The leafage on the conifer trees of North America – a group of species that includes the pines , spruces , cedars , fir tree and cypresses — is unlike that of trees such as oak , maple and birch . These trees possess needle or foliage resembling scales on small branchlet . With few exception , the conifers are evergreen , keep this foliage year - pear-shaped . Identifying the different type of foliage on conifers is much light when you concentrate your drive on sealed criteria .
Size
The needles on the many kinds of pine tree are stretch and much enceinte as fight down to those on other conifers with needles . While the size of needles does take issue among the firs , hemlock and spruces , the difference is not so obvious that it quickly aids in identification . With a pine , however , you’re able to measure acerate leaf for their length and often get a good thought of what type of Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree it may be . For example , the Nearctica website take note the acerate leaf of tenacious - leaf true pine may be 18 inches in length , while those of sand pine are only from 2 to 3.5 in long .
Scales
The leaves that occur on the species of coniferous tree belong to the house Cupressaceae are not at all similar to those of the Pinaceae home , which include the pines , fir and spruces . Cypresses , a group of trees native to the Western states , have little imbrication scales report the branchlets that extend off the twig . Most of the Retama raetam have leafage that dwell of scales overlapping the branchlets as well , with vulgar juniper the exclusion ; it has needle . The cedars , another major group of trees in this genre , have flatten foliage , with the parting scalelike .
Color
The semblance of conifer leaf goes a long way in some instances in helping you recognize the metal money . The Colorado naughty spruce is a case in point , as its foliage has a bluish tint that gives the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree its name . The two-dimensional acerate leaf of a balsam fir are a shiny K on their upper open but have two whitish to silvery bands draw along the undersides . The leaves of tamarack are bluish - immature , fit in to the " National Audubon Society Field Guide to Trees . " These needles really turn yellow and then come off before wintertime .
Growing From Branches
How the leaves of conifers grow from the branch is of import for designation determination . Fir Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree needles grow directly out of the branch . If you remove one , you will notice a distinct economic crisis left in the branch . Pine needle grow in bundles , with certain species having a specific number of needle in each package as it develops from the outgrowth . mintage such as sugar pine and white pine have needles in bundles of fives , while those of crimson pine tree grow in bundles of twos . hemlock tree needles arise from min stems . Spruce needles emerge from a peg - like theme on the arm .
Features
Conifer leaves have extra feature film . The odour that conifer foliage may exude when you crush it between your finger can avail you recognize what it is . The needles of white spruce give off an odor similar to that of a skunk . Balsam fir and Fraser fir have an aromatic balsam smell to their foliage . The grain of the foliage is a factor in recognition . poison parsley have voiced needle , while those of the spruces are rigid and prickly . White pine needles are compromising , while those of the jack true pine are quite stiff .
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