best evergreen trees
If you’re searching for the best evergreen trees to add year-round structure, privacy, or vibrant greenery to your garden, you’re in the right place. Evergreen trees are the backbone of many New Zealand landscapes, offering lasting beauty no matter the season. These hardworking trees keep their leaves all year, making them ideal for screening, windbreaks, or simply as statement specimens in the garden. In this guide, we’ll spotlight some of the best evergreen trees suitable for a variety of New Zealand garden styles and conditions.
Sequoiadendron giganteum (Sequoia gigantea Tree)
Sequoiadendron giganteum, commonly known as the Giant Redwood, is a large, evergreen tree and aptly named for its red coloured wood. It features feathery, dark green foliage which is held on broad branches emerging off a central trunk as it grows to about 60 m tall and 20 m wide over several hundred years. The Giant Redwood is commonly grown as a specimen, planted to provide shelter, or used for timber production.
Castanospermum australe (Moreton Bay Chestnut)
Commonly known as the Moreton Bay Chestnut, this is an evergreen tree commonly grown as an indoor plant or added to subtropical gardens. It produces lush, green foilage off upright stems. Clusters of red, peal-like flowers are borne during late spring which give rise to the chestnut-like seeds in autumn. The seeds themselves should not be eaten as they can induce stomach cramps. It can reach 15 m tall and 7 m wide, but often reaches just 1.5 m tall and 70 cm wide when grown indoors. Best results are achieved when it is grown in full sun or partial shade on a well-drained, sheltered site that is free from frost. Moreton Bay Chestnuts are commonly included in sub-tropical gardens or maintained in a container. They make for a fabulous indoor plant when they are given some space.
