting a tree near your home in Minnesota, one of the first important decisions you’ll need to make is whether you want an evergreen tree or a deciduous tree.

Evergreen trees don’t lose their leaves in fall and usually have needles; examples include pines, spruces and arborvitae. Deciduous trees will lose their leaves in the fall; popular varieties include oaks, maples and aspens. Both have distinct advantages, so keep reading to decide which would make the most beneficial difference to your yard in Minnesota.

Comparing Deciduous & Evergreen Trees by Category

1. Beauty – This one is subjective, but there are advantages to both tree varieties. Deciduous trees will undergo a gloriously colorful transformation in the fall, bringing rich golds and reds to your yard in Minnesota. But then, they’ll lose those leaves and won’t be very pretty in the winter; evergreens have the advantage of looking nice year-round.
2. Growth Rate – When you plant a tree near your home in Minnesota, you probably want it to achieve its full height quickly so that you can enjoy its beauty and benefits. Deciduous trees are faster growers than their evergreen kin, with some growing more than 2′ annually. This means you won’t have to wait nearly as long to have a towering tree on your property.
3. Maintenance – If you’re looking for a low-maintenance tree to plant in your yard in Minnesota, you’re better off with an evergreen. Since deciduous trees drop their leaves in the fall, you’re going to have to spend a lot of your time raking. Evergreens don’t have this problem. There’s also the matter of fertilizer; deciduous trees generally need to be fertilized at regular intervals until they’re well established while evergreen trees rarely, if ever, need to be fertilized.
4. Privacy – If your goal in planting a tree is to protect your home in Minnesota from unfriendly eyes, evergreen trees are the way to go. While deciduous trees grow most of their leaves way up top, evergreens tend to grow in a cone shape with foliage from trunk to crown, offering better privacy. An additional benefit of evergreens is that they’ll continue to keep your yard private during winter since they don’t lose their leaves.
5. Shade – In summer, deciduous trees provide the shady relief that your yard needs with their full canopies of leaves. This shade is lost in winter but, then again, you probably won’t be spending much time outside and you’ll be grateful for the sun when you are. Evergreen trees provide limited shade in the summer but their sparser foliage won’t shield you from the sun like deciduous trees will.

Deciduous or Evergreen – Your Trees Deserve the Best Care

There are strong benefits to both evergreen and deciduous trees, and your yard would probably be best served with a mix of both. Keeping your trees healthy for many years to come might require the services of a professional tree care company, so call Pro-Tree Outdoor Services today if you need the best tree health care services in Minnesota!